LOURDES: THE PIC DU JER AND THE FUNICULAR

The Pic du Jer, which overlooks the town of Lourdes, is a summit in the Hautes Pyrenees. It can be reached by a historic funicular railway in about 15 minutes on a scenic and interesting journey. At an altitude of about 1000 meters, one can get an astounding view of the town of Lourdes, Pau, Tarbes, and the peaks of the Pyrenees from the summit of Pic du Jer. The funicular railway, one of the first to be built in France, was designed by the engineer, Chambrelent, built by Compagnie du Funiculaire  du Pic du Jer, and inaugurated in June 1900. Linking the summit of Pic du Jer to the town of Lourdes at its base, it is a must-visit attraction in Lourdes. Located at 59 avenue Francis Lagardere, 65100 Lourdes, the Pic du Jer is recognizable by its big cross which lights up at night. One can get to it by taking the Little Train of Lourdes from the town of Lourdes.

The Pic du Jer is a good place for hiking, climbing, and mountain biking but as I was not interested in these things, I had rather enjoy myself and relax while admiring the fantastic panorama. Since I went to Lourdes on my own and had two weeks to discover and explore this place, I was free to spend as much time as I wanted on Pic du Jer. It is the kind of place where you can take some time off to experience inner peace, reflect on your life and find your life purpose. There was also something very calming about looking at the shrubs and trees as these could help to relieve stress. What is the 'top of the mountain feeling' like? Once on the summit, there was this kind of rare and wonderful feeling in me which could not be described by words. Standing on the summit and listening to the sound of silence, I had this unique feeling of great elation, deep peacefulness, tranquility and serenity. At that instant, I only wished that I could stay there forever. It was really an unforgettable experience for me.

Inside a historic funicular railway and admiring the stunning views of this pleasant journey

A scenic view of the town of Lourdes on my journey to the summit of Pic du Jer

Riding up the summit along a scenic view

Beautiful mountain views from the train

Scenic view of the Pyrenees from the summit of Pic du Jer

Le Haut de Lourdes - the Restautant of Pic du Jer

View from the top of the world

The town of Lourdes at the base of Pic du Jer

Clouds over the Pyrenees mountain

A beautiful view of natural scenery from the summit

An astonishing view from the summit

Saying goodbye to Pic du Jer with a heavy heart

Descending from the summit of Pic du Jer

Thanks for reading. You may also like to read The Castle of Lourdes, The Cachot, and The Grotto of Massabielle. To view the content page of this blog, please click here. There is a complete list of my articles about Lourdes on this page.