Accommodation options. During my 9 days in the Pyrenees, I camped all the time (combined wild camping with staying in campsites). However, besides camping, the Pyrenees offer other types of accommodation too: mountain cabins (refuges), gîtes d’etape, hotels. Therefore, camping is not necessary, you can easily sleep under a roof the whole time. The opposite holds as well – if you want to, you can camp the whole time. 

Below you can find a short overview of each accommodation type with facilities and average prices. 

Wild camping – it is allowed in France almost everywhere as long as you stay high enough (above the tree line). In the Pyrenees, there are some restricted areas (national parks or protected nature parks) where you are allowed to wild camp only in designated places (also known as aire de bivouac) and when you pitch your tent after 18:00. Most of the time those places are close to a refuge and as they are an alternative to wild camping, they are free of charge. Once you enter a park, there will be signs indicating whether wild camping is not permitted. When in doubt, ask the wardens of the huts or fellow hikers about where you are allowed to camp. 

Parks where I found that wild camping is only allowed in aire de bivouac places: Vallée de Gaube, Réserve naturelle du Néouvielle. 

Camping at campsites – almost all bigger villages or towns have a campsite or even a few. In most of them, besides a shower and toilet, you can do laundry and order fresh bread for the morning (French are serious about their bread). Some of the campsites even have a restaurant. A campsite for a small tent and a single person on average costs 8 – 9 Eur. 

Mountain cabins (refuges) – sometimes also called chalets, the refuges are densely populated in the mountains, so most of the time you are within 3 – 4 hours from the nearest refuge. They offer so-called half-board deals that include a bed, 3-course dinner, and breakfast. Half-board costs around 45 – 55 Eur, which is quite a good deal. You can also ask for a bed only, then the price is 20 – 25 Eur. Many refuges sit in a spectacular location and in summer tend to get full, so I recommend booking them in advance. Pay attention to bed “equipment” requirements as some refuges require you to have your own sleeping bag, while others require a sleeping bag liner only. 

I did not stay in any of the refuges because usually, I don’t sleep well in there. Refuges are arranged in a dormitory-style with many bunk beds in one room and there is always at least one snorer. Believe me, always. As earplugs do not help much, I try to avoid refuges. It is a nice experience though if you’re a deep sleeper 🙂

Gîtes d’etape – they are something like a mountain hostel. Gîtes d’etape usually has smaller rooms than refuges, there is a common kitchen to be used for cooking, there is an eating area, sheets are mostly provided (but please double-check upfront). They are mostly located in the valleys and are definitely cheaper than hotels (20 – 30 Eur per person). While gîtes d’etape are quite basic, there are also gîtes, which are much more fancy and comfy and offer a similar experience to a small hotel. Those are usually more expensive and might cost ~60 Eur per person. 

Hotels – the valleys will offer plenty of hotel options for any budget: from a simple room with a shared bathroom to a luxurious suite with a view of the mountains.