Cirque de Gavarnie

Cirque de Gavarnie

Cirque de Gavarnie
4.5
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Top ways to experience Cirque de Gavarnie and nearby attractions

Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
See what travellers are saying
  • Eliza
    18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sumptuous site, but avoid donkey rental
    Magnificent site starting from the village of Gavarnie. An easy 8 km round trip hike, to do with the family. Big downside on the rental of donkeys at the starting point, rather expensive - around ten poorly cared for and sad-looking donkeys, parked in a few square meters, with hooves far too long, to the point that they curve towards forward! I know what I'm talking about, I have a donkey that I groom regularly...
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 May 2024
  • Nicolas B
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful site to discover but parking far too expensive
    The site is beautiful. Nice hike to access the waterfalls. You need good shoes because a lot of rocks. Some very steep passages taking its time the round trip is done in 3 hours from the parking. Ah, parking! What a scam... 8 € to pay to put his car in a dusty field. It's abused.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 17 July 2024
  • ThebestofKendell
    Denver, Colorado518 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Easy Hike And Beautiful Views
    Super easy and family friendly hike surrounded by beautiful nature. The hike itself to the hotel is pretty easy with a small incline. After the hotel if you continue up to the waterfall, it gets a bit harder due to the rocks and a small river crossing. Despite this, we saw tons of families doing it, so its not that complicated. I’d suggest wearing hiking shoes and sunscreen as most of the trail is exposed. We started around 8:30 a.m. and it was a perfect time to avoid huge crowds and capture better photos of the cirque. On our way back, around 11, there were tons of people. Parking is €8.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 2 August 2024
  • Virginie L
    Lannion, France185 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Superb but too many people
    Very nice hike. Easy and very accessible way for families with children to the Pension (about 45min walk from the village. 1h indicated on the panels). Then we continued to the waterfall and it really gets tough! Almost climbing on the last climb to reach the foot of the waterfall!!! Another 45 minutes after the Pension. In between is possible if you decide to stop before the last climb. It took us 35-40 minutes to get off the Pension. We took a picnic downstairs from the Inn because the river allows to cool off. The water is beautiful. Only downside for this hike: way too many people!!!! A real highway! Less after Pension because it gets harder and harder. Parking in the village: 8€ per day
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 August 2024
  • Maria Elena N
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice but with family more challenging than a "simple walk"
    Beautiful experience. Of course "envy" those who take only an hour to get to the base of the waterfall since the route arrived before the hotel (about a Km before) becomes more challenging with more difficult terrain and slope, at least with family. After the hotel the route becomes an all uphill and quite slippery path. Step counter activated from parking at Gavarnie to circus (highest waterfall base) 23000 round trip steps. Anyway the spectacle of the waterfalls once arrived definitely pays off. Recommendation!
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 16 August 2024
  • EMMa B
    Merthyr Tydfil, United Kingdom34 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great family walk
    Stunning scenery and kids enjoyed walking in the patches of ice near the actual cirque . Walk from the hotel at base of the cirque to the waterfall was a bit steeper than I anticipated but in terms of Pyrénées walks it is relatively accessible . .
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 August 2024
  • Fortiche
    France297 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning and magnificent natural site
    The hamlet is well organized to accommodate many cars and thus preserve this sublime site. On the way to the circus some very nice shops. This walk is easy to the circus hotel near the waterfall Nevertheless without rushing it takes a good hour and then is much steeper trail for half an hour approaching the waterfall Not to be missed because this unique site is absolutely grandiose
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 August 2024
  • Henri024
    Perigueux, France134 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very nice hike
    Very nice hike in this majestic site. Very easy from the village of Gavarnie to the waterfall hotel. On the other hand then to get to the foot of the waterfall it is more complicated with a lot of pebbles and steep slope. In October, not many people and it is perfect
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 30 October 2024
  • Denis Treskanica
    Pozega, Croatia265 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A hike to remember
    Our visit to Cirque de Gavarnie trail was truly unforgettable. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled in the French Pyrenees, we knew we were in for something special. We parked at parking spot near the touristic office of a Gavarnie village. There is also the Panoramique parking lot but village is closed to traffic after 9 AM. Before hitting the trail, we grabbed a few essentials from the small shop in the village. The 8 km loop trail, which took us about 2.5 hours to complete, was a moderate challenge but manageable for all ages. Following the path alongside a serene stream, we were constantly amazed by the beauty of the surrounding mountains and lush greenery. As we approached the majestic Gavarnie Waterfall—the tallest in mainland France at 422 meters—we were left in awe. Each viewpoint along the trail offered a unique and breathtaking perspective, making this hike an experience we’ll cherish for a long time.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 December 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,321 reviews
Excellent
964
Very good
289
Average
41
Poor
14
Terrible
13

