Pyrenees Travel Guide
From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean: ski resorts and spa towns in winter, high trails, lakes and Tour de France climbs in summer, with the Basque coast, Toulouse and Barcelona next door.
Valleys, villages and spa towns
Every valley of the Pyrenees has its own character, its own language and its own food, on both sides of the border.
Andorra
A tiny mountain country with Europe's highest capital, huge ski areas, spa culture and tax-free shopping.
Lourdes
One of the world's great pilgrimage sites, and a handy base for Gavarnie, Cauterets and the Pic du Midi.
Cauterets
A Belle Époque spa town at the foot of the Pont d'Espagne, with skiing in winter and waterfalls all summer.
Gavarnie
A mountain village at the end of the road, facing the most famous natural amphitheatre in Europe.
Bagnères-de-Luchon
Elegant 'Queen of the Pyrenees': thermal baths, villas, Lac d'Oô and some of the Tour de France's greatest climbs.
Ordesa & Torla
Spain's great canyon national park, entered through the stone village of Torla-Ordesa.
Benasque
The Aragonese valley at the foot of Aneto, the highest peak in the Pyrenees.
Skiing & snowboarding
Grandvalira
The biggest ski area in the Pyrenees, linking six sectors from Pas de la Casa to Encamp.
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Baqueira Beret
Spain's most prestigious resort, with reliable Atlantic snow and long, varied runs.
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Formigal-Panticosa
Aragón's biggest ski area: four valleys at Formigal plus the pretty slopes of Panticosa.
Read guide →Hiking, cycling, lakes & more
Hiking: GR10, GR11 & HRP
Three legendary coast-to-coast trails, plus day hikes for every level.
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Cycling the Tour de France Cols
Tourmalet, Aubisque, Peyresourde, Aspin: ride the climbs that made Tour de France legends.
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Rafting & Canyoning
Raft the Noguera Pallaresa, canyon the gorges of Guara and paddle the Gave de Pau.
Read guide →Things you can't miss
Cirque de Gavarnie
A colossal amphitheatre of rock with one of Europe's highest waterfalls.
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Pic du Midi de Bigorre
A cable car to an observatory at 2,877 m, with a 300 km sweep of the Pyrenees.
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Ordesa Valley & Cola de Caballo
Spain's grandest canyon walk, past waterfalls to the 'horse's tail' below Monte Perdido.
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Aigüestortes & Sant Maurici
Catalonia's only national park: around 200 lakes, granite peaks and the twin spires of Els Encantats.
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Train Jaune (Little Yellow Train)
A century-old mountain railway with open carriages, viaducts and France's highest station.
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Pont d'Espagne & Lac de Gaube
Thundering waterfalls and a mirror-like lake below the Vignemale, above Cauterets.
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Wilder, quieter mountains
The Pyrenees are less developed than the Alps: shepherds still move their flocks to high pastures each summer, vultures circle over limestone canyons, and villages keep their Romanesque churches and their own languages, from Basque and Aranese to Catalan.
Pair the mountains with the food of southern France and northern Spain: garbure and duck, Ossau-Iraty cheese, Bayonne ham, tapas in Jaca and pintxos in San Sebastián.
- Walk into the Cirque de Gavarnie
- Ski from France into Andorra's big circuits
- Ride the Little Yellow Train across the Cerdanya
Photo: Guillaume Baviere, CC BY-SA 2.0
Coast and cities next door
Biarritz & the Basque Coast
Surf beaches, Belle Époque Biarritz, Bayonne's ham and the harbour of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
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San Sebastián
La Concha beach and the world's best pintxos bars, a short hop from the western Pyrenees.
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Bilbao
The Guggenheim, a lively old town and a gateway airport for the Basque and Navarrese Pyrenees.
Read guide →Everything you need, in one place
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Read article →Pyrenees FAQ
Which countries are the Pyrenees in?
The Pyrenees run along the border between France and Spain, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, with the small country of Andorra in the middle. On the Spanish side they cross the Basque Country, Navarre, Aragón and Catalonia; on the French side, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie.
Do I need a visa?
France and Spain are in the Schengen area. EU and EEA citizens need only an ID card or passport. Many other nationalities, including UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180, subject to the EU Entry/Exit System and, once it applies, ETIAS. Andorra is outside the EU but is entered through France or Spain. Check your government's latest advice.
When is the best time to visit the Pyrenees?
January to March for skiing, and mid-June to September for hiking, lakes and high passes. June and September are quieter than July and August. Spring and autumn are lovely in the valleys and foothills.
Which airport is best for the Pyrenees?
Toulouse for the central and Ariège Pyrenees and Andorra; Tarbes–Lourdes and Pau for the Hautes-Pyrénées; Biarritz or Bilbao for the Basque Pyrenees; Barcelona or Perpignan for Catalonia, Andorra and the eastern end; Zaragoza for Aragón.
Is skiing in the Pyrenees good?
Yes, especially for beginners, intermediates and families. Grandvalira, Baqueira Beret, Formigal and the Grand Tourmalet are the biggest areas, and prices are generally lower than in the Alps.