Best“All-Rounder” region of Pyrenees for caving, canyoning, via ferrata... (plus where to stay?)

[CavingForLemons]

A group of 10 – 15 of us are heading out to the Pyrenees this August for a fortnight. We’re keen for a range of different caving trips but would also like to do some canyoning (relatively beginner level), via ferrata and hiking.

Is there a particular region that would be best for this / would anyone like to share their experience of organising such a trip?

Also, are there caving huts or similar accommodation that you could recommend for this sort of size group on a student budget?

 

[Fatman]

SUSS went there in 1988 for a few weeks of general fun. We stayed around
Pierre-Saint-Martin area. Back then you needed the key to the tunnel connecting to La Verna chamber, now its an organised tour. The upper entrance is on the pic d'anie plateau, worth a walk in its own right and the summit views are fantastic. There are other sporting caves around there. Nearby is Laruns in the Ossau valley, the Pic is probably the most iconic in the Pyrenees and offers climbing and a grade one ish scramble to the summit. We did canyoneering but can't remember where. There's also day trips to Canfranc railway station in Spain, Pau, Lourdes.
Should be loads on line to find out details.

 

[Leclused]

PSM is the place to be

All caving information can be found via Arsip : https://www.arsip.fr/ they also do the planning of trips in classic psm caves.

For camping the best spot is camping Ibarra in Saint-Engrace. This is the most outdoor sports friendly camping in the area. During summer there are always several caving teams that use this site as basecamp.

https://www.ibarra-chantina.com/

 

[alanw]

For camping the best spot is camping Ibarra in Saint-Engrace.

+1 I've been there with the BPC.
Google Maps

 

[Leclused]

Canyon in the Saint-Engrace area

Descente-Canyon.com - Sainte-Engrâce : La liste des canyons - Canyoning - Canyonisme

Sainte-Engrâce : retrouvez toutes les fiches-canyons des sites de pratique sur cette zone

www.descente-canyon.com

 

[Leclused]

Just to give you a small impression of the area where we are exploring (Anialarra).

Drone flight Anialarra (Verdad - pic d'Annie)

At 1:11 you can see our altitude camp (2100m) during summer the base camp is Camping Ibarra and teams go up to the altitude camp for 3-5 days.

We have a FB page about our explorations : Anialarre explo (Facebook)

 

[Ed]

PSM is the place to be

All caving information can be found via Arsip : https://www.arsip.fr/ they also do the planning of trips in classic psm caves.

For camping the best spot is camping Ibarra in Saint-Engrace. This is the most outdoor sports friendly camping in the area. During summer there are always several caving teams that use this site as basecamp.

https://www.ibarra-chantina.com/

+2 --- been there with BPC twice

 

[Loki]

My only negative about that particular campsite is it appeared to get all the cold air running off the mountains and got not a lot of sun as the valley is quite steep sided. Otherwise very pleasant.
The lonne-peyret is very fine pothole btw. We did a trip to rig the entrance series then a trip to bottom it then a quick de tackle. Despite descriptions saying neoprene is needed near the bottom it was superfluous when we did it. No more than waist Deep water as I recall. There is an Ulsa write up somewhere online by sam and Mike.
Kakuetta gorge is a good pleasant walk.

 

[Leclused]

My only negative about that particular campsite is it appeared to get all the cold air running off the mountains and got not a lot of sun as the valley is quite steep sided. Otherwise very pleasant.
The lonne-peyret is very fine pothole btw. We did a trip to rig the entrance series then a trip to bottom it then a quick de tackle. Despite descriptions saying neoprene is needed near the bottom it was superfluous when we did it. No more than waist Deep water as I recall. There is an Ulsa write up somewhere online by sam and Mike.
Kakuetta gorge is a good pleasant walk.

True about the weather. When unstable the clouds run down the valleys. Mostly the clouddeck is at the station of Pierre saint Martin.

But when stable weather it can be very hot for weeks.

Our clubs is active +25 years and the latest decade the wheather has been better then earlier

Hereby a picture galery of the area

Anialarra photo’s

 

[thehungrytroglobite]

True about the weather. When unstable the clouds run down the valleys. Mostly the clouddeck is at the station of Pierre saint Martin.

But when stable weather it can be very hot for weeks.

Our clubs is active +25 years and the latest decade the wheather has been better then earlier

Hereby a picture galery of the area

Anialarra photo’s

Can other people go on your clubs expedition?

 

[Leclused]

Can other people go on your clubs expedition?

It's an interclub expedition so in theory 'yes'. Currently most teammembers are coming from belgian clubs (dutch and french speaking). We even have Polish and Ukranian teammembers but they are living in Belgium and are member of SC Avalon.

But in the past we had some people from France joining expeditions. And on the PSM the active expedition teams are always working together. It is one big happy caving family. It is al coördinated by Arsip.

So if you are interested, send me a PM and I'll pass you information to the expedtion team. I'm not joining these expeditions for the momemt because I'm involved in an other big exploration in France, which is taken al my exploration time for the moment.