Cascade du Pont d’Espagne

Cascade Pont d'EspagneCascade du Pont d’Espagne is a fabulous touristic attraction in the French Pyrenees. The waterfalls of cascade du Pont d’Espagne are located south of Cauterets and south of Lourdes (38 kilometers).

From Lourdes drive south to Argeles Gazost and Cauterets (d821>d913>d920) until you reach the ski station of Pont d’Espagne. There is a huge parking lot from where the walk begins.

In summertime many people visit the cascade du Pont d’Espagne are walk further on one of the many signed trails, for instance to lake “Lac de Gaube” upstream from the big cascade du Pont d’Espagne. It is also possible to take a Telecabine up to the lake.

Actually there are two waterfalls that are (unofficially) named cascade du Pont d’Espagne. From the parking you first walk over a bridge (this is the Pont d’Espagne, pont means bridge) on the river Gave du Marcadau. Beneath the bridge the river Gave du Marcadau tries to finds it way through a narrow gorge, creating a powerful rapid/waterfall.

The second waterfall is a little bit further upstream and much bigger. The river Gave du Gaube plunges down over a wide of 20 meters and a total height of appr 70 meters, a beautiful spectacle.

Pont d’Espagne is also known as the Spanish bridge. This used to be the road that connectsSpain and France through a mountain path. 

Best time to visit cascade du Pont d’Espagne is early summer when there is a lot of snow melting from the mountains in the Pyrenees. The source of the waterfall lies at lac de Gaube which is also being fed by glacier des Oulettes.

The area around Cauterets is heaven for waterfall lovers. Before reaching the big parking you passed another big waterfall Cascade de Lutour (also know as cascade de Cauterets). In the river Gave du Marcadau, between Cascade de Lutour and Pont d’Espagne there are at least 5 other beautiful waterfalls. If you have enough time, a walk following the river is gorgeous.

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About Cascade du Pont d’Espagne

CountryFrance
RegionMidi Pyrenees/Haute Pyrenees
LocationPont d'Espagne-Cauterets-Lourdes
RiverGave du Marcadau
Height70m
Latitude42.851450
Longitude-0.138617
Rating

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Cascade de Boussès 1 km
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Cascade du Ceriset 2 km
Cascade d'Escane Gat 3 km