Enjoy winter sports and snow from Bordeaux!

Do you fancy a weekend in the snow to do winter sports from Bordeaux? Several sites are accessible by train from Bordeaux, to enjoy the snow. In the resorts, it's not just downhill skiing... You will find all kinds of winter activities : sledding, snowshoeing, Nordic walking, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, horseback riding... In the Pyrenees or in the Massif Central, there is something to satisfy all your desires for snow games, beautiful ice landscapes, and sports!

Opening : © JenkoAtaman / Adobe Stock

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>> Activities to be composed according to changes in the health situation. There are plenty of things to do to enjoy the snow despite the restrictions!

The winter sports resorts closest to Bordeaux, in the Pyrenees

If you are looking for an authentic atmosphere and you appreciate mountain gastronomy, it is in the Pyrenees that you have to go, to have fun in the snow in a friendly atmosphere.

A 3-hour drive from Bordeaux, in the Basque Country, between Basse Navarre and Haute Soule, several resorts line the Spanish border :

• In Larrau, the cross-country ski resort of Iraty offers cross-country skiing trails and snowshoeing routes. You will also find more original activities such as musher initiation to drive a dog sled.

Do not miss an exotic stay or weekend in the heart of the forest, in the Chalets d'Iraty (fr).

• In Lanne-en-Barétous, that of Issarbe, is the ideal place for snowshoeing, but you can also go cross-country skiing and tobogganing for children.
• In the town of Arette, the resort of La-Pierre-Saint-Martin is more geared towards downhill and Nordic skiing.

You don't need much to have fun in the snow : good warm equipment and waterproof shoes, for hours of walking on marked trails.

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Still along the border, but in Béarn, only 3h30 by car, you will find many downhill ski resorts :

• The resort of Gourette, in Eaux-Bonnes, is a traditional ski resort, with a wide range of activities : downhill skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, sledding... You will also find more unusual activities, such as its ski areas. freestyle skiing, its large winter zip line and Nordic baths.

• The Nordic area of Somport is a small, friendly ski and snowshoeing resort.

• Right next to Gourette, in Laruns, the Artouste resort offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, Nordic walking. Its main asset is its icefall to climb!

Fancy a moment of relaxation after sport? The Ossau valley is also famous for its hydrotherapy. In Laruns, enjoy the benefits of thermal waters during a spa, hammam or treatment session, especially at the Spa & Montagne Institute (fr).

• Around the Col de Tourmalet and its large ski area of nearly 100 km, the resort of Cauterets allows you to practice alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, but also sledding in reserved and secure areas.

• At the heart of this same area, the resort of Barèges offers you atypical experiences : great descent of the Pic du Midi in free-ride, dog sled ride, meeting with a snow professional aboard a groomer, visit of the area in snowmobile...

• The one in Saint-Lary Soulan, in the Aure valley, is aimed mainly at families, with its Kidpark, nursery and children's areas, but also a Snowpark, for older children.

• Finally, that of Gavarnie-Cèdre has, among other things, the longest green run in the Pyrenees and a cross-country ski run with a view of the magnificent Cirque de Gavarnie.

• In Peyragudes in the Louron valley, there are new attractions : its funslope is a fun course with obstacles ; its lands-game, a sort of escape-game in the heart of nature, with puzzles to solve on the theme of James Bond ; a ski movie that films you and times you to improve your performance... Then you can take a break in the Inca and Mayan baths of Balnea. You also have access to Loudenvielle, thanks to a cable car.

Between Cauterets and Saint-Lary Soulan, the Hautacam leisure park (fr) is open all year round to fill up on thrills on its Mountain Luge.

This is the opportunity to discover the joys of dog sledding!  

It's time to try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, you may fall in love with a new sport! And the children too!

To get to winter sports resorts from Bordeaux, there are plenty of alternatives: carpooling, train, bus, shuttles. The Skibus connects many large cities (Bordeaux, Toulouse, Pau, Bayonne, etc.) to eight ski resorts in Béarn. Cariocar (fr) is a carpooling platform reserved for athletes and events.

Enjoy the snow in Auvergne and the Massif Central, from Bordeaux

It is hardly further than the Pyrenees, but there are significantly fewer people, the passes are cheaper and these are small resorts, often very friendly. To get there, allow 3h30 to 4h by car from Bordeaux. You can also take the train to avoid travel fatigue. Here are some cool resorts in the Massif du Sancy :  

• Alpine ski resort of Mont dore, on slopes of all levels or free-ride. There is also a Ludo'Glyss area for the little ones and a ski lane to improve your speed-riding performance. Snowshoeing in the surrounding mountains is not lacking in charm...

• Super Besse is a “ Famille Plus ” labeled resort. You will go downhill and cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing. For a more original activity, try the snowscoot, a funny adaptation of the bike!

• Chastreix is a small resort, with beautiful slopes and a breathtaking panorama of the valley. It also has a fun area, with a covered carpet, toboggan run and discovery of skiing for children.

On the Cantal Volcano Massif, in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Natural Park :  

• The Lioran offers all kinds of winter sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski touring, snowshoeing, but also Snake-gliss… The little extra : an alpine hike with its icefall!

Almost 5 hours by road from Bordeaux, in Aveyron and more precisely in Aubrac, the Brameloup resort is family-friendly and its environment in the heart of the national forest is exceptional.

Before leaving for the Massif Central, however, remember to check the snow cover, which varies greatly from year to year.

Try the Fat Bike, an original and new sport, for fans of 2 wheels.  

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You are now ready to enjoy the snow and hit the slopes of the Pyrenees and the Massif Central, for an exotic excursion from Bordeaux and we hope you have made you want to try new activities.

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