Peyragudes
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Slope InformationSituated approximately 25 minutes drive from the attractive mountain town of Luchon is Peyragudes, the ski area shared by the purpose-built resorts of Peyresourde and Les Agudes. Although many British skiers will be unfamiliar with the ski area, some may recognise Peyresourde as the setting for the opening of Tomorrow Never Dies, where 007 makes a dramatic escape from a ‘Russian’ arms market.
The two resorts, whilst not aesthetically pleasing, share a great ski area straddling the Col de Flamme. The 50km of pistes offer wide open cruising mainly above the tree line from 2400m down to resort level at 1600m. Intermediates and families are well catered for with wide principally red and blue runs that are ideal to practice those carving turns.
From the Les Agudes side the Cap de Pales six-seat high speed chair will whisk you up to the heart of the action where the high altitude bowls are surrounded by soaring Pyrenean peaks. Skiers and boarders alike will be delighted that the vast majority of runs are accessed by an efficient network of chairlifts with only two drag lifts at altitude.
More advanced skiers will find the steep moguls of the Faucons and Eperviers runs on the Peyresourde side challenging, whilst the unpisted Pene Nere run from the top station of Les Agudes slides down a precipitous couloir. The open nature of the terrain means that off-piste opportunities abound for those powder hounds among you. In addition to the wide variety of pistes, skiers and boarders are sure to enjoy the terrain park and boarder-cross on the Peyresourde side.
One of the most enjoyable runs in the area is the Vallee Blanche, a red piste well within the capabilities of third-week intermediates. Although nowhere near as long and challenging as its famous Chamonix namesake, the run still offers 6km of descent down a hidden valley ending up winding through tree-lined farmland about 300m below Les Agudes, whereupon a free navette picks you up for the 10 minute drive back to Les Agudes. The 1000m vertical, wide variety of terrain and feeling of remoteness makes this one of the most enjoyable runs in the French Pyrenees.
If you tire of sliding down the white stuff, Peyragudes also offers cross-country skiing in the Balestas forest, snowshoe treks and even husky rides to make the most of its abundant snow cover.
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