Cauterets, a Belle Epoque atmosphere in a Pyrenean setting

The village of Cauterets is a living testament to the Belle Epoque, at the end of the 19th century when all of Paris came to "take the waters"
in the Pyrenees, to admire the romantic beauty of the mountains, but also to be seen in its finest finery!
Because we appreciate a place even more when we know its history, take a few hours to discover the village, its beautiful streets lined with opulent buildings, its large squares inviting you to stroll and live well...
A true architectural gem, it will delight your eyes and your heart. In Cauterets, History is everywhere!

“The place to be” … in the 19th century, the worldly atmosphere of an upmarket spa village,

The thermal virtues of the waters of Cauterets were already renowned in Paris during the First Empire: in the early 1800s, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland and Queen Hortense came to bathe there.

This renown among a wealthy clientele continued to grow throughout the 19th century; it persisted into the early 20th century while many other seaside resorts declined. For over a century, countless personalities—crowned heads, artists, writers, politicians—stayed there: George Sand, Alfred de Vigny, Chateaubriand, the Duke of Aumale, Victor Hugo, Thiers, Taine, Napoleon III and Eugénie, Gabriel Fauré, Alphonse XIII, Edward VII, Sarah Bernhardt, Maurice Chevalier, Edgar Degas, Léon Blum, Louis Berliot…

The entertainment hub: the Esplanade des Œufs

This large square was the focal point of fashionable Cauterets at the time – the place to see and be seen! Built in 1864, it owes its strange name to the sulfurous smell given off by the thermal waters.

It is from this magnificent esplanade, extended by a charming public garden, that one can best admire the architectural elegance of Cauterets, the contrast between the 19th-century style urbanism and the natural setting of the surrounding peaks.

The surrounding buildings bear witness to the leisure activities that occupied the wealthy clientele of yesteryear: the old Casino (now a cinema) where shows were performed, the bandstand where concerts took place, a magnificent promenade under Eiffel-style arcades whose dome comes from the 1900 Universal Exhibition, and finally a hotel, the very first one built in Cauterets: the Hôtel de Promenade which later became the Hôtel Regina.

Monumental hotels and mansions

The scene of the famous flower festivals in the Pyrenean resorts at the end of the 19th century, Boulevard Latapie Flurin - depicted on this old postcard - is home to the most luxurious and monumental buildings in Cauterets. Their comfort was cutting-edge for the time: hydraulic elevators, running water on all floors, central heating, opulent lounges, smoking rooms, etc.

Starting from the Esplanade des Œufs, the first thing you'll see is the Hôtel d'Angleterre. Opened in 1878, it was one of the largest hotels in the Pyrenees, with 300 rooms, a vast hall beneath sumptuous chandeliers, and a grand dome. Today, it's a private residence. Its Louis XV-style restaurant, built a little later in 1900, now houses the Musée 1900, which displays clothing, utensils, and tableware from that era.

Further along, the Grand Hotel Continental – also immense with over 200 rooms – is an architectural marvel. Inaugurated in 1882, it was designed like an Italian palace with an inner courtyard, a façade adorned with caryatids and sculpted heads – said to represent famous women of the time. It has since been converted into apartments.

Further on, going up Avenue du Mamelon Vert after the blue chalet, you can admire two beautiful houses, called Flurin houses because they were built by this family at the end of the 19th century: the Chalet des Frênes, with its bricks and red woodwork, and Castelgayard, in Angoulême stone, inspired by the Château de Pau. Over several generations, the Flurin family contributed to the economic development of the city by developing thermal medicine in particular. This is still the case today thanks to beekeeping, supported by the Ballot-Flurin house founded in 1976 by Catherine Flurin, and whose shop is located a little further up Avenue du Mamelon Vert. 

An izba in Cauterets: the Chalet Galitzine, or blue chalet

Just near the Esplanade, in the bend that goes up to the Pont d'Espagne, your attention is drawn to a strange blue chalet, of Slavic inspiration, with a crazy charm although strange in a Pyrenean village!

It was in 1840 that the Russian princess Galitzine bought a plot of land on the left bank of the Gave, which was devoid of any buildings. The princess had a group of buildings constructed there, including an izba, extended by another house adorned with an Orthodox chapel and a four-story tower with a pepperpot roof.

The entire complex was connected to the Blue Chalet by walkways, which have since been removed. Legend has it that the princess would receive her lovers on each floor of the tower, who would then reach the villa via these walkways, ensuring they never crossed paths!

The construction of the Hôtel d'Angleterre a few years later, by blocking the view over the valley, finally led the princess to sell her property. She never returned.

The train station: a Norwegian mountain atmosphere

This building, one of the oldest in the city, is very striking due to its atypical mountain appearance reminiscent of a western set.

This is a reproduction of the Norwegian pavilion from the 1889 World's Fair , transferred and built identically in early 1900 – in kit form and in just two months! – a real feat given the size of the building.

The reason was that it was necessary to transport the increasing number of spa-goers to the thermal baths, which were then located near the Pont d'Espagne. This station welcomed the first electric train in France, a rack railway which slowly carried them to their treatments….

This station has retained its beautiful green metal framework and stone porch, and a canopy where there is a clock that has been working ever since it was created.

Closed in 1949, it now houses the offices of the bus station and a theatre. The building has been listed as a Historical Monument since 1981.

Caesar's Baths

We conclude this visit with these historic thermal baths, built in several stages during the 19th century. Their architecture incorporates the marble and column elements of Roman architecture . On the site of the Baths of the Rock, there once stood the baths building dedicated to children, whose original facade has been preserved.

This is an opportunity to look back at the history of thermalism in Cauterets, which began well before this golden age.

From the 12th century onwards, Cauterets was renowned for its hot springs , whose baths were developed by monks. Its waters were famous for treating sciatica, ulcers, gout and even deafness.

It was in the 16th century that this reputation grew, and this - already - thanks to the influence of a personality: Marguerite de Navarre, who stayed there frequently from 1541 to 1549.

In 1605, the King established a general superintendency for the baths and fountains of the kingdom. Several physicians, superintendents of the waters , then succeeded one another, studying the thermal properties of the waters of Cauterets.
It was in 1714 that Jean-François Borie wrote the first work, "The Research of the Mineral Waters of Cauterets with the Method of Using Them."

While the quality of Cauterets' waters is renowned, their supply leaves much to be desired. Work on conveying them via canals began in 1800, but it wasn't until the mid-19th century, thanks to the mastery of spring capture techniques , that their waters finally reached the thermal baths without losing their therapeutic qualities.

Chalet La Source is waiting to help you organize your stay and fully enjoy this magnificent village. Don't hesitate to get in touch!