Pyrenees snow forecast

Skiing in Pyrenees

The Pyrenees run along the border between France and Spain, with Andorra in between, and hold the main skiing of south western Europe. The resorts are lower than the big Alpine areas, with most lifts between about 1,500 m and 2,640 m. Weather arrives from both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, so one side of the range can do much better than the other in a given storm.

This page compares several areas. Andorra and Cerdanya covers Grandvalira, the largest ski area in the Pyrenees with seven linked sectors and more than 210 km of pistes, plus Vallnord Pal Arinsal, the north-facing and snow-sure Ordino Arcalís, and Masella in the Spanish Cerdanya, which shares the Alp 2500 pass with La Molina.

Val d'Aran covers Baqueira-Beret, the largest and most visited resort in Spain, with more than 160 km of marked runs between about 1,500 m and 2,610 m across the Baqueira, Beret and Bonaigua sectors. Its position on the northern side of the range catches Atlantic weather and usually gives it a season from late November or early December into April.

The Aragon Pyrenees covers Formigal-Panticosa in the Tena valley, with around 180 km of marked pistes and a top station at about 2,250 m.

On the French side, Saint-Lary has more than 100 km of pistes across three linked sectors, Pla d'Adet, Espiaube and Saint-Lary 2400, with a cable car from the village, while Cauterets has a cable car from town up to the Cirque du Lys, whose runs mostly suit beginners and intermediates.