If you’re an experienced skier, who is comfortable on red runs and have done a small amount of off-piste before, then you will enjoy our ski-touring holidays. They allow you to get into the wild mountains, away from the pistes, and to see a true winter wonderland.
Our introduction week begins with tuition on-piste and practising your new skills, before you get away from it all and into the heart of the mountains.
Ski-touring to the Refuge de la breche.jpg
Ski-touring to the Refuge de la breche.jpg
Accommodation
The first four nights, and last night, of your accommodation are based in the village of Barèges. You have a choice of our 3-star catered chalet or 3-star hotel.
The other two nights will be in mountain refuges as part of our hut to hut tour, so we can reach pure wilderness and empty mountains.
A typical week’s itinerary
Welcome to Bareges
Welcome to Bareges
Saturday – arrival
Arrange equipment and lift passes.
Taking the skins off in the Aygues Cluses
Taking the skins off in the Aygues Cluses
Sunday- learning and practice
We spend today in the local ski resort learning about downhill off-piste skiing and familiarising ourselves with new equipment and off-piste techniques in the best way possible – using them.
Sunday- learning and practice
We spend today in the local ski resort learning about downhill off-piste skiing and familiarising ourselves with new equipment and off-piste techniques in the best way possible – using them.
Taking the skins off in the Aygues Cluses
Taking the skins off in the Aygues Cluses
Using new equipment and techniques are the best way to master them, so we’ll spend some time in the resort practicing. Then we may try the legendary decent from the Pic du Midi (2877m) or take the lifts to the top and cross over the Pas de la Crabe into the magnificent Neouvielle nature reserve, descending the Aigues Cluses "clear waters" valley.
Ski-touring on the Plateaux d'Aoube
Ski-touring on the Plateaux d'Aoube
Monday- Plateau d'Aoube
We leave the resort and the ski lifts behind us and ascend into the beautiful, sunny bowl of the Plateau d'Aoube.
Monday- Plateau d'Aoube
We leave the resort and the ski lifts behind us and ascend into the beautiful, sunny bowl of the Plateau d'Aoube.
Ski-touring on the Plateaux d'Aoube
Ski-touring on the Plateaux d'Aoube
This is a wild area of rolling terrain, excellent for practicing touring techniques, off-piste skills and how to use the avalanche security equipment.
Gavarnie ski-touring
Gavarnie ski-touring
Tuesday - Cirque du Gavarnie
No trip to the Pyrenees is complete without visiting the UNESCO world heritage site of the Cirque du Gavarnie. But you’ll get to see it from a totally different view to the thousands of tourists that visit every year.
Tuesday - Cirque du Gavarnie
No trip to the Pyrenees is complete without visiting the UNESCO world heritage site of the Cirque du Gavarnie. But you’ll get to see it from a totally different view to the thousands of tourists that visit every year.
Gavarnie ski-touring
Gavarnie ski-touring
We climb the Pic St. Andre and admire the towering 3000m summits of the Spanish frontier. A day focusing on uphill techniques, kick turns and the use of skins.
Touring in the national park
Touring in the national park
Wednesday – begin our hut to hut tour
Today is the start of our three day hut to hut tour in the spectacular Pyrenees National Park.
Wednesday – begin our hut to hut tour
Today is the start of our three day hut to hut tour in the spectacular Pyrenees National Park.
Touring in the national park
Touring in the national park
We start with a gentle, picturesque ascent of the glacial "U" valley of the Marcadau, passing gnarled Scots pines and working our way up into an open grantic landscape.
We then spend the night at the historic refuge Wallon, the first ever refuge in the Pyrenees.
Henri climbing in the national park
Henri climbing in the national park
Thursday - Pic du Cambales
We have an early start for a challenging day, where we’ll climbing towards the Pic du Cambales and its ice locked attendant lakes.
Thursday - Pic du Cambales
We have an early start for a challenging day, where we’ll climbing towards the Pic du Cambales and its ice locked attendant lakes.
Henri climbing in the national park
Henri climbing in the national park
We’ll tour up an enchanted hanging valley towards the Pic du Cambales. Once at the top, the descent from the col du Cambales is both breathtakingly beautiful and great fun!
Touring home
Touring home
Friday- Marcadau valley
We wake up in the heart of the mountains for another full day's ski touring, before returning to your accommodation , ready for hot showers and large meals!
Friday- Marcadau valley
We wake up in the heart of the mountains for another full day's ski touring, before returning to your accommodation , ready for hot showers and large meals!
Touring home
Touring home
Today we return to the Marcadau valley via Pic Wallon and the hidden valley of Pouey Trenous. After enjoying the glorious scenery one last time, we then head back to Barèges for some well earned hot showers and 3 course meals.
Saturday – Depart
This is a typical ski-touring itinerary. Please note that your guide will choose your route according to the weather and snow conditions as well as the ability of your group, to ensure you have the most enjoyable and safe experience possible.
What's included in the price? - this is!
What's included in the price? - this is!
What the price includes
The price of your ski-touring holiday includes:
- 3-star ensuite accommodation at either our chalet or hotel, based on two people sharing
- breakfast and evening meals
- Minimum group size of 4, maximum 8
- Mini bus transport during the ski-touring days
- Qualified instructor and guide
- avalanche transceiver, probe and snow shovel
What you will need to pay for out here:
- Equipment hire, priced at around 25€ a day for touring skis, skins, crampons and boots
- Lift passes for days in the ski resort are about 30€
- Drinks, lunches and snacks in the ski resort and refuges.
Ski touring Pyrenees - lunch stop
Ski touring Pyrenees - lunch stop
Weather
As you’d expect the routes we’ll take will depend on the weather and snow conditions. Mountains are changeable things, so we could be ski-touring in blazing sunshine or in overcast, cold weather. We’d recommend you bring layers to wear so you can take them on and off as you move and cool down.