23 May - Stage 3 - Arudy to Oloron Ste Marie - 23.2 km

Text from the brochure on the walk from Amawalkers
An easier stage today and passing through fields, farms and small villages you will meet many farm animals. Oloron Ste Marie is where the Via Tolosana (which starts at Arles) meets the Chemin du Piedmont from Lourdes. It is a cathedral town and the cathedral of Sainte Marie dates from the 11th century as does the colossal Romanesque church of Sainte Croix.

The town founded by the Romans in the 1st century was known as Illoronensium. Situated on the Roman way between the important towns of Dax and Saragossa, its position was strategic. Today known as Saint-Great, Gratus of Oloron became in 506 the first known archbishop of the Ancient Diocese of Oloron then known as "Iluro".

The 18th century was the beginning of revival for Sainte-Marie as the end of French Wars of Religion allowed for restorations and new religious constructions in the town: cathedral, seminary, church Saint-Pierre. Moreover, the continued boom of commerce with Spain accelerated the construction of better communication and transportation ways to Oloron and Sainte-Marie.

Situated at the foot of the Pyrénées, 50 km from the Spanish border and 100 km from the Atlantic ocean, Oloron-Sainte-Marie is at the confluence of two Gaves (mountain rivers), the Gave d'Aspe and the Gave d'Ossau that merge to form the Gave d'Oloron. Capital of the Haut-Béarn, Oloron-Sainte-Marie is also at the point of origin of the three Haut-Béarn valleys - the Aspe valley, the Ossau Valley and the Barétous valley.

The Cathedral of Sainte-Marie dates from 1102. The town is renowned for its hearty vegetables, beans and meat soup, for the Ossau-Iraty cheese, and for a delicacy invented by a local baker in 1925, the pastry "le Russe".

The Hotel is across the rivers close to the public gardens with many restaurants and bistros close by as well as the Oloron chocolate factory, which is the only French production site for Sprüngli Swiss and Lindt chocolates and confections. It is here that the famous “Pyrénéen” is made. The Lindt chocolate shop is open from Monday to Saturday – entrance is free.