Laruns, the tourist heart of the Ossau Valley, is a typical Béarn village.
Camping Le Rey is located 12 km from Laruns, a 10-minute drive away.
Information:
- Laruns Tourist Office. Tel: +33 (0)5 59 05 31 41
- The Ossau Valley Visitor Centre in Laruns. Tel: +33 (0)5 59 05 31 44
Laruns markets
Saturday mornings and, in season, Thursday evenings in the town hall square.
The Laruns festivals
The festival on 15 August in Laruns remains a testament to the rich folklore of the Ossal region. Dressed in magnificent costumes, the men and women of Ossal dance to the rhythm of flutes and tambourines.
The 1858 guidebook by Joanne states: ‘The women of Ossal wear a capulet made of scarlet cloth lined with silk of the same colour… Under the capulet, a small round muslin or canvas cap in the shape of a skullcap holds the hair in place and is tied under the chin, allowing long braids to fall down the back and over the shoulders.’ This describes all the elements of the Ossalois costume, which is a curious combination of clothing items from the 17th and even 18th centuries.
The Cheese Festival – 1st weekend in October. This is when the shepherds come down from the mountain pastures and present their cheese. It is a colourful and tasty weekend.
Walking in Laruns
In the square, you will find the Empire-style fountain, which shows the architectural influence of the nearby spa resorts. Laruns Church: see the white marble holy water font, with a centaur and two fish inside the 16th-century basin. The church’s two bells, listed as historical monuments, date from 1465-1610. They bear inscriptions of spells against storms, fire and plagues, and are engraved with cows and bears, symbols of the Ossau Valley. From the square, take Rue du Bialé (the main street or ‘rue du hameau’ in the local Béarnais dialect), lined with old farms, which leads to a beautiful wash house.
In Rue du Bourguet – coming from Pau, it is the street before the Intermarché supermarket in the centre – note the lintels of the old houses, which recall the era of guilds and the various activities that took place in the village: the square, the compass and the level, symbols of the master builders, and the shoe, indicating the home of a cobbler. Elsewhere, door knockers decorated with shells evoke the passage of pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
Take a stroll through the Pon district, dotted with 16th and 17th century houses. Admire the beautiful window frames and bull’s-eye windows that were used to light the sinks in the kitchens.
