Barèges - Ski Area Guide

Barèges, France

Ski Resort in Tourmalet, French Pyrenees - 120km75 miles of Piste (1,250m4,101ft to 2,350m7,710ft). Rated: 2/5 (from 6 ratings)

Who is Barèges good for?

Barèges Ski Area Height

Barèges

The French Ski Resort of Barèges is part of the Tourmalet ski area with access to 240km149 miles of downhill skiing, with 138 individual pistes, served by 43 ski lifts. In addition to the skiing in Barèges itself (120km75 miles of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Tourmalet ski resort of La Mongie. Barèges is directly linked by Ski Lift to the ski areas of La Mongie.

With ski lifts as high as 2,350m7,710ft, snow cover is generally reliable.

There are three Airports within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to Barèges are perfectly feasible. Lourdes Airport is just one hours drive away, in good driving conditions, so you can be on the piste quickly.

Skiing in Barèges

Barèges links with neigbouring La Mongie to make up one of the biggest skiing areas in the Pyrenees and just as the villages are in complete contrast, so is the skiing. La Mongie has steep, wide open treeless slopes while

Barèges is very typically Pyreneen with its picturesque wooded trails. There is a good variety of terrain in Barèges which has skiing for every level. Its nursery area at La Laquette is easily accessible - only a short gondola ride up from the top of the main street. There is a weekly torchlight descent from here down into the village.

This area has everything you could want, its wide and very gently sloping in a naturally sunny spot with restaurant nearby. Once beginners are turning and feeling more confident they are spoilt for choice with so many easy greens and gently blues. When snow conditions allow, the long, very easy green through the trees back to Bareges from Tournaboup makes a brilliant last run of the day and is something beginners aim to achieve within the first week.

Le Lienz is a small valley at the top of the Lienz chairlift where there is a gently green slope surrounded by attractive wooded slopes. More experienced skiers should take the lift up from here to the Pic d'Ayre where the Lienz forest has some challenging reds as well as a long black run.

The La Mongie side has some challenging runs with the Prade Berde, a steep black being the most difficult. Skiers who enjoy off-piste and powder shouldn't be disappointed with this area although to find the best skiing its worth booking a guide. Ecoloski do about 80% of their lessons on off-piste and powder and its probably worth booking yourself in with them to get the most from your skiing.

Snowboarding in Barèges

The Tourmalet has a long association with snowboarding and regularly hosts major competitions such as the Quiksilver Cup which is held here in March every year. The competition involves the 2 disciplines of surfing both on snow and water with the water section held in the gigantic surf of the nearby Atlantic coast.

La Mongie has a boardercross course and there is a snowpark with half-pipe at the top of the Bernais chairlift - thats on the right looking up from the village towards the Col du Tourmalet. Getting around is no problem for boarders with chairlifts all the way from Barèges over to La Mongie. There are good beginner areas around La Laquette although the long green back to to Barèges from Tournaboup is very flat and best avoided by boarders.

There is open cruising all around the area and plenty off-piste. Excellent powder and off-piste on the north facing slopes at La Mongie.

Barèges Aprés Ski

The apres ski in Bareges can be as quiet or lively as you want to make it. If you do choose to go for the lively option theres the Pub l'Oncet, L'Isba and the Cafe Richelieu. The Show Time club Jonathan is probably the most popular night spot, it opens to 3am in the week, 5am at weekends.

One of the main events of a holiday in Barèges has to be a torchlight descent organised by Ecoloski from one of the mountain restaurants. At the end of the day you ski to the restaurant for drinks and then enjoy a 5 course dinner of local specialities after which comes the torchlit descent back to the village. This involves being lead by an instructor through forest trails back down to the village - whilst carrying a flaming torch.

There are dog sledding excursions and these can be at night as well as during the day.

Barèges in brief

Barèges Ski Resort is:
Ok for Expert Skiers.
Ok for Intermediate Skiers.
Very good for Beginners.
Very good for Snowboarding.

Barèges Season Dates

We have no confirmed season dates for Barèges.

Usual opening - Early Dec.

Usual closing - Early April.

NOTE:- Opening subject to Snow Conditions in Barèges.

Map of Barèges

Barèges Snow Making

Snowmaking :- Barèges is able to augment natural snow, on 50km31 miles of ski runs, with 170 Snow Cannons.

Barèges Ski Lift Capacity

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 47 Ski Lifts of Barèges are able to uplift 44,000 skiers / snowboarders per hour.