Pyrenees Ski Area Views, July 28-30, 2026

[Tony Crocker]

Our trip started in Bilbao, Biarritz and Lourdes. We then spent two nights in Andorra. The drive from Lourdes to Andorra via scenic mountain roads took about 5 hours with a few sightseeing stops.

This route took us by Baquiera-Beret ski area, first view approaching it from the west.

There is a canyon below the resort, some of the ski terrain is at upper left in the pic below.

Views are obscured driving through the resort by the hotels and trees. Here’s a trail map from one of the lodges where we had a brief pit stop.

View SW to Aneto, highest peak in the Pyrenees at 11,184 feet, with some snow remaining.

The ski lifts at all the areas AFAIK top out around 8,500 feet. Snow is fairly reliable above 6,500, with a few snowmaking trails dropping down to base areas as low as 5,000.

The road climbs to a 6,700 foot pass at Bonaigua, where some horses were on the road.

Bonaiga is at the eastern edge of Baqueira with lots of wide open ski terrain.

Both Liz and I think Baquiera has the most interesting ski terrain in the Pyrenees. I’d guess 3,000+ acres of usable skiing with a decent snowpack.

We arrived in the bustling resort town of Andorra La Vella about 6PM July 28.

The Grandvalira ski lifts sprawl across the center of the map. On July 29 Liz and I hiked Llac de Pessons for 4.5 hours, area circled in red lower right. I’ll do a separate TR on that.

At the start of the hike was a map of e-bike trails in Grandvalira.

FYI the Vanat Report says Grandvalira does over 1.5 million skier visits per season. Baquiera is not on that 1+ million list, perhaps another reason to prefer it.

Coming down from our hike, we get a good view of the lifts and terrain out of the Grau Roig base on the eastern edge of Grandvalira.

After our lunch we had to hike down the road where we rode the 10AM bus up because the 4:30 bus no showed. This trail looks like it hosts some ski races.

At center right you can see the pale green of a snowmaking reservoir.

The end of the walk down is close to a chairlift.

Grazing cows under the lift:

On July 30 we drove from Andorra to the Costa Brava on another twisty mountain road. This drive passed by the La Molina ski area.

For a Pyrenees ski trip the gateway airport would be Toulouse. Both Grandvilara and Baquiera-Beret are about 2.5 hours drive from the airport. The drive between the two big resorts is 3 hours 15 minutes for 162km, which gives you an idea of the roads.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

As mentioned in a different thread, I tried two separate times (2017 and 2022) to ski in the Pyrenees and both were cancelled due to lack of snow. To use up AA miles for my latter attempt, I booked an itinerary from Newark to London to Toulouse -- going against all conventional wisdom by changing planes at LHR! I dug up the following planned itinerary with linked reports:

· Sat/Day 1: Arrive in Toulouse --> half day at the locals area Le Mourtis (lodging Val d’Aran)
· Sun/Day 2: Boí Taüll (lodging Val d’Aran) -- several Germans raved about this under-the-radar ski area/the odd-looking name is in Catalan
· Mon/Day 3: Baqueira Beret *see translated TR text below (lodging Val d’Aran)
· Tues/Day 4: Baqueira Beret (lodging Val d’Aran)
· Weds/Day 5: Peyragudes (lodging St. Lary)
· Thurs/Day 6: St. Lary (lodging St. Lary)
· Fri/Day 7: Piau-Engaly (lodging St. Lary)
· Sat/Day 8: Grand Tourmalet (lodging Toulouse)
· Sun: Depart from Toulouse


Baqueira Beret: Spain's Biggest Ski Area
The USA, South America, Spain, or the French side of the Pyrenees? Where exactly are we? The atmosphere was certainly cool and distinctive.
Compared to all the other Spanish ski resorts, I found Baqueira to be something of an outlier. The high price level, in particular, really stood out to me. Baqueira seems to be something of the "St. Moritz" of the Pyrenees, with a clear desire to set itself apart. American-style piste designations and handheld "ski pass scanners" from the 1990s are particularly noticeable throughout the resort, as are the expensive hotels and rather pricey restaurants. On the plus side, the crowd there is indeed very pleasant.

