Familial, remote or sporty: ski resorts in the Pyrenees are not lacking in character. Alpine or cross-country ski, here is an overview of essential slopes!
The most panoramic
From the Pic des Tentes, which marks the top of the Marmots slope in Gavarnie-Gèdre, you can see the Brèche de Roland and the Cirque of Gavarnie peaks that culminate at over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet high). It's a grandiose landscape, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which is even accessible to beginners as well as advanced skiiers.
The tastiest
At the end of the Calmazeille cable-car in Formiguères, on a panoramic picnic area, there is an unexpected snowmobile... turned into a food-truck! At Snowlicious, sandwiches and burgers are mostly made with local products from surroundings farms: cheeses, hams, sausages—even the beer is locally produced!
The most family-friendly
The great family-friendly resort of Saint-Lary gathered all the services the kids need on the Pla d’Adet Heights, around the iconic Mickey ski slope. The latter is one of the favorite ski slopes of the Massif for beginners, and is surrounded by the daycare, the ski club, the luge track and playgrounds in the snow. It's a clever slope enjoyed by the whole family!
The most thrilling
At the end of the day, when the slopes are closed to skiers, funny machines appear on the Pyrenees Boulevard in La Pierre Saint-Martin: daredevils hop on airboards to ride down this great slope that links the 2503-meter (8200-foot) high resort's peak to the building below. Speed, jumps, turned-up: everything you need if you are a thrill-seeker!
The longest
Saquet, Griole and Bonascre: this long string of slopes is one of the Ax 3 Domaines resort's trumpcards. It begins on the top of the Saquet ski run (one of the 3 runs forming the resort) weaves throughout three green or blue slopes on a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) ride that is marked out and accessible to beginners.
The most Nordic
At the heart of a spectacular century-old forest, the Capcir offers one of the most popular cross-country ski slopes in the Pyrenees. The Matte forest slope goes through the pines to the Matemale lake, which is often frozen during winter. When it is frozen over, you can even cross it with sled dogs.
The highest
In Piau-Engaly, in the highest and snowiest ski resort in the Pyrenees, the Pic de Piau cable-car goes up to 2,528 meters and offers a panoramic view on the Pic de Piau (2,696m - 8,300f), the Pic de la Gela (2,851m - 9,350f), the Pic de Troumouse (3,085m - 10,120f) and the Mont Perdu (3,355m - 11,000f). From there, you can hit the La Grande Bleue slope, offering 1,180 meters (3,900 feet) difference in height.
The most Instagrammable
For those who have no fear of heights, at 300 meters (1000 feet) above the skiers, the Porté-Puymorens resort invites you at the top of the Fonfrède slopes. There you can try « le pied dans le vide » ("a step into the void"), a gateway with an open deck that hangs over the slopes. It's the snapshot of a lifetime!
The wildest
For the wild at heart: Alpine skiing in the middle of the forest! With its wooded environment and its unique view of the most beautiful peaks in the Pyrenees, the Mourtis resort bets on nature. The red La Promenade slope zigzags through the pines and crosses a large part of the resort. So bucolic!
The most mythical off-piste
With 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) difference in height, a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) off-piste slope on the flanks of the Pic du Midi of Bigorre: this is the Coume du Pic in La Mongie. Not marked out, not monitored, the La Coume du Pic ride links La Mongie to Artigues-Campan in the Grand Tourmalet domain. Only advanced skiers can handle it—with a profesional guide of course!
By France.fr
The magazine of the destination unravels an unexpected France that revisits tradition and cultivates creativity. A France far beyond what you can imagine…
