This region is incomparably rich in all the ingredients for a good holiday - uncluttered landscapes, empty roads, clean rivers and good regional cuisine.The mountains dominate life in the French Pyrénées. A region in many ways closer to Spain than France. Today, it is the last remaining widerness in southern Europe and a habitat for rare animal species. In summer the region offers over 1,600 km (1,000 miles) of walking trails, as well as fishing and climbing. Lourdes receives four million pilgrims every year.