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Cross-country skiingFrance

Espace nordique de Payolle

Vallée de Campan, Hautes-Pyrénées

Payolle lies by a lake in the Campan valley, below the Col d'Aspin. The trails run through spruce forest and around Lac de Payolle, with the Pic du Midi de Bigorre in the background. The area is low-lying, so the snow is less reliable than at higher resorts, but when there is snow it is one of the most beautiful cross-country areas in the Hautes-Pyrénées.

Cross-country skiing

Height
1,120–1,450 m
Trails
50 km
Classic
Yes
Skating
Yes
Loops
4 main loops: green La Marmotte 5 km, blue L'Ours 10 km, red Le Lièvre 15 km, black L'Isard 21 km, plus 5 km from Plagne (sometimes groomed)
Season
approx. late December–mid-March, depending on snow
Level
all levels
Other
Dog sledding (Traîneaux Pyrénéens), snowshoe loops, 2 km footpath, beginners' area and a small drag lift

Highlights

  • Trails around Lac de Payolle
  • The 21 km black L'Isard loop
  • Dog sledding
  • Close to the Col d'Aspin and the Tourmalet

Getting here

Flights
Lourdes-Tarbes (LDE) approx. 55 km, approx. 1 h · Pau-Pyrénées (PUF) approx. 95 km, approx. 1 h 30 min · Toulouse (TLS) approx. 180 km, approx. 2 h 15 min
Train
Tarbes, approx. 45 km
Car
From Bagnères-de-Bigorre via Campan and Sainte-Marie-de-Campan (D918/D113). Winter tyres recommended.

Accommodation

Accommodation
Gîte and chalets by the lake (including the Gîte du Lac de Payolle).
Places to stay nearby
Campan and Sainte-Marie-de-Campan (10–15 min), Bagnères-de-Bigorre (approx. 30 min, with the Aquensis thermal baths)
TipsCheck snow conditions first – Payolle lies lower than most. End the day at Aquensis in Bagnères-de-Bigorre.
Open in the interactive mapDirectionsPlaces to stay nearbyThings to do Affiliate link

42.9359° N, 0.2975° E

Nearby