Refuge de Bayssellance, France

There is perhaps no greater spectacle in all of France than the Great Pyrenees Mountains. My friends and I decided to get up close and personal with a stay in the Refuge de Baysselance, located in the mountains a few hours from the city of Lourdes.

The refuge is a large, stone building with minimum housing arrangements and simple meals. The area, though, is absolutely stunning. It’s surrounded on all sides by magnificent mountain ranges. From a distance, it sort of resembles a farm placed in the middle of nowhere.

If solitude is what you’re looking for, you’ll definitely find it here. We arrived on what seemed to be off-season in August, which is when many French folk tend to leave the country on vacation. Truth be told, I can’t speak on the price because a friend’s uncle runs the place, so we stayed for free.

We were given basic meals twice a day and spent the rest of the time hiking the surrounding hills. I believe you also have the option of camping out in the area, but on cooler nights the refuge can house roughly 60 people.

There are gorgeous lakes and alpine mountains in the area for you to explore. Don’t go expecting a 5-star experience — it’s mostly just a place to rest your head and meet fellow hikers. It’s definitely worth checking out for people who don’t enjoy sleeping in a tent.