Chez Louisette, Auberge du Lienz: an institution

Auberge du Lienz is located in the commune de Barèges, at the foot of the ski slopes and hiking paths and is a real institution in the region. Open all year long, it is an address where you are guaranteed to find local, fresh and 100% homemade products, cooked with love; an address that food enthusiasts always visit during a stay in the Pyrenees. Near the Col du Tourmalet and Pic-du-midi, savour traditional, invigorating gourmet dishes… Meet Louisette and her team, in this welcoming and friendly inn.

Louisette, made-in barèges since 1905

Louisette’s grandmother lived on the Lienz plateau, on a small farm where the restaurant now stands. It was on this small farm that the adventure started. From a dairy farm, it developed into an inn to serve the local spa tourists that were already coming to the region at that time. Restaurants were scarce and thanks to the quality of the products, carefully selected from local producers (the neighbours), Louisette’s grandmother offered simple but exquisite dishes, beautifully cooked with love.

Exactly at the same place

Here’s where it all started!

Louisette’s mother and Louisette herself inherited from this welcoming spirit. Auberge du Lienz passed from generation to generation, with a very faithful and ever growing customer base. Here, nature offers all a good cook needs to prepare the traditional, generous gourmet dishes. « Chez Louisette » is now a place for family and friends to gather, open (nearly) all year, for lunch and diner, with the guaranty of a warm welcome like home. Louisette is a generous person, in her heart as well as in her plates. With the greatest attention to the quality of her food and comfort of her guests, Louisette has also a passionate and efficient team!

A lunch with Louisette, nothing but happiness

At the foot of the ski slopes and hiking paths, Auberge du Lienz is the perfect place for skiers, snowshoe hikers, cross-country skiers, who just have to push the door to let a mouth-watering and delicious smell invade the Lienz plateau… It is this mix of rich and fine flavours, which attracts the majority of food enthusiasts!

At the foot of the ski-lift

Only few steps from the hiking paths or snowshoe trails in winter

A friendly inn

A pleasant room

A beautiful view on the Pic du Midi

Find in your plates: all the Pyrenees and nothing more

Auberge du Lienz is opened at two different periods during the year

In summer, the hikers like to settle on the terrace or in the beautiful indoor room. On the sunlounges, you can have a relaxing break, with a splendid view over the Pyrenees and the Pic du Midi. You can come to eat for lunch or dinner, but also enjoy gourmet « boards» and creamy ice-cream (don’t forget that we are in a former dairy!). To get there, take a small road on the right hand side just after the village of Barèges and a parking space is waiting for you.

In winter, Auberge du Lienz is open from the beginning of the ski season. Is there a bit of snow and the ski lifts are working? Then you can go to Louisette! To get there, it is easy, put your skis or any sledging devices, snow-shoes, sleigh dogs … and go to the foot of the ski-lift.

Take a seat on the terrace

Enjoy the view

During summer, enjoy the specialities of the Pyrenees, such as the farmer’s potatoes, cooked in water, peeled, cut and fried in pork grease and garlic … The leg of lamb, the cutlets or the knuckle of pork with garlic and wild thyme… are 100% AOP Barèges-Gavarnie. A melting product, very tasty, aromatic and juicy … The whole animal is bought then each part of it is transformed into many dishes.

Lamb cutlets

A delicious sauce with cube cut glazed vegetables

Tender and melting knuckle of pork

The Pigs feet are also homemade, they are boned (28 small bones, what patience!) and then reconstituted with a tasty morel stuffing, they are prepared in a sauce and roasted for a surprising rispness.

Pigs feet

Tender meat and savour at their best...

The boned pork shoulder is reconstituted in a roast and sprinkled with salt for one night, then desalinated, stuffed with garlic and cooked for a minimum of 6 hours in pork grease with wild marjoram. The black pork of the Bigorre can also be found in ham, homemade terrines: with chorizo, apple compote and roasted ventresca, it is also the guest of honour in a crusty and soft homemade bread.

Cured meat farmer’s plate

Roasted shoulder of lamb with wild herbs

Madiran Lamb stew and its crusty ventresca

Glazed pork shoulder and marjoram sauce

Fish also plays an important part in the gastronomy, the local trout is marinated and seasoned with Tchuli pepper, garnished with carrots, cauliflowers, cucumbers and other pickled vegetables, presented on a celery and wild nettle mousseline.

Pink trout steak

A smoked trout starter

On the cheese side, taste the farm sheep’s milk cheese refined on site, from the Loudenvielle Valley. With its black cherry jam, it is a fresh and sweet break, before the desserts… Blueberry pie, natural yogurt rich in red fruits, creamy ice creams … And why not try a homemade dry Jurançon with a poppy liqueur, for digestive?

Delicious Pyrenees sheep cheese

I can see you mouth-watering already…

Auberge du lienz in winter and during the skiing season

In winter, all these delights are prepared and served in plates or as toasties for the skiers, not forgetting traditional soups, such as garbure which warms you up and comforts you. With always the same attention for quality, taste and tradition, only the formula changes, to adapt to the skiers who then head back to the slopes.