Campan, France: travel guide to the Pyrenean valley village, its Mounaque dolls and Campan marble
Campan is a village in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of the Occitanie region, in the central French Pyrenees, set in the green Campan valley a few kilometres from the spa town of Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Surrounded by high peaks and famous mountain passes, it is a place of strong traditions and a gateway to some of the most legendary scenery in the Pyrenees.
For travellers searching for Campan Hautes-Pyrénées, the Col du Tourmalet, the Mounaques de Campan or Campan marble, the village offers mountain heritage, local folklore and a celebrated stone with a place in French royal history.
Village and traditions
Campan is best known for its Mounaques, life-size rag-and-straw dolls dressed as village characters that are displayed throughout the streets, balconies and gardens in summer, greeting passers-by and the many cyclists who come to tackle the passes. The dolls are linked to the old charivari tradition that once mocked newly married couples. A heritage trail through the village takes in the Mounaques, fountains, old washhouses and the stone cold-stores known as leytés, with the Carrefour des Patrimoines museum sharing the life of the valley.
Marble and the mountains
The valley is also celebrated for Campan marble, quarried for two thousand years at Espiadet near Payolle; this distinctive green stone veined with pink and red was used in the decoration of the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre and other great monuments of Paris. The restored Moulin de Mendagne, the last working watermill of the valley, can also be visited. Above the village rise the mythical Col du Tourmalet, one of the highest paved passes in the Pyrenees and a regular stage of the Tour de France, the Col d'Aspin and the Pic du Midi de Bigorre with its observatory.
Practical information
Campan lies about 6 kilometres from Bagnères-de-Bigorre and around 23 kilometres from Tarbes. A vast commune dotted with hamlets, including Sainte-Marie-de-Campan and the ski station of La Mongie, it is an excellent base for hiking, cycling and skiing in the Pyrenees.