Skiing in the Pyrenees

The Pyrenees is a 500 kilometer long mountain range that forms a natural border between Spain and the Iberian Peninsula to the south, and France and central Europe to the north. The tiny independent nation of Andorra is located on the Pyrenees.

The Pyrenees lush forests, lofty waterfalls, great mountain passes and snow covered slopes make them a fitting alternative for ski vacations to the Alps. The Pyrenees are divided into the French Pyrenees and the Spanish Pyrenees regions.

The French Pyrenees are further divided into multiple regions including Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Pyrenees-Orientales and the Midi-Pyrenees (the Midi-Pyrenees includes areas such as Hautes Pyrenees, Haute Garonne, Ariege, Gers and Aveyron). The regions of Spain that border the Pyrenees include Catalonia, Navarra, Aragon and Basque Country.

The French Pyrenees has more than 40 ski resorts and see substantially more ski tourist numbers overall than the Spanish side. Les Angles is the largest resort in the French Pyrenees and is famous for its scenic lakes and tree-lined ski runs. Its runs though are best suited for intermediate and advanced level skiers. If you do not want to ski, the resort has a number of street cafes, restaurants and designer boutiques where you can kick back and simply enjoy the atmosphere.

The Piau-Engaly ski resort at an altitude of 2600 meters is the highest in all of the French Pyrenees. Its high altitude means you can count on abundant snow irrespective of the time of year you choose to visit. The runs span the entire experience spectrum from beginner and intermediate, to advanced. The largest resort in the French Pyrenees is Tourmalet with over 60 runs available to cater for all skiing levels.