Beginners can learn at La Mongie’s purpose built ski school area and practise their skills on the local green slopes.  As a beginner you can see a surprising amount of the mountain by sticking to the greens and easy blues.

Intermediates can ski all the way to the village of Bareges which is located over the famous Col de Tourmalet pass and represents roughly 20km of skiing from one side of the domain to the other.

For advanced intermediates there are plenty of challenging reds and blacks including moguls and some heart-stoppingly steep blacks! There are also some great little off-piste shortcuts to practise your powder skiing.

For experts, free-riders and tricksters the terrain park has all the kickers, half pipes and rails you need and also pumps out some funky tunes!  The Pic De Midi offers fantastic off-piste skiing opportunities - contact the Tourist Information Office for more details.  A guide is always recommended and the descent takes approximately three hours. Not only is there lots of off-piste action, but unlike the Alps, fresh tracks are possible everywhere!

For the more leisurely skiers there are several restaurants in lovely sunny spots - conveniently you do not  need to do lots of skiing between long lunch's and delicious hot chocolate with lots of cream on top biensur!

A great bonus is that there is a floodlit night ski slope open 5pm to 9pm Tuesday and Saturdays. This is free and is a great warm up when you arrive on the Saturday if you are too late or tired to ski in the day. Night skiing is great for the keenest skiers or a place for the kids to mess around while the adults sit in the bars (a 100m away) and enjoy a scrumptious vin chaud (hot wine)!

Skiing in Bareges

Skiing and Snowboarding

Chalet Hay sits in the Gripp valley, and when you look up the valley towards the mountain peaks you can see the start of the ski area. This area is called the Domain Tourmalet and covers the ski areas of La Mongie and Bareges, the largest ski area in the French Pyrenees.  The Chalet is also only 20 minutes from the cross country ski area of Payolle.

Tourmalet Piste Map

The Lie of the Land

Access to the skiing is really easy.  The Chalet is on the La Mongie side of the ski domain and is only a ten minute drive from driveway to car park.  You simply jump in the car and drive up the hill. The roads are very well maintained especially in bad weather.

Lift Passes

Lift passes are sold at the ticket office in La Mongie located in the tourist office area.  Tickets can be bought in a variety of time blocks the most popular being day passes and 6 day passes.  Day passes range from €27 to €30 per day (depending on the time of year) and 6 day passes range from €135 to €150 (again depending on the time of year) for the La Mongie and Bareges pass.  For a small additional cost the Pic de Midi pass can also be added. There is also a pass for beginners at a cost of €15 per day.

Children's lift passes range from €22 to €24 per day (depending on the time of year) and 6 day passes from €108 to €120 (again depending on the time of year).

Piste maps are available at the tourist office and the ticket office at La Mongie or from any tourist office.  There are also some located in the Chalet in the leaflet baskets.

Ski, Snowboard and Boot Hire

Prices for 6-day ski hire for advanced skis is approx €100 and for beginner skis and boots approx €60 for 4 days hire.  Not only are there numerous hire shops in La Mongie, there are also several hire shops between Bagneres-de-Biggore and La Mongie, should you wish to pick up your equipment earlier. 

We suggest you use the ski shops near the slopes as the convenience is excellent and the prices are good value, for example Intersport.

Ski & Board Lessons 

Lessons can be booked for group lessons (only in French holidays) or as private lessons.  English speaking lessons are currently only available for private tuition, however the excellent prices make this an attractive option for beginners, intermediates, those looking to brush up on technique and those looking to go off-piste!  Private lessons cost between €34 and €38 per hour (depending on the time of the season) for 1 or 2 people and between €44 and €48 per hour for 3 or 4 people. 

Car Parking  

Car parking is free in La Mongie.  There is a lower car park which is located opposite Intersport next to the ski school, the ticket office and the tourist office.  There is an upper car park where you make a short walk to the slopes or ski straight onto the runs!  If these car parks are full, there are several other car parks dotted around the resort serviced by buses efficiently circulating every couple of minutes. 

Eating Out

In La Mongie there are lots of places to eat, with most main meals costing less than €10 per head, and with reasonably priced drinks you will be pleasantly surprised if you are used to the prices in the Alps!.  La Mamas on the seafront (so called in the centre of La Mongie) does delicious wood-fired pizzas, favourites such as  traditional Tartiflette and mouth watering grills.  La Mamas also does tasty complete meals called ‘la planche’ which are great for replenishing energy for an afternoon of skiing!  La Schuss is also on the front and does an excellent range of French food, make sure you try the hearty 'plat du jours' examples of which are duck a l'orange and beef stew.  The staff at La Schuss are extremely friendly and you can also buy all the decor.   The Irish pub has a good extensive menu and serves food all day.  There are many more restaurants to choose from around the resort. and on the slopes.

