Pyreneestrip
La Pierre Saint-Martin
Photo: Larrousiney · CC BY-SA 3.0
Alpine skiingFrance

La Pierre Saint-Martin

Vallée de Barétous (Arette), Pyrénées-Atlantiques

The westernmost major ski resort in the Pyrenees lies in a pine forest on the limestone plateau above the Barétous valley, right on the Spanish border. The village is car-free, with résidences and chalets right by the slopes. Around 70% of the area is green and blue pistes, so families feel at home here, and from Pic d'Arlas you can see both the Basque mountains and the Atlantic on a clear day. The resort opened in 1962. Underground lies one of the world's deepest cave systems, the Gouffre de la Pierre Saint-Martin, and in 2015 Chris Froome won the Tour de France stage that finished here.

Alpine skiing

Height
1,500–2,200 m
Pistes
36 km
Runs
61192
Lifts
12
Season
early December–late March/early April (planned 5 Dec 2026–29 Mar 2027)
Lift pass
€43.50 adult/day, €38 child/day (2026/27, standard price)
Level
beginners, families and intermediate skiers
Snowmaking
approx. 108 snow cannons, approx. 25% of the area (approx. 7.5 km of pistes)
Snow park
Two snowparks: Red+ and Euskal Park, plus a family park (Moonwalk) and N'PY Moov runs
Cross-country skiing
Espace nordique du Braca, approx. 25 km of trails and routes (cross-country and snowshoes)

Highlights

  • The long blue Boulevard des Pyrénées run with a vertical drop of approx. 420 m
  • Off-piste in the Combe de l'Arlas
  • Views of Pic d'Anie and the Atlantic
  • Tour de France finish in 2015 (Chris Froome)

Getting here

Flights
Pau (PUF) approx. 85 km, approx. 1 h 30 min · Biarritz (BIQ) approx. 140 km, approx. 2 h · Pamplona (PNA) approx. 110 km, approx. 2 h via Isaba (the pass road may close in snowfall)
Train
Oloron-Sainte-Marie approx. 40 km; Pau (TGV) approx. 75 km. Regional buses from Pau and Oloron during the season
Bus
Regional buses (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) from Pau and Oloron-Sainte-Marie during the season; ski buses from Pau, Oloron, Arette, Bayonne, San Sebastián and Pamplona, some with the lift pass included
Car
A64 to Pau/Soumoulou, then Oloron-Sainte-Marie and Arette, with the last stretch on the D132 up towards the pass. Winter tyres or chains/snow socks in the car are compulsory 1 Nov–31 March. Large free car parks in the village

Accommodation

Accommodation
Car-free resort village with résidences, studio flats and chalets, many on the pistes; a few hotels and hostels
Places to stay nearby
Arette (approx. 23 km), Oloron-Sainte-Marie (approx. 40 km, approx. 50 min)
TipsBuy your lift pass in advance at n-py.com – it is usually cheaper than at the ticket office. Check road conditions on the D132 when it snows. From the Spanish side you come up via Isaba and Belagua.
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42.9780° N, 0.7455° W

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