Review
+ Large, expansive, and varied area ranging from 1,500 m to 2,580 m
+ Thanks to ongoing modernization, lifts are predominantly fast across almost all sectors
+ Slopes facing various directions, ensuring sunny runs even in mid-winter and good conditions throughout the day in spring
+ A huge number of runs and off-piste options per lift! This helps distribute the flow of skiers effectively
+ Steeper runs around Jorge Jordana, Mirador, and Maunaud
+ Ski area expansion featuring the Baciver lift

- As is common in other Pyrenean resorts, the lifts are surprisingly long but often follow a rather flat gradient. Consequently, many runs are also flat.
- Arguably one of the most famous ski resorts in the Pyrenees; as a result, it can get very crowded, attracting a large international crowd alongside local day-trippers
- Access to the Argulls area remains rather cumbersome and time-consuming, relying on four fixed-grip triple chairlifts (only two of which operate during the low season)
- Accessing the variety of off-piste routes at Tuc de Costarjas is awkward, requiring a combination of a detachable quad chairlift and a surface lift
- The Jesus Sera (2,000 m long, 300 m vertical drop) and Clot de Os (2,000 m long, 350 m vertical drop) areas are particularly flat
- While there are a few runs with light tree cover, for a resort of this size, there are very few runs that offer good visibility of the terrain in bad weather

Verdict
This resort was a fascinating and unique experience. I also happened to visit on a very quiet day; the entire infrastructure (lift capacity, large restaurants and shops, vast parking areas) made it clear that this resort is designed to handle huge crowds. However, it’s a mystery to me how the lift pass checking system works when it’s busy—would there be even more staff or just longer wait times? In any case, there was a distinct vibe reminiscent of the US, South America, Spain, and the Freeride World Tour. I’ll definitely come back, especially since the resort is far too big to cover in a single day and there are still plenty of off-piste routes I haven't tried yet.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I knew there was a significant French area Grand Tourmalet which would easily fit on a Toulouse gateway but we did not see it. I’m surprised James did not consider Grandvalira. As for La Molina that’s farther east, smaller and mellower with very slow driving, so I would probably pass on that. Sometime later I’ll look up the other places James mentioned. I know Jimmy’s book has features on Baquiera and Grandvilara.

Andorra is packed with gas stations because it’s 1.50 euros/liter vs. 1.90 in Spain and France.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I knew there was a significant French area Grand Tourmalet

The Col du Tourmalet is one of the most famous climbs on the Tour de France.

I’m surprised James did not consider Grandvalira.

On both attempts, I wanted to concentrate on the French-speaking ski areas, then realized through Alpinforum that I could include Boi Taull and Bacqueira Beret without going on a significant detour. Bacqueira Beret is on the Indy Pass but unfortunately it's the only Pyrenees ski area to date. Who knows, maybe they're planning to add more for the upcoming season.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Primary exposures are west at Baquiera and north at Grandvilara. Tourmalet exposures are all over the map.

Grand Tourmalet is 2.5 hours drive and 150km from Baquiera and just over 2 hours from Toulouse.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

@Tony Crocker: this piece is on a real estate company's website:

"The Pyrenees don’t shout and that’s their power."

Why the Occitanie Pyrenees Feel So Different to the Alps

Discover why the Pyrenees in Occitanie feel more authentic, soulful and wild than the Alps - from peaceful mountain villages to affordable property and slow French living.

www.occitanieproperties.com

The firm appears to be primarily targeting a British market but are the bullet points about the region more or less accurate?

 

[ChrisC]

I understand James' reasons for starting a Pyrenees trip in France, but for me, one of the best reasons to ski the Pyrenees would be its Gateway city, Barcelona.

I am sure Toulouse has its charms, but Barcelona has a major airport and warrants a day or two. It only adds another hour to the Pyrenees resorts, but I am sure one can save that in transit (i.e., airfare/miles, layovers).

Lyon is a great gateway. Munich too! Swiss cities - OK. Salzburg - too hard to get flights. Milan - just ok in winter.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I am sure Toulouse has its charms, but Barcelona has a major airport and warrants a day or two. It only adds another hour to the Pyrenees resorts, but I am sure one can save that in transit (i.e., airfare/miles, layovers).

