The Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees
Just 50 km from your campsite, don’t miss a trip to the Pic du Midi, the highest peak in the Pyrenees at 2876 meters. Accessible to all thanks to the cable car, the Pic du Midi is a must-see to admire the majestic mountain range.
Located near Bagnères de Bigorre, it is world-famous for the panoramic views it offers visitors of the Franco-Spanish slope. It is also home to an astronomical observatory, where scientific research has been making its mark for 135 years. A television relay station is also located on the Pic.
The Pic du Midi, a mythical site in the Pyrenees
The Pic du Midi has always been the source of legends that can be found in mythological tales. The Pyrenees are said to be the tomb of Pyrene, who fell in love with Heracles. Python, the serpent born of their union, guarded the tomb. The creature’s head is said to be in Gavarnie, while its tail is at the Pic du Midi.
It is also said that the 999-year-old shepherds Milharis and Beliou lived at the foot of the mountain…
But legends aside, an arrowhead found at the Col de Sensours shows that the Pic du Midi was already frequented in the Neolithic period.
With the development of science in the 17th century, the location of the Pic du Midi became of vital interest.
Expeditions to observe the site multiplied. François de Plantade studied the solar corona of an eclipse in 1706; Monge and d’Arcet measured atmospheric pressure.
The Pic du Midi, a renowned scientific site
The 19th century was a time of progress, and in 1870 it was decided to build an observatory on the summit of the Pic du Midi. In 1875, construction began on the foundations, and in 1882, the first premises saw the light of day.
But it wasn’t until 1907 that the first telescope was installed. It was then one of the largest in the world. At the time, it disproved the hypothesis of the existence of canals on Mars. The resounding success of the discovery gave worldwide scientific recognition to the observatory’s work, which is still relevant today. Today, researchers are scrutinizing the purity of the universe to unearth unknown celestial phenomena in the galaxy.
Since 2013, the Pic du Midi observatory has been designated an “International Dark Sky Reserve”. This label, awarded by the International Dark-sky Association, guarantees that the site is free from light pollution.
The Pic du Midi from the impossible access to the cable car
Until the mid-20th century, it took over three hours to reach the Pic from the Tourmalet path. Having already acquired a good reputation, an inn had already been set up by this time.
In 1952, the first low-capacity cable car was inaugurated, departing from La Mongie. Comprising two sections, it included a stop at Le Taoulet. At the time, however, it was only open to Observatory staff.
With the spectacular development of tourism in the 1990s, the Pic du Midi site renovated its reception area and decided to build a new cable car to make the summit accessible to tourists.
The old ropeway is dismantled before the new one is installed on the same route. It was inaugurated in 2000.
Ideal for hikers
Starting from La Mongie station, the first section is 1781 m long, with a 560 m vertical drop. The second section is even longer, at 2629 m, with an average gradient of 21%.
But hiking enthusiasts can of course climb the old paths and enjoy their feat after taking in the marvellous Pyrenean scenery.
