Pyrenees Guide

Stretching from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the Pyrenees form a natural some 450km long between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. In some cases villages to the north and south share common language and culture, while there is rivalry between valleys on the same side of the mountains.

During the Second World War, the Pyrenees mountains were a natural escape route for allies. Escape routes were operated by Spanish farmers and shepherds who had fled from their homes during the Spanish civil war. Smuggling has been a way of life for centuries together with the farming. The Pyrenees are increasingly becoming a more attractive destination, with more quality lodgings and low cost airlines flying at Pyrenees airports.

Business Hours - The most common business hours in Spain are Monday through Saturday, from 9.30 h to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h. Large stores in bigger towns are open from 9 or 9:30 until 7 or 8. Smaller shops often open earlier (8 AM) and close later (8 PM) but take a lengthy lunch break (1-4), ...

Costs, Money & Banks - Spain is one of Europe's more affordable countries. If you are particularly frugal it's just about possible to scrape by for around Eur 16/£ 13.5 a day. France, the land of the Eur 3.9/£ 3.3 cafe au lait is not exactly Europe's cheapest destination, but that doesn't mean you have to ...

Customs - With the Single European Market you can carry most things between EU countries, as long as you have paid tax on them in an EU country and you intend them for personal consumption. Customs will only start asking questions if your car is groaning under the weight of goods and they think you are ...

Electricity - Spain's electrical current is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC); wall outlets take Continental-type plugs, with two round prongs. The electrical current in France is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC); wall outlets take wall outlets take continental-type plugs, with two ...

Email & Internet - If you wish to get online to check your email, or for any other reason, you should go to one of the many establishments that offer this kind of connection: telephone houses, internet cafes (cibercafes in Spanish). Due to the increase in Internet and e-mail use, Internet Cafes are becoming ...

Embassies & Consulates - Entry into Spain and France is done by presenting your valid passport or identity card, on which the holder's nationality is given. European Union citizens have the right to enter, leave and circulate freely throughout the ...

Health - Most travellers experience no health problems in Spain. Generally the health precautions you should take in Spain are the same as anywhere else in the developed world. In case of emergency Dial 112 free of charge (valid throughout Spain). Service is given in Spanish, and also in English, French ...

Language Basics - The principal languages spoken in the Pyrenees Mountains are Spanish, French, Catalan (in Catalonia  and Andorra), Basque and Aragonese. Also spoken, to a lesser degree, are the Occitan language (the Gascon and Languedocien dialects in France and the Aranese dialect in the Val ...

Languages Spoken - The languages spoken in the Pyrenees are Spanish, French, Catalan (in Catalonia and Andorra), Basque (Basque Country, North of Navarra and Pyrenees Atlantiques) and Aragonese (North of Aragon). Also spoken, to a lesser degree, are the Occitan language (the Gascon and Languedocien dialects in ...

Newspapers & Magazines - In Spain, some 155 dailies exist, the majority of which are local or regional. he two leaders in sales, El Pais and ABC, and El Mundo are dailies of national circulation published in Madrid, althought with regional editions in some of the Autonomous Communities. France's main newspapers are ...

Postal Service - You can send letters from almost anywhere in Spain. To do so you should buy stamps, available at the licensed tobacco shops known as "Estancos". In France, mail boxes are coloured yellow and can be found along the street and in every Post Office. Mail collection times are displayed on ...

TV & Radio - TV & Radio in the ...

Tourist Offices - Tourist offices in Aragon, Andorra, Basque Country, Navarra, Costa Brava, Catalan Pyrenees, Midi Pyrenees, Pyrenees Atlantiques and Pyrenees ...

Telephone - If you wish to make a call to Spain from overseas, you should dial +34 (the code for Spain) followed by the telephone number (9 digits). In France all subscribers have a 10-digits number (9 digits from the UK as you do not dial the first 0). To dial France: use the international phone access ...

Time - Spain is on Central European Time, one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. The time difference between New York and Paris 6 hours (so when it's 1 PM in New York, it's 7 PM in Paris). The time difference between London and Paris is 1 hour; between Sydney ...

Visas and Documentation - Visitors from the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.K. need a valid passport to enter Spain. Australians who wish to stay longer than a month also need a visa, available from the Spanish Embassy in Canberra. Depending on your nationality, the duration and the reason for your stay ...

History of Pyrenees - For centuries, the Pyrenees have been a natural and cultural watershed, and the history of the region is every bit as complex and intricate as its topography. While great empires and cultural movements lapped at the base of the mountains, small pockets could remain unaffected. Individual ...