That certainly makes sense, although I'd be a bit gun-shy about being part of Barcelona overtourism problem. Imagine how bad it must be to institute these measures:

Barcelona’s New Message: ‘Not One Tourist More’

As the commissioner for sustainable tourism, José Antonio Donaire’s job is to diminish the impact of the nearly 16 million annual visitors to the Catalan capital. Here’s what he’s planning.

www.nytimes.com

Lyon is a great gateway.

I'd love to fly into and out of Lyon; however, Montreal is the only North American city with nonstops. It's not fair that the British can fly into all of the smaller, more convenient Alps airports!

 

[Tony Crocker]

Barcelona to Grandvalira is 2.5 hours drive but to Baquiera it’s 4 hours.

Today was our first of three in Barcelona. Yes it’s busy but no more than all of the other places we have been during this peak Euro vacation season.

Barcelona metro population is 5.7 million and Toulouse’s is 1.5. So no surprise most of the tourism to Andorra is from Spain. Everywhere else in France is closer to the Alps. So there is much logic to the French side of the Pyrenees being quiet.

I flew into Lyon for the 2008 La Grave trip and all of my luggage took 3 days longer to return to the US than I did.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Barcelona overtourism problem.

With regard to James' link, Barcelona is a popular starting or ending point for Mediterranean cruises. That's a good idea so you can spend a few days before or after. We do not like this kind of place as a one day port call, so no loss IMHO if they get rid of those. And yes ChrisC is correct that it's an excellent add-on for a Pyrenees ski trip.

 

[ChrisC]

That certainly makes sense, although I'd be a bit gun-shy about being part of Barcelona overtourism problem. Imagine how bad it must be to institute these measures:

I think the overtourism issue is perhaps more accurately a housing issue --> rent/mortgage, neighborhood and quality of life. In the 2010s, AIrBnb/VRBO and low interest rates really displaced a lot of locals with absentee investors/short-term renters. So there is so much local resentment, especially in once more affordable Med countries.

I have not been to Barcelona since 2019, but it's not any worse than any other 'desirable' European summer destination. Of course, one should book tours/tickets/times in advance, but that makes the crowding very manageable vs. capacity. But the overall 'feel' was similar to other places visited that trip: Porto, San Sebastián/Bilbao, Madrid/Toledo, and Mallorca/Ibiza. And influencers, I let them have some photos and prep time, but then no editing/review time. I'll jump in front quickly for a few shots.

(My uncle - an ex-WSJ reporter - decided to retire in Barcelona. He's taking up space and healthcare as an expat?)

I'd love to fly into and out of Lyon; however, Montreal is the only North American city with nonstops. It's not fair that the British can fly into all of the smaller, more convenient Alps airports!

It's always an option for me, coming from the West Coast and requiring a stop: USA or Europe?

My earliest trips were on United via Frankfurt to Geneva (Chamonix) and Lyon (La Grave, Meribel/3 Vallees, Val d'Isere/Tignes). Lyon was definitely worth a day. And another day on crazy high-speed TGV train to Arles, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence.

However, I would rather stop in the USA and not deal with an early morning layover in Europe. Skiing versus airport hell.

Also, the continued growth of Zurich as a tech hub (Google's 2nd largest Research HQ, Meta, Nvidia, etc) there are now 2 non-stops per day SFO to Zurich. One has nearly 12 hours to eat, work, watch a movie and sleep for 4-6 hours.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I dug up the following planned itinerary with linked reports:

· Sat/Day 1: Arrive in Toulouse --> half day at the locals area Le Mourtis (lodging Val d’Aran)
· Sun/Day 2: Boí Taüll (lodging Val d’Aran) -- several Germans raved about this under-the-radar ski area/the odd-looking name is in Catalan
· Mon/Day 3: Baqueira Beret *see translated TR text below (lodging Val d’Aran)
· Tues/Day 4: Baqueira Beret (lodging Val d’Aran)
· Weds/Day 5: Peyragudes (lodging St. Lary)
· Thurs/Day 6: St. Lary (lodging St. Lary)
· Fri/Day 7: Piau-Engaly (lodging St. Lary)
· Sat/Day 8: Grand Tourmalet (lodging Toulouse)
· Sun: Depart from Toulouse

I finally got around to reading Jimmy's chapters on the Pyrenees. I don't know if he chased the conditions but he certainly scored on the trip in his first book. There was a huge snowpack, 4-5 meter drifts with avalanche damage to some road guardrails. The trip was in early spring with consistent off piste corn, like the best of Mt. Bachelor or what we are hoping for in South America in a few weeks. He was in a group of 4 people and they had numerous slackcountry runs down to roads where they either set up a car shuttle or hitchhiked back to the lifts. There was obviously little concern about the snow running out above road level.

