“Aydius is a village at the ends of the earth... Beautiful stone houses with slate roofs stand side by side, small windows stop the cold from coming in, steep streets, a little square, a church”.

This is how Etienne Lamazou, a transhumant shepherd from 1913 to 1963, described his village in his book “L’Ours et les brebis” (The bear and the sheep), printed by Petite Bibliotheque Payot. He also mentions the complaints of an administrator from Bearn with regard to the access to the village, “Jamei plus en Aidius non horaréi parquia, lo mey beth capirou qu’i petaré de paur de s’i copa l’esquia” (Never again will I go to Aydius! The largest deer would be scared to death of breaking his neck!). Nowadays, a well-appointed road zigzags up the mountain to the village. Aydius is also the birthplace of Pierre Loustaunau, a shepherd who became General of the Indies. Relax and listen to the story while you taste some goat’s cheese from Aydius.