We've been celebrating Pedro's birthday in the mountains for three years now, and we're not planning to change the tradition. This year the plan was to reach Estesan, in the French Pyrenees, leaving Valencia at noon on Friday. The drive was about 6 hours, but with (necessary) stops it took a lot longer. And the blame goes to Aínsa.
On the road with our friends.
Aínsa: one of the most beautiful villages in Spain
Aínsa was right on the way and it was worth every minute. It's one of those medieval villages that, once you arrive, you understand why it shows up on every list. Stone old town, declared a Historic-Artistic Site, with a gorgeous arcaded Main Square and Pyrenees views you don't expect to stumble upon so suddenly.
We arrived in time to catch Friday's sunset, around 9:30 pm, and we still had another hour and a half to our destination. But we didn't move until the sun had fully set, and there was a show going on in the village's central square.
We also took the chance to have dinner, recharge, and buy breakfast for the next day before heading on.
Crossing into France: the Bielsa-Aragnouet Tunnel
Going through the Bielsa-Aragnouet Tunnel takes you into France, and the change is noticeable. Spanish roads are very well signposted, but right after the tunnel everything went dark and the French signs didn't help much. We reached Estesan close to midnight.
The Airbnb was amazing, a house with mountain views just above the village of Vielle Aure. We couldn't see anything that night, but we had a good idea of what awaited us in the morning, which is exactly why we chose this place.
Saturday: the Néouvielle Lakes hike
Pedro went out for an early run since he had his training session, so around 10 am we were all having breakfast with our friends. The views from the house were already worth the trip, the light between the mountains and incredible scenery, plus lots of cyclists climbing a pass that's part of the Tour de France stages.
We didn't really know what to expect that day. We had found a lakes route in the Néouvielle National Park, the Lac d'Aubert trail, and decided to go for it. We parked at the Lac d'Orédon car park and started the hike around noon.
From the moment we arrived, it reminded us of Lago di Braies in the Dolomites, with the partly snowy mountain in the background and water in a turquoise color that doesn't look real. We stopped often to take photos and enjoy the views, which were magical at every moment. At one of the lakes we stopped to dip our feet and appreciate how beautiful everything was around us.
All in all it took about 4-5 hours with all the stops, lunch included, but that's what this hike is for: stopping, appreciating and enjoying. And with a spectacular, very sunny day, every stretch felt different.
We don't recommend the final descent. It was very steep and by far the hardest part, yet our GPS said that was the way down.
Afterwards we paid for parking, €8.90 for about 5 hours, and headed down to the village of Vielle Aure to eat crêpes and pick up our dinner at the Carrefour.
You can see the full track on Pedro's Strava: [LINK STRAVA]
Birthday at 1,000 meters
As we mentioned at the beginning, the getaway was for Pedro's birthday, and celebrating it in the mountains has become our tradition. We watched the sunset from the Airbnb, very beautiful. We rested, showered, and had pizza with cider for dinner, and at midnight we sang happy birthday. He's 31 now, and we've been sharing it together for 4 years.
Sunday: Alquézar surprised us
On Sunday we woke up, had breakfast and got ready to leave. The Airbnb let us leave an hour later than usual, so at 11 we set off back to Valencia.
The trip was 7 hours, so we took it easy, looking for a pretty village to stop for lunch. That was Alquézar, and it surprised us a lot.
Medieval and very pretty, with rock formations around it that caught our attention because of their unusual shapes. The village sits right above the Vero River Canyon, and the views are amazing. We had a great entrecôte there and then continued on our way, and with lots of laughs and stories we got home on Sunday around 9 pm.
The Pyrenees are always a good idea.
💡 Practical tips
🚗 How to get there From Valencia it's about 6 hours to Estesan via Aínsa and the Bielsa-Aragnouet Tunnel. Spanish roads are very well signposted, but in France, once you exit the tunnel, trust your GPS because signs are scarce and it's hard to get your bearings at night. The tunnel is open 24 hours, so there's no problem with timing.
🥾 The Néouvielle Lakes hike The starting car park is at Lac d'Orédon and it's paid. We paid €8.90 for about 5 hours. The loop passes the Laquettes, Aubert and Aumar lakes and takes about 4-5 hours with stops. We don't recommend the final descent, because it's very steep with lots of loose stones; if you can do it in the opposite direction, even better.
🅿️ Parking in high season In summer, car access may be restricted at certain times and there may be a paid shuttle. Arrive early to secure a spot.
🏘️ Aínsa Don't skip it if you're in the area. It deserves at least a couple of hours, and if you arrive for sunset, even better.
🍽️ Where to eat Aínsa has very good Aragonese food. In Vielle Aure you'll find simple spots that are perfect after the hike. In Alquézar, the meat is a sure bet.
📅 When to go June is perfect: the lakes still have snow on the peaks, the water is at its best color, and there are far fewer people than in August. The days are long and the weather cooperates.
Have you been to the French Pyrenees, or do you know of a lake in the Néouvielle Reserve that we missed? If you have any questions, write to us or reach out on our social media.