Boí Taüll was his first stop, shared the Germans' enthusiasm, had a couple of excellent days at nearby Baquiera soon after.

As for La Molina that’s farther east, smaller and mellower.......

We did not see the more interesting Masella ski area, to which La Molina is connected. Jimmy skied Grandvalira and also visited the same Caldea spa in Andorra la Velle that we did. He finished that first trip at Astun and Candachu, another rave review at these westernmost Pyrenees areas.

The second trip was more in France although Cerler is the only Spanish Pyrenees area in the second book and might have been the same trip. This second trip was in late February, about a week after a 10 foot dump. He again mentions off piste corn on sunny exposures but also some French school holiday crowd issues.

St. Lary and Grand Tourmalet are the most expansive French areas. Grand Tourmalet also has a tram to the Pic du Midi Observatory, where you can have a dinner and do some stargazing. Any skiing from that peak needs to be with a guide (which of course Jimmy hired) as there are no pistes and many hazards.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

the Pic du Midi Observatory, where you can have a dinner and do some stargazing. Any skiing from that peak needs to be with a guide (which of course Jimmy hired) as there are no pistes and many hazards.

As can be expected, there are numerous YouTube freeriding clips of the various Pic du Midi faces. Here's one with a skier and boarder alongside the impressive Garbage Couloir. The skiing starts at 7:25 but there's an interesting prologue where the skier is at his basement workbench beforehand preparing his equipment. It's translated at the bottom.

For those who don’t know it, the Poubelles (Garbage) Couloir is one of the major classic lines of the Pyrenees. It's on the north face of the Pic du Midi or, to be precise for purists, the northeast face. It’s an insane line. It has 1,000 metres of vertical, and for the entire 1,000 metres you have an extremely steep, uninterrupted slope. Its average angle is 45 degrees, with sections reaching 50 degrees. It’s very rarely in suitable condition. Right now, we have a small window of one or two days when it appears to be in perfect condition. I’ve been waiting for this for years.

Actually, we’re not even going to ski the Poubelles themselves. We’re planning to take a variation a little farther to the left, which is harder and steeper than the classic Poubelles Couloir. The variation we’re going to ski is called La Cuenta — meaning "the check" in Spanish. La cuenta, por favor. The peak itself is magnificent because it's completely isolated from the other peaks. It stands almost out on the plain, so it is quite impressive when you see it directly in front of you. It towers over everything.The building at the summit also gives it a rather magical quality. I honestly love the Pic. And thanks to them for the free ride up in the tram, by the way.

I’m a little stressed because these are new skis. They’ve only been used on two or three ordinary ski-touring outings. I’m carefully checking that the bindings are adjusted properly. Bindings normally have release mechanisms to protect you so that you don’t destroy a knee or something like that; however, in a situation like this, the binding absolutely must not release. If it does on a slope this steep, it's all over, you’re not going to survive, so I’m checking that it is properly set and adjusted and I’m going to tighten it down.

Yes, I’m a little stressed. I haven’t felt this way for quite a while. It's good to feel a little adrenaline again!

 

[Tony Crocker]

Jimmy finished that first trip at Astun and Candachu, another rave review at these westernmost Pyrenees areas.

These areas are 3.5 hours from Toulouse and 4 hours from Barcelona. The latter drive is fairly efficient on the plains, just entering the Pyrenees at the end, average speed 90km/hr. Once in the Pyrenees it's slow going, moving west to east:
Candanchu - Grand Tourmalet 3+ hours, 50km/hr.
Grand Tourmalet - Baquiera 2.5 hours, 60km/hr.
Baquiera - Grandvalira 2.75 hours, 50km/hr.
Grandvalira - La Molina 1.5 hours, 40km/hr.

There are more interesting secondary ski areas in the western half of the Pyrenees, so there is some logic why James targeted his one week trip to that end. We drove the eastern two routes in July, and then La Molina down to Ripoll, another hour at 40km/hr. The 40km/hr. routes have narrow one way sections along with the hairpins, would be a nightmare with traffic and snow.