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Petit train d’Artouste

Woo woo! Ready for year-round fun? Of course you are. So sit down, pour yourself a small snifter and whet your whistle when you see this combination. Artouste, or Artouste-Fabrèges, is a winter sports resort in the French Pyrenees. It is located in the commune of Laruns in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The resort operates the Petit train d’Artouste during the summer period. If being in France in the winter skiing time is not enough for you, what would you say about having an historical and breathtaking rail adventure at the same time. Welcome to the one and only Petit train d’Artouste.

Want to get up high? Ready for an open-air tour to discover the heights of the Ossau Valley? Climb aboard Europe’s highest narrow-gauge train for an extraordinary journey! Along the cliffside, travel through the Ossau mountains at an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres and cross spectacular landscapes throughout your excursion.

The Petit train d’Artouste Click to open side panel for more information offers one of the most remarkable alpine journeys in Europe, combining historical engineering with raw, high-altitude beauty. Originally built in the 1920s to transport workers and materials for the construction of the Artouste Dam, it was converted into a tourist attraction in 1932. Today, it stands as the highest narrow-gauge railway in Europe, providing an accessible way to experience the rugged majesty of the Pyrenees without a strenuous hike.

An ideal outing, whether you’re with family, friends, as a couple or even on your own. The Artouste train is accessible from the village of Laruns, 20 km away, or from the Col du Pourtalet. It travels 10 km at an altitude of 2,000 metres, along the mountainside, for a truly amazing excursion! It offers magnificent landscapes throughout the Soussoueou valley, rich in flora and fauna. The luckiest visitors may even get a glimpse of marmots. 

It sounds like fun, oui? Everyone loves trains, and this one goes far beyond. To book your tickets, click here

You might want to linger longer. Why not stay? for for some clever ideas, click here.

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