Skiing in the Spanish Pyrenees

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Skiing in the Spanish Pyrenees

Did you know?

• Spain is Europe's second most mountainous country after Switzerland
• The Pyrenees has 200 summits over 2,000m and Pico d'Aneto (on the Spanish side) at 3,404m, is the highest point
• Andorra is the highest inhabited country in Europe, with no part of it below 870m.
• Moguls are the bumps created by skiers as they turn on the snow. Although many people dislike the bumps some runs are left "un-pisted" so they turn into mogul fields where the experts can brush up their technique
• Snow parks, also known as terrain parks, board parks, freestyle parks, slide areas (or simply, parks) are areas on the mountain which are specially designed to cater for the freestyle skier or boarder. There are rails, jumps, slope-style, big-air and a half-pipe for the more daring to try their skate inspired acrobatics
• The Sierra Nevada ski area near Granada is the most southerly ski resort in Europe

Skiing in Spain

Winter sports in Spain are managed by the Real Federación Española de Deportes de Invierno which manages the resorts across the country and ensures that skiers in Spain comply with the rules and regulations for mountain conduct of the International Ski Federation (FIS, Fédération Internationale de Ski)

• For information on the FIS 10 rules of conduct: Click here 

The Spanish ski season runs from December to April, depending on snow conditions.

Many of the resorts offer a combination of pistes for downhill (esquí de descenso) and cross-country (esquí nórdico) skiing. Other mountain sports commonly available are paragliding, parasailing, hang gliding, ice-skating, snow shoe walking, sleigh riding and skidoo trips.

Heli-skiing is available in Spain, although illegal in France. It is a sport for the more advanced skier or snowboarder - a helicopter drops you at the top of a mountain and you ski down.

On the Slopes

Ski slopes - or pistes - are graded by difficulty:

The Resorts

A lift-pass (forfait) is needed to ski in a resort. Passes are available bought per day or per week. Photographic identity may be needed when buying a lift pass. Most resorts offer accommodation: hotels, apartments or chalets, and have shops selling or renting equipment. Most resorts also have ski schools for all levels.

Principality of Andorra

The Pyrenees mountain range runs along the border between France and Spain, with the small Principality of Andorra nestling in the middle. The mountain range is 400 Km long and 70 Km wide stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Mediterranean Sea in the east.

The Pyrenees and Andorra are in the Basque region and there is a strong French influence to the cuisine as well as the lifestyle. Andorran resorts are famous for their nightlife and cheaper prices (it is a tax haven). The official language is Catalan although French, Portuguese and Castilian Spanish are widely spoken.

• Andorra Tourism website

Northern Spain and Catalonia

Although there are winter sports resorts all over Spain (with 36 ski resorts in the country) Catalonia has more than any other region, with 17 resorts, 130 ski-lifts and over 612 Km of skiable slopes (pistes). 

The resorts are in the Catalonian provinces of Girona, Lleida and Barcelona and in the Huesca province of the Aragon region to the west of Catalonia.

• For a comprehensive guide to the Pyrenees resorts see website ePyrenees.com

Aragon Pyrenees

• Aragon Guide website

Catalonian Pyrenees, Lleida Province

• Aransa
  Min. altitude 1850m / Max altitude 2150m
  33.5km cross-country skiing
  Website
• Baqueira Beret
  Min altitude 1500m / Max altitude 2510m
  Skiable area: 111km (104km downhill skiing, 7km cross-country skiing)
  Website
• Boí Taüll
  Min altitude 2020m / Max altitude 2750m
  Skiable area: 42km downhill skiing
  Website
• Espot Esquí
  Min altitude 1500m / Max altitude 2500m
  Skiable area: 31.5km downhill skiing
  Website
• Lles
  Min altitude 1950m / Max altitude 2330m
  Skiable area: 36km Cross-country skiing
  Website
• Port Ainé
  Skiable area: 54km, 44km downhill skiing and 10km Cross-country skiing
  Min altitude 1650m / Max altitude 2440m
• Port del Comte
  Skiable area: 40.7km downhill skiing
  Min altitude 1700m / Max altitude 2400m
  Website
• Tavascán
  Skiable area: 22km, 5km downhill skiing and 17km Cross-country skiing
  Min altitude 1750m / Max altitude 2250m
  Website
• Sant Joan de l'Erm
  Min altitude 1700m / Max altitude 2050m
  Skiable area: 37km Cross-country skiing
  Website

Catalonian Pyrenees, Girona Province

• La Molina
  Min altitude 1700m / Max altitude 2445m
  Skiable area: 54.5km, 51km downhill skiing, and 3.5km cross-country skiing
  Website
• Masella
  Min altitude 1600m / Max altitude 2537m
  Skiable area: 61km downhill skiing
  Website
• Vall de Nuria
  Min altitude 1964m / Max altitude 2252m
  Skiable area: 7 downhill skiing
  Website
• Vallter 2000
  Min altitude 1959m / Max altitude 2535m
  Skiable area: 15km downhill skiing
  Website

Catalonian Pyrenees, Barcelona Province

• Rasos de Peguera
  Min altitude 1850m / Max altitude 2050m
  Skiable area: 13km, 8km downhill skiing and 5km Cross-country skiing
  Website

Mountains of Madrid

The winters on the Madrid plateau can be surprisingly cold and 50 Km to the north of Madrid there are ski resorts frequented by the Spanish royals and many other Madrileños during the winter. The mountain range of Sierra de Guadarrama has ski resorts that are open all winter for everything from downhill skiing to ice-skating and dog sledding.

The Federación Madrileña de Deportes de Invierno is the local federation for winter sports in Madrid with details of clubs and local weather and resorts.

• Federación Madrileña de Deportes de Invierno
  At: General Oráa 39, 28026 Madrid
  Tel: 917 420 696
  Fax: 915 635 985
  Website

For those who cannot wait for the winter, Madrid has a Snowzone, indoor ski slope.

• For more information: Click here 

Resorts Madrid Province

• Puerto de Navacerrada 
  Tel: 915 943 034 
  Fax: 915 942 134 
  Ski conditions information Tel: 918 521 435
  Website

Further Information

• For information on the French ski resorts of the border mountains, see AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Skiing in the French Pyrenees
• For maps of the Pyrenees mountain region see Pyrenees Maps website
• Real Federación Española de Deportes de Invierno
  At: Avda. de los Madroños 36A, ES-28043 Madrid
  Tel: 913 769 930
  Fax: 913 769 931
  Website