Pic du Midi d'Ossau

A lot of legends surround the Pic du Midi d'Ossau (2885 m) and its nickname «  Jean-Pierre » (John Peter). It is named after this because, in Béarn, the older son was called Jean and the younger Pierre ? Or because the Pyrenees specialist Henry Russell named it « géant de pierre » (giant of stone) and the local people heard Jean-Pierre ? Armand-Gustave Houbigant in his diary « Journal de voyage de Paris aux Eaux-Bonnes » says that in the local language the people called the Pic du Midi « las tres serours » which means the three sisters but also « las tres herrours », the three horrors.

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Hear an extract of this diary

Houbigant,  Armand-Gustave. - Journal de voyage de Paris aux Eaux-Bonnes / Armand-Gustave Houbigant [manuscrit]. - 1841-1854  - Médiathèque André Labarrère – fonds anciens – Usine des Tramways - cote MI 34.
Online on PIRENEAS

Galerie Pic du Midi d'Ossau

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From the boulevard ...

Horizons has been realized thanks to the participation of the Factory of the Digital Bank of Knowledges in Aquitaine.

The project is supported by Pau-Pyrenees Conurbation Community.

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