The French Pyrenees

Excellent organisation of the trip by our 2 leaders David and Sergio, who catered well for all of the different abilities amongst the clients in our group. The accommodation was clean, with a lovely warm welcome from the hosts, and beautiful French food. Every day was a new adventure of soul fulfilling, spectacular scenery, and nature finds. We saw endemic plant species, birds, insects, butterflies and mammals. We immersed ourselves fully, whilst walking, in the pure mountain air. Wonderful. The choice of trips available are numerous, varied and diverse, so this can mean some consideration and time involved before choosing the right one. Naturetrek always follow up any queries one may have regarding the trips such as travel arrangements, and with their informative prompt replies, one has the assurance needed before placing a deposit for a trip. They are also keen for clients to review trips, so you feel they want to get things right for the client, which is not always the case with other travel operators.

Our tour guide, David, is truly an expert on botanical matters and was very patient with all of our questions. His enthusiasm was infectious. It was a lovely area, added to by excellent weather. The hotel was also friendly and welcoming.

David with his encyclopaedic knowledge of plants, geology, butterflies and birds was first class - he unreservedly smashed it! He brought the mountains alive in a way I would not have imagined possible.

The knowledge and expertise of both the tour leaders (David and Neil) was second to none. They were a tremendous font of knowledge about where to find the best botanic specimens and bird species. They were friendly, helpful and patient, and extremely enthusiastic about their subject matter! We were very impressed with both of them, and the experience of our second holiday with Naturetrek has left us with an appetite to do more!

I went to see alpine flowers I had only seen samples of in botanical gardens. My father always talked about the wonders of mountain flowers that he had seen in his youth and so I promised myself that I would take the opportunity if I could manage it one day. The most wonderful thing apart from the glorious flowers and landscapes was our guides’ depth of knowledge and their endless patience when asked repeatedly the names of birds, butterflies and flora. I came away with a feeling that I had learnt a great deal and was more confident in my ability to recognise some of the wonderful things to be found in the Pyrenees.

A naturalist-guided week in the French Pyrenees, which exceeded our expectations in almost every respect. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable across a whole range of subject relating to flora and fauna, and we came home having learned a lot and with a new approach to looking at what is around us!

The holiday was memorable and very successful because of the energy, enthusiasm, endless patience and local knowledge of the leaders. I shall certainly travel on trips led by David in the future. He is a wonderful ambassador for Naturetrek and he worked extremely hard to give us a great holiday and to uphold the reputation of the company.

I travelled to the French Pyrenees and had a wonderful experience. The hotel was well chosen and was very flexible in catering for changes in mealtimes etc. The food was excellent, mostly local produce, and hotel staff were friendly and helpful. The guides were very knowledgeable both in terms of the geographical area as well as in the birds, plants and butterflies that people wanted to see. There was a wide range in interests, knowledge and walking ability and staff made every attempt to cater for everyone. The group itself was a friendly mix of like minded people, so the holiday was also enjoyable socially. The location was amazingly beautiful and rich in flora and fauna and I would thoroughly recommend the experience.

On Naturetrek's 8-day tour of the French Pyrenees we were treated to decades of combined experience of the birds, butterflies, plants, geology, trails and history of the region around Gavarnie. Every day we hiked - more or less strenuously as one preferred - and picnicked among the gorgeous peaks and cirques of the Pyrenees while spotting specimens of hundreds of birds and alpine plants. Our accommodations at a family run hotel and restaurant were stylish, clean and comfortable. All the staff made us feel at home. The views and the food were both very good.

Essentially, we had a great time in the Pyrenees. Mark was a good leader, extremely knowledgeable on the butterflies and plants. He was also pleasant and easy-going which put all four of us at ease. We saw an impressive range of butterflies, plants and birds. As a group we gelled together very well and Mark helped that process too. The hostel and food were of a good standard. I particularly enjoyed the local-style of cooking and the variety of meals throughout the week. Our picnics were also good. As for the locations and species seen, these were superb. Mark clearly knew his way around and took us to some stunning and productive sites...I would not hesitate to recommend both Mark as leader and the trip itself as a whole to anyone who expressed interest in going on any future Pyrennean butterfly holiday.

Mark is a competent tour leader, very knowledgeable in all aspects of our trip. He was very patient thankfully. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone considering going on such a trip. Ideal leader for a butterfly trip and excellent also for botanists. (I learned a great deal!).

This was our first guided holiday as we usually travel independently, but we were more than pleased with the outcome, and the excellent attention of the leaders. We have today booked another trip with you for next spring.

Mark, our leader, was excellent. We cannot fault him - he was cheerful, helpful, friendly, energetic and did his best to make our stay as comfortable/safe/interesting as possible. Altogether - a fabulous trip - and we shall definitely be booking another very soon!

Perfect location for the trip very well catered for and a good and helpful rapport between trip leader and hotel management.

Despite the challenging weather, David's knowledge of the area enabled us to see the best areas of this region. The variety of habitats and their flora were stunning - sights of which were unforgettable. The hotel staff were very helpful and friendly and my compliments to the chef for the excellent meals provided. Another excellent value holiday from Naturetrek - Thank you!