In Pinas, a long-standing description and a specific hiking route come together. The village was long regarded as the “gateway to Bigorre” and covers 593 hectares. These two details highlight different aspects: one points to Pinas’s historical role, while the other gives the area of the village. For planning a trip, this offers a way to discover Pinas through both its traditional local history and a hike that starts and ends here.

The village name and local traditions

According to local tradition, PINAS meant “vilain bois de pins” (“ugly pine forest”) in the local Patois. This explanation offers a linguistic interpretation of the village name and should be understood as local tradition. It raises a different question from the description “gateway to Bigorre”: while the latter characterizes Pinas historically, the interpretation of the name draws attention to the local Patois.

Another local story is dated approximately to around 1270. According to the story, outlaws pursued by the knight Gérard d’Aure retreated into the wooded mountain ranges between Bigorre and the Garonne area. This tradition offers a view of the region rooted in the medieval period. Together with the explanation of the village name, it provides two distinct ways of exploring Pinas, without merging them into a single story.

Hiking from Pinas

The “Le Chemin de la Save” hiking trail starts and ends in Pinas. It is 13 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of four hours and 15 minutes. This gives you both a specific distance and a time estimate for planning. If you include the route in your stay, you can allow several hours for the walk and bear in mind that the time is an estimate. The trail’s connection to Pinas is clear: the village is both its starting point and its endpoint.

For part of the route, “Le Chemin de la Save” follows the Save. The river is one of many rivers fed by the Canal de la Neste. The hike can therefore be described not only by its distance and duration, but also by the section that runs alongside the river. These details describe the route and the Save in their respective contexts.

A dated note about the trail

There is also a dated record concerning trail signage in Pinas: in 2015, the mountain bike and walking trail was marked with 15 direction posts. The signage was part of a project to improve a circular route. For travellers interested in the development of local trails as well as the hiking route, this offers a specific historical point of reference.

If you are looking for a holiday rental for a stay in Pinas, your choice of location can reflect two different interests: local history or a hike with a stated distance and walking time. The historical perspective comes through the long-standing description of Pinas as the “gateway to Bigorre,” the Patois interpretation, and the local story. The hiking trail offers a more practical focus: it starts and ends in Pinas and gives you specific planning figures—a distance of 13 kilometres and an estimated walking time of four hours and 15 minutes.

Discover more destinations: Ayzac-Ost, Montignac, Ozon, Seich, Lombrès, Vidouze, Bartrès, Bonnemazon

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