Win an 8-day holiday in south-west France for two

We’ve teamed up with walking and cycling specialists Purely Pyrenees to offer loveEXPLORING readers the chance to win a winter holiday in the Pyrenees mountains

What better way to welcome in 2019 than by winning a fabulous eight-day holiday to France? Walking and cycling specialists Purely Pyrenees are offering a lucky loveEXPLORING reader and their guest the chance to win a snowshoeing experience on one of their brand new winter holidays, only introduced this season.

And don’t worry if you’ve never snowshoed before as this form of cross-country walking is suitable for everyone. Plus you’ll receive a full lesson on the best technique before you set off with your bi-lingual guide.

The prize

The prize is an 8-day trip to south-west France during March for two, with flights to Lourdes airport, with a departure between 23 February and 23 March.

The walking trip will take you around the Azun Valley, a haven of peace in a well-preserved natural area that gives you room to breathe and is ideal for snowshoeing.

After flying into Lourdes – just a half hour drive from the valley – there’s time on the first day to explore this beautiful city.

Sergey Dzyuba/Shutterstock

With around 3-5 hours of walking on each day the pace can be matched to suit you: expect plenty of stops for picnics, photos and simply to just admire the views the along routes that will take your around the Val’d’Azun in the central Pyrenees.

You’ll discover the secrets of the Gaves Valley, wander through the forests of the Col de Couraduque, admire the Gaube Lake, Pont d’Espagne, Cauterets-Vignemale, and Hautacam, with wonderful views over the high mountains.

Expect to see bountiful numbers of pine and fir forests which are home to wildlife such as deer, wild boar, marmots and grouse, all animals more frequently seen during winter.

Ballet karine//Shutterstock

Where you'll stay

Four-star accommodation, on a full-board basis, is included. Les Gerbes is a charming wood and stone built chambres d'hôtes (bed and breakfast), typical of the area and each room has a personal touch. There is also a hot tub to ease any aching muscles too. 

How to enter

Simply fill out this form and click done to submit your entry. Competition closes on 23:59 GMT on 3 February 2019

About Purely Pyrenees

Purely Pyrenees was created in 2017 by the number one independent French operator to the Pyrenees, La Balaguère, to provide exceptional walking (and cycling) holidays in the Pyrenees to suit all levels of ability. New for 2018/2019 are a series of winter holidays aimed to introduce the mountains to a new audience that will appreciate the spectacular scenery.  Purely Pyrenees is the only operator in the Pyrenees to have their own network of guides and drivers as well as the only one experienced in the entire Pyrenees in France and Spain. Each snowshoeing holiday is led by an experienced bi-lingual guide.  This is a group holiday with no more than eight participants on each tour.

Main image credit: ©olivierguix

Terms and conditions

1. No purchase necessary to enter the prize draw.
2. This prize draw is open to residents of the United Kingdom, aged 18 years or over, with the exception of employees of the Promoter, their families, agents and anyone else connected with this promotion.
3. Entries must be received by 23:59 GMT on 3 February 2019. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any entries that are incomplete, illegible, corrupted or fail to reach the Promoter by the relevant closing date for any reason. Proof of posting or sending is not proof of receipt. Automatically generated entries or entries via agents or third parties are invalid and shall not be considered. Entries become the property of the Promoter.
4. Only one entry per person.
5. To enter fill out the form on this page.
6. All correctly completed entries will be entered into a prize draw, which will take place by 4 February 2019. The first entry drawn will be the winner.
7. The Winner will receive the following prize: Return flights between London Stansted and Lourdes/Tarbes with Ryanair. Overnight accommodation on a full-board basis at Les Gerbes for seven nights  except for lunch on day one and day two. All transfers for The Winner plus a guest from the airport, between the hotel and back to the airport are included. Accommodation is in rooms of 3 or 4 persons. A double room for 2 persons costs a supplement of £31 (€35) per person. 
8. All elements of the prize must be redeemed during the period of travel. Departure will be between 23 February and 23 March 2019 (date to be confirmed at least three weeks before departure). We reserve the right to offer the winners another snowshoeing holiday in the Pyrenees if no departure is confirmed on this FP6PUAZ. If no snowshoeing departure is confirmed within the dates specified we will give the winners a voucher to use for a Purely Pyrenees holiday, to the value of the snowshoeing holiday.
8. Insurance is not included in the prize
9. Prizes are subject to availability. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the Promoter reserves the right (a) to substitute alternative prizes of equivalent or greater value and (b) in exceptional circumstances to amend or foreclose the promotion without notice. No correspondence will be entered into.
10. The winner will be notified via email by 5 February 2019. The winner must claim their prize within 30 days of being notified by the Promoter and must respond to the notification email with their postal address, email, and telephone phone number. If the prize is unclaimed after this time, it will lapse and the Promoter reserves the right to offer the unclaimed prize to a substitute winner selected in accordance with these rules.
11. The Promoter will use any data submitted by entrants only for the purposes of running the prize draw, unless otherwise stated in the entry form. By entering this prize draw, all entrants consent to the use of their personal data by the Promoter for the purposes of the administration of this prize draw and any other purposes to which the entrant has consented.
12. The winners agree to take part in reasonable post event publicity and to the use of their names and photographs in such publicity.
13. By entering this prize draw each entrant confirms that his/her entry is their wholly-owned creation and to the extent that such entry makes use of any third-party materials that these have been fully cleared unless they are no longer protected by copyright or other intellectual property rights. Entrants will keep the Promoter harmless from any claims in relation to their entry that the entry infringes the personal or proprietary right of any other person. By submitting an entry, each entrant grants to the Promoter, Purely Pyrenees, a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence use, broadcast, publish and otherwise use the entrant’s name and statements regarding this prize draw for advertising, promotional and/or any other purpose in any and all media now or hereafter devised worldwide in perpetuity without additional compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.
14. Promoter may disqualify any entrant whose entry does not comply with these terms and conditions (in Promoter’s sole opinion) or who, in Promoter’s sole determination, has acted in a manner that is fraudulent, dishonest or unjust to other entrants including, without limitation, tampering with the operation of the prize draw, manipulating or rigging votes, hacking, deceiving, cheating or by harassing or threatening other entrants or a representative of Promoter.
15. The winner must provide loveEXPLORING.com with valid proof of identity, residency and age, matching the identity of the entrant, before any prize will be awarded. Valid travel documents (including a passport) are the sole responsibility of the winner. All unspecified expenses associated with receipt and use of the prizes are the winner’s sole responsibility. 
16. Any other expenses incurred during the period of the prize will be the responsibility of the Winner and their companion. 
17. Any person suspected of cheating, acting dishonestly or fraudulently in the opinion of the Promoter will be excluded from the competition.
18. By entering the prize draw each entrant agrees to be bound by these terms and conditions.
19. The Promoter is Love Incorporated, 36 Featherstone Street, London, EC1Y 8AE.
20. These terms and conditions are governed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.