Since our hiking to Coma Pedrosa – the highest summit of Andorra, we haven’t been back either to Spanish or to French Pyrenees at all, even if our regular visits to Toulouse provided us with many occasions. Things needed to be changed, thus, right after Christmas, we went to discover a new department of France – Hautes-Pyrenees. We started with two days in Lourdes and went on with four days of skiing and New Year celebration in the Pyrénées National Park.

A cozy wooden house, orange flames joyfully dancing in the fireplace, a woolen deer sweater, a hot chocolate mug and fluffy snow falling outside, while we are resting after an exhausting day of skiing – this is how we pictured our winter holiday in Hautes-Pyrenees. The funny thing that almost all of it happened exactly the way we imagined, but for a small detail – there was almost no snow. Still, even if we were somewhat disappointed in the beginning, there was so much to do in Cauterets area that in the end, we didn’t miss skiing at all. Shall we start then?

The Pyrénées National Park is one of the International Dark Sky Reserves, which means that on its territory the light pollution is brought down to zero. Its purpose is allowing astronomy researches and better wildlife conservation, as, yes, our 24/7 illumination is not appreciated by the nocturnal animals. Going in the heart of the Pyrenees Park allows a truly amazing spectacle that a city dweller doesn’t have a chance to see too often – the purest sky dotted with million stars. Our guide from Acumpanyat pointed out the constellations, told about the local animals and this all ended up with a delicious dinner of the locally made products. Cozy, delicious, mysterious and not at all as cold as we thought it would be – we all loved this experience very much. As there was no snow, the hike was very easy, no special equipment was needed, but in case of snow, this hike can be also done with the snowshoes.

Be also ready that the sky can still be cloudy, so you might not see much. Check the weather forecast and discuss with the guide to make sure the conditions are suitable.

Pic du Midi is famous for its astronomical observatory located directly on the summit of the mountain. One can get there either in an old-school way – on foot, or by taking the cable car directly to its summit at 2877 m. The visit is not cheap (45€ per person, attention!), but what we saw on the top was worth it, because the views we discovered there were so beautiful, they could make anyone cry.

We tried to be there on time to see the sunset and the efforts were justified. By the way, one can spend a night in the Observatory to enjoy the pure sky from one of the Pyrenees summits, – this must be a very romantic experience. All the information, as well as the panoramic view from the webcam can be found on the Pic du Midi website. Meanwhile, we swore to climb Pic du Midi ourselves next time we are in the region and enjoy the same view from our tent for free.

When (or if) you are done with contemplating the mountains, you can either walk through the exposition inside the Observatory telling its history as well as some facts about astronomy and International Sky Reserves purposes, or grab a glass of wine and dive into one of the deckchairs and relax. One could think it was a beach resort, really. And a hot wine at the feet of the mountain in La Mongie is the best way to celebrate the end of the day.

Make sure to enter Les Halles – the covered market, in order to have a glimpse (and the taste!) of the local yammies – bilberries cakes, sausages from the local porc noir and sheep milk cheeses.

Spa was another thing I was looking forward to and even if it was a bit of struggle, we finally got what we wanted. Our first choice was Les Bains du Rocher in Cauterets, but as it was full, we went to Luzea in Luz-Saint-Sauveur and were very absolutely happy. No photos will follow but the sites of the spa-centres will give you the idea. So make sure you pack your swimming suit along with your skiing pants, but above all – make sure to book your place in advance, especially if you happen to be there during the high season. Don’t forget that these little mountain towns have been spa resorts for centuries, so leaving them without treating yourself to a good spa session would be like visiting Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower.

The Lac de Gaube was fantastic. Despite the sunny and alarmingly warm weather (it’s the 31^st December we are talking about), the lake was nevertheless frozen, forming a perfect cool mirror. It had been very long since out last mountain experience and this kind of beauty, so we both were filled with emotions. I mean, who wouldn’t be?

The perfect way to start the year was diving deep into the mountains in search of the snow. We were very uncertain about the equipment and accessibility, and indeed, the trails depend a lot on the weather conditions, and it’s better to call the outdoor tours providers to inquire about it. That day the snow wasn’t too heavy and the trails were accessible even without a guide or any special equipment for that matter. It doesn’t mean though that it’s always the case, so be careful.

The hike wasn’t too long – no more than 10 kilometers and with quite a low altitude, but as it was a winter hike, the real trouble was constant sweating, then freezing, then sweating again. To make things even more complicated we treated ourselves with a bottle of Champagne (it was 1 January, the circumstances obliged!), but as the hike wasn’t too much demanding, we almost didn’t feel guilty. The itinerary we followed can be found here.

The sceneries were gorgeous, but no one expected less from the mountains. They can never disappoint really. Upon our return to the chalet, the best reward was going to the spa and having a final tour of raclette before going to bed.

Booking an accommodation for the skiing holidays is always a delicate matter. The affordable one is always the first to disappear, so you need to book well in advance. However, you can’t be sure that there will be any snow, so it becomes more a matter of luck. On Airbnb we found an awesome little chalet in Chèze – a tiny village between Luz-Saint-Sauveur and Cauterets. I think the most vivid memory of our stay in chalet was lying in bed with the view on an amazingly pure sky and millions of shining stars – you kind of forget about how beautiful they are when you live in a big town with a light polluted sky.

Tourisme Hautes-Pyrénées – Official site of tourism in Hautes-Pyrénées, very useful and helpful.

Acupmanyat – Outdoor activities including our star walk.

Hellolaroux about Cauterets– A very beautiful post about Cauterets we hoped to see :) It’s in French, but the photos speak all languages.

Pyrandonnees – A great number of itineraries for hiking in Pyrenees. In French, but with a decent automatic translation.

Even if we pictured this trip a bit differently, we were not disappointed. After all, happiness is all about adjusting your expectations to the reality, and in the National Pyrenees Park it’s not difficult at all. We just got another reason to be back to any mountain resort with a 100% snow guarantee.