Funiculaire du Pic du Jer — Attraction in Argelès-Gazost

The Furnicular offers opportunities to see Lourdes from the mountain without the hard work. It also provides transport for mountain bikers who like a fast downhill challenge - the front of the carriage has a cage for mountain bikes to be transported up to the top of the mountain. The carriage has some small chair lifts to allow less able people to visit the top of the mountain, but the paths are uneven and wouldn't allow much exploring other than to see the views. We visited on a grey early September day with low-ish cloud so did not expect perfect views and when we purchased our tickets, we were told this and also shown the feed from a camera at the top so we knew what to expect. The carriage passes through a couple of tunnels on the way and views looking down on Lourdes and of the surrounding forest and trees are excellent. On a sunny, clear day, the views would be exceptional, but we were lucky and the clouds lifted a few times allowing us to see the mountains in the far distance. There is a small cafe that sells a selection of snacks along with hot and cold drinks and also a cave that can be visited at an extra charge. The cave is really a man-made tunnel that connects a couple of naturally formed chambers and fluourescein has been added to water that flows through the cave at one point. This is just to make it more visible for tourists. There are the very tiny beginnings of stalactites and stalagmites, but no real formations. The history of the cave is mostly about it's development as a tourist attraction. The guided walk through the tunnel brings you out on a track further round the mountain with a short walk back down to the tunnel entrance and furnicular. There's a loop off this path that takes you up to the cross on the peak. The waiting room at the top of the furnicular allows you to see the working of the mechanisms used to raise and lower the carriages. There are also pieces of old machinery and photos showing the building of the furnicular. The mini train that travels around Lourdes stops here and there are regular bus stops on the road outside so getting here is easy. It is worth making a visit if the weather is clear and views will be good, or if you want two wheeled downhill action, but on a wet or misty day it's probably not the best value and the cave doesn't add a great deal to the experience although Patrice, the guide was excellent and did a very good job despite 'having very little English'. With our French and his English, he conveyed his passion for the mountains and his cave and made our...

Beautiful mountain experience with stunning views and a hidden cave!

We really enjoyed the tour up the mountain — the scenery was gorgeous, and the whole experience was well worth it. Apparently, during the summer season, you can even go inside the cave as part of the guided tour, which makes it even more special. The guides were fantastic — very knowledgeable and happy to answer all our questions. We even spotted a small bat inside, which was a fun surprise!

At the top of the mountain, there’s a restaurant where you can relax and enjoy the surroundings, and there are plenty of walking paths and trails if you want to explore further or just take in the breathtaking views of the Pyrenees.

A great mix of nature, history, and adventure — highly recommended!

You can get to the bottom of the mountain by L1 bus or...

This is a fun mountainside funicular built in 1900 and able to transport up to 80 passengers on a 1.1 km journey to the top of a mountain (950m). The ride is about 15 minutes and runs on a departure schedule, both directions, every 20 minutes. Return ticket prices were (€9 per adult) when we visited recently. They can be purchased at the ticket booth in the lower station.

Beside the upper station there is a small restaurant, some short hikes around the forested area and countryside up at the peak. There is a grotto (not open when we visited) and cycling trail that starts just beside the restaurant before winding down down the mountainside. Loads of viewpoints. You can see Lourdes, valley below and Pyrenees Mountains from the mountaintop. Overall, this is a very enjoyable activity for those...