Craftsmanship

Saint-Lary-Soulan, capital of the craftsmanship in the Hautes-Pyrénées

You will find many craftsmen in Saint-Lary-Soulan. They meet every year in August on Craft Day. Enjoy a friendly family moment on the main street of the village, to meet craftsmen from all over the Aure valley. For the most gourmands, the craftsmen's shops are open all year round! Throughout the summer season, enjoy a free visit to the Flocons Pyrénéens, the famous Saint-Laryan chocolate factory. You will discover all types of chocolates and sweets, the truffle of Aure, the bigourdan beret and the speciality of the establishment: the flake! Praline, alcohol, chilli, dark or milk chocolate but also fruit pastes and caramels, there is something for everyone!

Taste the tradition of the Aure valley

In Ancizan, go to Histoire de Gâteaux and let yourself be told the story of the spit cake. This ancestral mountain cake is made according to a strict process. The dough, made from eggs, flour and butter, is poured onto a cone placed in front of a wood fire. After several hours of baking by slowly turning the spit, a delicious cake surrounded by peaks comes out, like a golden Christmas tree. Discover this process in a free visit and then taste the "rock of the Pyrenees" after a visit to the shop! Further north in the Aure valley, discover the Aoucataise brewery, which has been operating since 2011 in Arreau on the banks of the Neste. This atypical name comes from the Middle Ages, when the guardians of the geese of Armenteule were nicknamed the "Aoucatès". The spring water used in these beers is collected in this small village in the Louron valley, at an altitude of 1000m. The owners will introduce you to the brewery and the production of blond, white and amber beers. This artisanal beer is a delight for the taste buds. Good news, you can find it in restaurants, hotels and shops in the 2 valleys! Other craft businesses are to be discovered in the territory of the Aure valley. Taste the black pork of Bigorre at the La Vignecoise cannery in Vignec and its restaurant Le Grenier, then visit the cheese dairy of Le p'tit d'Ens and the Safran de l'Arbizon in Jézeau.

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The fair of Pyrenean traditions in Loudenvielle

The Sunday following August 15, the craftsmen of all the Hautes-Pyrénées meet in Loudenvielle for the fair of Pyrenean traditions, and this for nearly 30 years. Organized on the shores of the superb lake, this unmissable event highlights the pastoral tradition and craftsmanship of our valleys. A hundred exhibitors invite you to discover ancestral know-how in a friendly atmosphere, where the Pyrenean bandas and choirs provide musical entertainment. Come and admire the long tradition of cake making on the spit by the Confrérie d'Arreau, the century-old cars and tractors including the "Locomobile 1901", the Basque strength tests and the work of sheepdogs. Early in the morning, the best fishermen in the region come to compete in a competition on the Neste du Louron river. At lunch and in the evening, enjoy a moment of sharing a meal under the tents.