It’s not the highest pass in the Pyrenees, nor perhaps the most spectacular. And it certainly doesn’t get the attention of close neighbours, the Tourmalet and Aubisque. But for me the Col du Soulor is wonderful for two reasons. First, it was the first Pyrenean pass that I managed to cycle up, much to my own surprise – it’s 1,474 metres above sea level. Second, it is one of the world’s great birdwatching spots.
In late summer, the little grassy knolls either side of the narrow tarmac road are populated by people with binoculars. Every now and again, a massive bird will come swooping over their heads, sometimes crashing to an undignified halt among the herds of horses that always seem to be around.
For a British birdlover, used to a lean diet of buzzards and kestrels, the array of raptors and vultures on display is remarkable. Lammergeiers (bearded vultures) are the stars, with their massive three-metre wingspan, but various types of harrier, eagle, buzzard, hawk, kite and falcon pass through, each favouring slightly different conditions and timings in the July to October period. Most, but not all, are migrating to Africa. On a good day, hundreds can be spotted.
There is more, such as great hiking, cycling and places to stay. The human culture fascinates, too, with the Occitan language still very much in use. Last time I was there I stayed in a beautiful gîte near the village of Arbéost, a few kilometres below the actual pass. Its owner, Laurent, speaks Occitan, and it was a pleasure to hear, for the first time, this long-oppressed language.
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