Pic du Midi de Bigorre, Mountain peak and observatory in Hautes-Pyrénées, France.
The crystalline schist mountain rises to 2,877 meters, featuring an astronomical observatory complex at its summit with multiple research telescopes and instruments.
The Pic du Midi Observatory, established in 1878 by the Société Ramond, contributed to disproving the Martian canal theory in 1909 through its mechanical equatorial reflector.
The mountain summit serves as a center for astronomical research, housing the Bernard Lyot Telescope, which remains the largest telescope in France for solar studies.
Visitors can reach the summit via a cable car system that departs from La Mongie, with the journey offering views across the Pyrenees mountain range.
The surrounding 3,000 square kilometer area received International Dark Sky Reserve status in 2013, ensuring protection from light pollution for astronomical observations.
Location: Bagnères-de-Bigorre
Location: Sers
Elevation above the sea: 2,877 m
Made from material: crystalline schist
Website: https://picdumidi.com/en
GPS coordinates: 42.93678,0.14161
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:36
France offers motorcyclists a diverse landscape, from Alpine peaks to Mediterranean coasts, including wine regions. The country is suitable for all riding styles, with demanding mountain roads, winding coastal routes, and rural paths. Key routes include the Col de la Bonette, reaching 2802 meters and connecting Ubaye to Tinée over 26 kilometers. The Gorges du Verdon feature 21 kilometers of rock-carved road, passing through tunnels and 700-meter-high cliffs. The Routes of the Great Alps cross 16 passes over 684 kilometers between Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean, with a total ascent of 15,700 meters. Mount Ventoux, accessible via three routes and standing at 1912 meters, passes through lavender fields and vineyards in Provence. Regions display striking contrasts: Corsica alternates between cliff roads and pine forests, the French Riviera combines coast and mountainous hinterland, and Dordogne winds between limestone cliffs and medieval villages. Lake Annecy connects water bodies with forested mountain passes. These routes feature technical curves, varied landscapes, and cultural sites.
Col du Tourmalet
3.2 km
Téléphérique du pic du Midi de Bigorre
4.3 km
Lac Bleu de Lesponne
5 km
Néouvielle National Nature Reserve
10.5 km
Émetteur du pic du Midi de Bigorre
70 m
Lac d'Aumar
10.5 km
Station thermale de Barèges
7.6 km
Pic du Midi Observatory
11 m
Pic du Montaigu
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Le Géant
3.2 km
Jardin botanique du Tourmalet
3.2 km
Pic de Bastan
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Halle et Fontaine de Campan
9.4 km
Église Saint-Martin de Beaudéan
10.4 km
Chapelle Notre-Dame de La Mongie
4.1 km
Campan war memorial
9.4 km
Maison natale Dominique Jean Larrey
10.5 km
Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Campan
9.4 km
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Sainte-Marie-de-Campan
8.8 km
Église Saint-Vincent de Sers
10.1 km
Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul de la Séoube
9.3 km
Église Saints-Anges-Gardiens de Lesponne
7.7 km
Église Saint-Laurent de Barèges
7.7 km
Église Saint-Michel de Gripp
7 km
Chapelle Saint-Roch de Sainte-Marie-de-Campan
8.9 km
Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Lacs de Lesponne
5.2 km
Fontaine de Campan
9.4 km
Chapelle Saint-Joseph de Nabaillet
9.1 kmReviews
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