Monte Perdido, the lost mountain, at 3,355 metres, is the highest limestone massif in Europe and the centrepiece of a cross-border World Heritage site shared by Spain and France. On the Spanish side, it gives its name to the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, with deep canyons radiating out from the summit; on the French side, it looks down on the great cirques of Gavarnie and Troumouse.
The landscape here is the result of glaciers carving through layers of limestone, leaving towering cliffs, waterfalls and terraced valleys. The Ordesa valley itself, with its sheer walls in shades of red and grey, beech and fir forest, and the cascades of the Arazas river, is one of the most beautiful in Europe. Marmots, chamois and griffon vultures are common, and the rare Pyrenean ibex lived here until its extinction in 2000. The UNESCO listing also recognises the pastoral culture of the mountains, with shepherds who moved flocks across the border for centuries.
No road reaches the mountain itself, of course, so this is about the rides around it. The road up the Ara valley from Broto to Torla is the gateway to Ordesa; in summer, access to the national park's parking is restricted and visitors use a shuttle bus from Torla. To the east, the road up the Cinca valley to Bielsa and through the tunnel into France is a classic, as is the road from Bielsa into the Pineta valley, which ends below the north face of Monte Perdido. On the French side, the roads to Gavarnie and the Cirque de Troumouse are spectacular. Mountain roads here are often narrow, and snow can close the higher passes well into spring.
Broto and Torla have fuel and plenty of restaurants; Sabiñánigo, about thirty-five kilometres away, is the nearest larger town. The local food includes lamb from the mountains, and the mountain hotels serve hearty stews. Late spring to early autumn is the time to ride here, with snow possible at any time on the high ground.