Grottes de Bétharram is a network of subterranean caverns that has been carved out from the limestone, glittering with impressive formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Visits to the cave aboard a combination of minitrain and barge last around 1½ hours, but be warned: the site gets extremely busy in high summer. The site is along the D937, 14km west of Lourdes.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions
20.15 MILES
If the Pyrenees has a mustn’t-miss view, it’s the one from the Pic du Midi de Bigorre (2877m). Once accessible only to mountaineers, since 1878 the Pic du…
7.49 MILES
Around 12km south of Lourdes, off the D821 near Argelès-Gazost, this fantastic animal park is home to many species that were once commonly sighted across…
Sanctuaires Notre Dame de Lourdes
6.72 MILES
The spiritual centre of Lourdes is the subterranean grotto where Bernadette Soubirous is believed to have experienced her visions in 1858. From the Porte…
16.38 MILES
Originally the residence of the monarchs of Navarre, Pau’s castle was transformed into a Renaissance château amid lavish gardens by Marguerite…
Estación Internacional de Canfranc
29.33 MILES
The magnificent, 250m-long, Modernista structure of Canfranc station stands as a monument to a trans-Pyrenean railway that has lain idle for half a…
16.44 MILES
This townhouse is the birthplace of one of Napoléon’s favourite generals, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (nicknamed ‘Sergent belle-jambe’, on account of his…
6.97 MILES
Lourdes’ imposing castle stands on a sheer hill just behind the town. There’s been a stronghold here since Roman times, but the present building combines…
12.69 MILES
The griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) was once a familiar sight over the Pyrenees, but habitat loss and hunting have taken their toll on these strange,…
Nearby Lourdes attractions
6.5 MILES
Underneath the soaring spires of the Basilique Supérieure is the fabled Grotte de Massabielle, where people queue for hours to enter and take a blessed…
6.53 MILES
Connects the Basilique Supérieure with the Chemin de Croix (Way of the Cross).
4. Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire
6.55 MILES
The lower of Lourdes' two basilicas has magnificent gilded mosaics.
6.66 MILES
This gate into the sanctuary is the first you'll reach when approaching from across the river (where you'll find the majority of lodging and dining…
6.66 MILES
By evening or early morning (when the Porte St-Michel is closed), this is the most convenient access to the sanctuary.
7. Sanctuaires Notre Dame de Lourdes
6.72 MILES
The spiritual centre of Lourdes is the subterranean grotto where Bernadette Soubirous is believed to have experienced her visions in 1858. From the Porte…
6.97 MILES
Lourdes’ imposing castle stands on a sheer hill just behind the town. There’s been a stronghold here since Roman times, but the present building combines…