Laquette Mountainside Restaurant

The Resort of La Mongie

Lots of activities take place and start in La Mongie as well as skiing and boarding for example, organised snow-mobile excursions leave the resort in the evenings covering a route around the Domaine. the mobiles are for two people and can be booked in resort.

Snow-shoeing (big tennis rackets on your feet!) guided tours and lessons can be organised at the tourist information.  Walks can be around the resort or from other points in the valley.
Walking,  even in the winter at the lower altitude areas of the valley you will see plenty of walkers about,  pop into the Bagneres tourist information for a guide to the best routes.

For the Pic de Midi and the observatory, take the cable car from the La Mongie village, this has fantastic views of both the mountains and the flatlands.  Insist on an English tour for the observatory. There is also a restaurant and gift shop, so allow a good few hours for the trip.

Amenities

La Mongie has a variety of shops selling ski wear, hardware, postcards and the usual tourist goods.  There is also a pharmacy, a bakers, a supermarket, a shop selling delicious local produce (Terrior la Regional) and lots of restaurants, bars and shops. La Mongie has many bars serving great hot chocolate, beers, wines and of course 'vin chaud' (hot wine!). The hot 'gaufrets' (waffles) and crepes are also delicious and can not be missed!  All the restaurants over-looking the pond are a great place to catch the sun over a drink at lunchtime and early evening.

Cross-Country Skiing

In the neighbouring cross-country skiing resort of Payolle there is approximately 50 km of cross country trails consisting of a beginners slope 1.8 km, La Marmotte verte (green) 5 km, L’Ours (blue) 10 km, Le Lievre (red) 15 km, L’Isard (black) 20 km and Pedestrian Itineraries 2 km.

Payolle Piste Map

Snow Shoeing (Raquette)

Also in the beautiful area of Payolle, you can explore the mountains and wonder around the lake using the most ecologically sound way of exploring, snow shoeing. 

There are four 'raquette' circuits in Payolle ranging in length from a 4.5k tour round the lake to a more ambitious 10k walk through the beautiful forests that surround the picturesque lake.

There are many other areas ideal for snow shoeing and walking including Lac Blue (Lake Blue), La Mongie and the Lesponny Valley.

Equipment and guides can be hired in a number of resorts including Payolle to discover a peaceful and truly beautiful winter wonderland.

Other Snow Sports

• Ice climbing
• Dog-sledging
• Snow mobile outings
  

Other Ski Resorts within easy reach of Chalet Hay

Not only can you enjoy the Tourmalet ski area with its varied piste and off piste skiing but there are also numerous other ski areas within easy reach of Chalet Hay, great for days out.

• La Mongie (part of the Domain de Tourmalet ski area) is the biggest ski area and the closest at just 10 mins and from the Chalet, 69 pistes, 6 black,s 21 reds, 19 blues and 23 greens
• St Lary Solan is just an hours drive away, 700 hectares, 9 blacks, 14 reds, 25 blues and 7 greens
• Cauterets is about 1hr and 30mins drive,  36km of pistes, 2 blacks, 7 reds, 7 blues and 5 greens
• Piau Engaly is about 1hr 15mins drive, 65km pistes, 7 blacks, 9 reds, 20 blues and 5 greens
• Peyragudes is about 2hrs 30mins drive, 60km pistes, 4 blacks, 17 reds, 20 blues, and 5 greens
• Luz Ardiden is about 1hour 45mins drive, 11 pistes, 3 blacks, 4 blues and 4 greens
• Lunchon Superbagneres is about 2hrs drive, 28 pistes, 6 blacks, 7 reds, 11 blues and 4 greens
• Gavarnie Gedre is about 1hr 45mins, drive, 52km pistes, 5 blacks, 9 reds, 12 blues and 7 greens
• Hautacam 1hr 15 , 26km piste, 5 red, 5 blues, 5 greens
• Saint Lary Soulan (1 hour drive)

• And of course Andorra, only a 3 hour drive away.
  

Apres Ski

La Mongie has a relaxed apres-ski life.  There are some good restaurants with excellent local dishes and a few bars to choose from. See the Eating Out section above.

One of the most relaxing ways to spend an evening after a hard days skiing is with a visit to Aquensis, the city of water.  Unwind in the outdoor rooftop jacuzzi, have a sauna or enjoy the stunning indoor pool.

Driving from the ski resort to Bagneres-de-Bigorre are numerous villages with some great restaurants to discover.

Back at Chalet Hay, a cosy atmosphere makes a wonderful night in with the log fire, the comfy lounge and dining area.  There is also a large flat screen TV, DVD player and several board games.