Ski Holidays in the Pyrenees

The Pyrenees is a range of mountains located on the border between France and Spain. The ski resorts here don’t match the French Alps for the sheer amount of runs, but regions like the Hautes Pyrénées in particular have made huge investments in recent years and now offer world-class lifts, piste-grooming and snowmaking.

Skiing in the Pyrenees means choosing from over 38 ski resorts including Cauterets, La Mongie, Barèges and St Lary. There’s a really different feel to a ski holiday in the Pyrenees, some people think the atmosphere is more relaxed and friendly than the more frenetic French Alps. This is especially the case if you stay in the popular Catalan ski areas like Les Angles or Pyrénées 2000/ Font Romeu, where you can ski in the morning, then head down to spend the afternoon on a Mediterranean beach, perfect for families with younger children who may tire of too many hours on slopes. There are less British that ski here, it’s an area much more popular with the French.

One of the most popular resorts is Cauterets, a beautiful old spa town with grandiose 19th century architecture. Thermal baths using the naturally hot spring water are dotted around the resorts, but the Bains du Rocher at Cauterets, in a renovated traditional building, is special.

Resorts such as La Mongie is a more purpose-built French ski resort, but if you’re looking for a more traditional village experience, Saint Lary Soulan has real, year-round charm (and a new gondola lift direct to its pistes).

Situated between France and Spain, Andorra has some of the best skiing around. This small country is famous for its duty free shopping, making it a great destination for those wanting a budget ski holiday, and it has a lively après ski atmosphere.

Read more abut popular ski resorts in France:

• Cauterets