The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo

In the first leg of his epic quest along the Pyrenees Mountain range, adventurer Michael Portillo explores the Spanish Basque region, a unique area of remarkable landscapes and cultural highlights, which is integral to Michael’s own heritage. His Spanish father and Scottish mother met through their work to help Basque refugee children who had fled to Britain during the brutal civil war in Spain.

British travel icon Michael Portillo's Pyrenean quest continues with the physical challenge of the treacherous French High Pyrenees mountain range. There, he meets Olympic cycling champion Marion Clignet, who refused to let epilepsy curtail her sporting career. During his trek, Michael also finds time to reflect on his own political career as Defense Secretary and considers the war in Ukraine.

Michael Portillo continues his Pyrenees Mountain range challenge, this time in the wild beauty of southwest France's Ariege region. There he meets a young couple from Luxembourg who have left city life behind to become pig farmers. He enjoys a hearty lunch in a remote mountain cabin and learns about local customs and culture. Michael ends his day at an abbey in the company of Benedictine nuns.

The final leg of his epic walk is a very personal one for adventurer Michael Portillo as he returns to Spain, exploring the Catalonian Pyrenees. In 1939, his father fled through the mountains as a political refugee from the Spanish Civil War. In the tiny village of La Vajol, where many refugees headed to cross the border into France, Michael meets Margaret, whose family were also escapees.