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About Us
Purely Pyrenees, by La Balaguère !

Who Are We ?
In 1984 a small walking holiday company was created, based in the beautiful Val d’Azun in the heart of the French Pyrenees. This company, named « La Balaguère » after the warm breeze that blows upwards from the Sahara to the Pyrenees, offered guided walking trips led by a small group of friends with a huge passion for the mountains.
Little by little La Balaguère expanded and more than 35 years later we help over 13,000 people every year enjoy walking and cycling holidays in the Pyrenees and further afield, to the most unspoilt areas of the world.
In 2018 we launched a new and exciting project. Purely Pyrenees is the English language branch of our business, offering self-guided and guided trips, walking and cycling from Spring to Autumn and snowshoeing in the Winter. Using our decades of experience we created a new range of holidays designed for English speakers who come, maybe for the first time, to experience the best the Pyrenees has to offer. Our focus is always to provide highlights, iconic places to visit, wonderful itineraries, authentic hotels and, of course, tremendous cuisine.
Purely Pyrenees and La Balaguère are now owned by the UCPA (Union des Centres Sportifs de Plein Air) which is a non-profit organisation in France that specialises in making outdoor sports holidays available for all. We are still based where we have always been, in the Pyrenean village of Arrens-Marsous.
We are very proud of our Pyrenean chain and of the knowledge that we have of it, amassed over years of providing guided and self-guided holidays. You can be sure that if you travel with us we will do everything we can to make sure you have a wonderful trip.
The Purely Magazine

Your Safety & Security Are Our Priorities

Nobody is able to provide as much support, or have as many human and physical resources available to help if needed, as we can.

Here’s five facts :

La Balaguere has invested 35 years in building up a network of trusted suppliers, partners and staff. No other company has the depth or breadth of resources we include as part of the holiday package.
Nobody knows the Pyrenees as well as we do, so we ensure you visit the right places at the right time of year, and that you have the best possible experience. You can trust us to ensure you stay in the best villages and towns, and the right hotel in those places. You can also be sure that as a guest of Purely Pyrenees/La Balaguere, hoteliers, drivers etc you will be treated as well as possible.
We not only provide a 24/7 phone contact with someone who speaks English fluently, but we have the resources to follow through with necessary actions because, in the end, it’s actions not words that often count.
We provide you with booking security by being members of trade associations that protect your consumer interests, and ensure that your money is as well protected as you personally are.
Equally, we are committed to protecting the environment, and have a leading role in determining policy and practice when it comes to walking, cycling and staying in the Pyrenees. It is in all our interests to ensure the Pyrenees is her to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Safety