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

annraph
Lyon, France402 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Leave early because if the weather is nice, there will be people on the trail and the paid parking lot will be full!
It’s true that at the beginning it’s a bit like the Champs Élysée, then with the gradual climb, it disperses…
Definitely worth the detour, the walk is accessible up to the hotel but access to the waterfall is difficult but you have to make the effort! Refreshing and splendid.
To return, continue the path from the waterfall to go around rather than retracing your steps.
Bring a good pair of walking shoes because it's slippery to access the waterfall.
Dogs are no longer allowed to access the waterfall. FYI.
Google
Written 4 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Véro B
Frontignan, France41 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
August 31. Average weather at the start then fortunately beautiful sunshine in the afternoon which allowed us to enjoy the site. Absolutely grandiose, especially if you go to the end of the large, very impressive waterfall. Apart from the last part up to the waterfall where it climbs steeply through the pebbles and rocks without a predefined path (you also have to be very careful on the descent on this part for 5/10 min) there is no difficulty. Hike that can be done without any problem with children from the city's paid parking lot (come early to find a space). You can stop whenever you want (at the cirque and waterfalls hotel the view is already great). Magnificent landscapes on the way punctuated by cows, sheep and sheep. We hear their bells and the sound of the flowing river in addition to the pleasure for the eyes. We stayed 5 hours with the hike, all the photo breaks, the picnic and the snack.
Google
Written 30 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wax2010
Le Havre, France1,589 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
Come early to be able to park easily, the path to the refuge is quite physical on certain passages. But we are in the shade when we start the hike around 9:30 a.m. After the best is to continue towards the waterfall by taking the path on the left (the last climb is very physical because you slip on the small stones) and return to the starting point by crossing in front of the waterfall to use the path opposite who is in the sun. Unfortunately the waterfall remains in the shade all morning. Many picnic spots along the stream on the way back to the parking lot. On the other hand, when you charge 7 euros for parking, you provide soap in the public toilets...
Google
Written 27 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Camille Neveu
Lorient, France57 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
The circus remains breathtaking but avoid renting horses or donkeys.

Several things to say unfortunately... Firstly, we arrived in Gavarnie 2 days ago and we decided to go and find out about booking walks, we were told that no reservations are taken, but that It's better to come in the morning. We returned 2 days later at 9am (opening), we were the first to arrive, but apparently someone else had already booked even though no reservation was taken?!?! So we waited 2 hours before going there. A little disgusted we still went for the ride. Being a rider and having horses, I will give a personal opinion, the horses take several 2-hour rides per day, they do not necessarily have water each time and are not unsaddled, the horses are in full sun and the equipment is not adapted (saddle, net, carpet) to their size, the same for donkeys. However, the horses are calm, but it is complicated for them at certain times, we had to take breaks to leave them a little alone. In short, I advise you to go elsewhere for the respect of horses, I regret having spent my money there.
Google
Written 23 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marco
Doncaster, UK18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2022 • Couples
Spectacular scenery, a beautiful valley with quite a long walk from the village to the Cirque. The cirque is a amphitheatre of rock, with mountains of 10,000 feet or more surrounding you. There is also the highest waterfall in France but I wouldn't recommend walking all the way up to it, and this could be dangerous for inexperienced walkers
Written 24 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

stéph
World6 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
We came to Gavarnie in August 2023.
Paid parking 7 euros, ok if the site is exceptional given that it is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, we go there.
The parking lot is located in a field, not great, people are parked haphazardly, I don't even know how some of them were able to leave....
We continue our walk, arriving in the center on foot, we look for a toilet for my daughter. But what a horror when we arrived there, public toilets not at all maintained (it was 2 p.m. when we arrived). There is no more toilet paper, the bins are full and a foul smell, dirty sanitary napkins lying around, shit in the toilets. It's disgusting.
Why do we pay for parking is to have a minimum of services anyway.
We continue our walk towards the site.
We don't regret our hike, the site is great. We stopped at the hotel, the children didn't want it anymore.
Google
Written 31 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Seb M
Mende, France222 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Friends
A great spectacle after a few km of walking. Of course, parking costs but this contributes to the maintenance of the village which welcomes many tourists. It is not just up to residents through their taxes to pay for the maintenance of parking lots, roads, paths... a bit of common sense especially since the rate is for the day.
Google
Written 19 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

anthonyu471
Angers, France81 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023 • Family
Beautiful and easily accessible location. It is best to arrive early in the morning to have a chance of finding a space in the paid parking lot. The path to get there is well laid out with a few climbs but nothing very difficult. The hardest part is at the end if you want to see the waterfall, the climb is really steep, it is worth it. For our part, we returned via the path to the right of the hotel which offers superb views, but more difficult at the beginning than the "tourist" path on the way out. A must-see place.
Google
Written 1 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Pawel & Remi
London, UK53 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Couples
Have been twice to this wonderful place. The cirque is very impressive and the wider falls took my breath away. Better to visit in May/June as the waterfalls seems to be more intensive (snow melts from the top peaks) than the other visit I had in September (still very nice). Not too difficult access, my mother in law at her 60s managed the hike well.
Written 31 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AlbertSalichs
Manresa, Spain24,073 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Cirque de Gavarnie is a wonderful natural amphitheater located near in the homonymous town, in French Pyrenees. In fact, you can do a great walk from the town to the amphitheater. In fact, we did this excursion with all family (included my 4 years daughter and she enjoyed a lot). In the amphitheater there is a high and amazing waterfall and the views from here are very nice. The hiking is about 3 hours go and return. During almost all the excursion, it is possible to see the waterfall and almost at the end there is a hotel/restaurant, where you can relax and eat or drink something. In the last part of the trekking, you can arrive to the buttom part of the waterfall. Amazing! Top in Pyrenees!
(See also Office de Tourisme de Gavarnie and Hotel du Cirque Cafe & Restaurant)
Written 6 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 246
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Cirque de Gavarnie - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2025)

All things to do in Gavarnie
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars