La Brèche de Roland

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La Brèche de Roland, seen from the French side. Notice the person standing in the lower left corner of the Brèche.

La Brèche de Roland is an impressive natural gap, 40 meters across and 100 meters high, in the steep cliffs of the Cirque de Gavarnie which form part of the border between France and Spain in the Pyrenees. Altitude: 2,804 m.

According to legend the Brèche was cut by Earl Roland (a nephew of Charlemagne), using sword blows, in an attempt to destroy his sword Durandal, while attempting to escape the Saracens (in fact Basques) during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass.

The Breche can be reached from the Refuge des Sarradets, a nearby mountain shelter, in about an hour's climb.

External links

• [Pictures of the Brèche and its surroundings]
• [Panoramic view]
• [Access description] (in French)

La Brèche de Roland, seen from a distance.

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