Piau-Engaly
Piau-Engaly is a winter sports resort in the French Pyrenees, located in the commune of Aragnouet, in the Hautes-Pyrénées department and the Occitania region. At between 1,400 and 2,600 m altitude, with its centre located at an altitude of 1,860 m (6,100 ft), Piau-Engaly is the highest resort in the French Pyrenees.
Introduction from the English Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).
Seven criteria rated from 1 to 5 stars, in half-stars, from this page's sourced data. A rating is a rank among the 322 French resorts we cover — 5 stars means “among the best in France on this point”, not “perfect”. Nobody types these in.
- SnowCan you count on the snow?3.5 / 5
Top of the ski area: 2,528 m · Bottom of the pistes: 1,497 m · Days above 30 cm per winter, measured: 105 days · Days above 30 cm, December to March, model: 62%
- Ski areaIs there enough to ski all week?3 / 5
Km of pistes at the resort: 34 km · Km of pistes across the linked area: 34 km · Lifts: 8 · Balance between piste levels: 85%
- ValueIs the lift pass reasonable for what you get?2.5 / 5
Adult day pass: €55 · Day pass price per km of pistes: €1.62/km · Adult 6-day pass: €294
- Families and beginnersIs it right for children and beginners?2 / 5
Share of green and blue pistes: 61% · Magic carpets: 0 · Sledging runs: 0 · Special prices out of 4 (beginner, child, family, free age): 2 · ESF ski school · Ice rink, pool, rail sledge…: 0
- AccessIs it easy to get to?1.5 / 5
Average drive time from 20 major cities: 7 hr 17 · Nearest railway station: 1 hr 03 · Station-to-resort shuttles per day: 0 · Nearest airport: 1 hr 36
- Atmosphere and après-skiIs there life in the evening and off the slopes?2.5 / 5
Bars and pubs: 1 · Nightclubs: 0 · Restaurants: 6 · Upcoming events: 0 · Collective tourist beds: 1,302 — index: what the map and the listings publish
- Luxury and comfortHow upmarket is the resort?2 / 5
5-star hotels: 0 · 4-star hotels: 1 · Share of hotel rooms in 4 and 5 stars: 0% · Spas and saunas: 0 · Jewellers, watchmakers, fashion boutiques: 0 · Adult day pass: €55 — index: what the map and the listings publish
“Atmosphere” and “Luxury” are indexes: they count what OpenStreetMap and the event listings publish within 2.5 km (bars, nightclubs, rated hotels, spas, upcoming events), not what you experience there. A zero means “nothing mapped”, not “nothing there”. Sources per criterion: snow (altitudes (OpenStreetMap, Wikidata), snow depth observed at the Météo-France station, ERA5-Land model) ; ski area (OpenStreetMap pistes and lifts, linked area (Wikidata)) ; value (the resort’s official price list) ; families and beginners (OpenStreetMap pistes, price list, ESF ski school, Famille Plus label, OpenStreetMap leisure) ; access (OSRM drive times from 20 cities, SNCF stations, GTFS shuttles, airports) ; atmosphere and après-ski (bars, nightclubs and restaurants within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap), upcoming events (OpenAgenda), collective tourist beds (INSEE)) ; luxury and comfort (rated hotels within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap) and by category across the commune (INSEE), spas and boutiques (OpenStreetMap), day pass price).
Open pistes and lifts will appear here during the season, as published by the resort. Out of season we show nothing rather than a misleading zero.
Avalanche danger
7-day forecast
Village 1,860 m · top 2,528 m
Forecast corrected for altitude; fresh snow = forecast total at the top; UV = peak of the day. Beyond 3 days, check the resort’s own report. Source:Open-Meteo.
Average snow depth by month
Good snow from March to April.
☀️ Average daily sunshine : Nov 6.7 h · Dec 6.1 h · Jan 6.3 h · Feb 7.9 h · Mar 8.6 h · Apr 9.6 h — 25 bright days in April (Open-Meteo estimate, 2015-2025).
- November—no record
- December36 cmInsufficient · 42%
- January48 cmVariable · 52%
- February80 cmVariable · 69%
- March91 cmGood skiing · 84%
- April125 cmGood skiing · 100%
- May—no record
30 cm on the ground: the benchmark for groomed-piste skiing. Bar = monthly average depth; percentage = share of time above 30 cm.
- Good skiing: 30 cm on more than 8 days in 10
- Variable: 30 cm on 5 to 8 days in 10
- Insufficient: 30 cm less than one day in two
Snow actually measured, winter by winter
14 complete winters measured, from 1992-1993 to 2021-2022 — on average 105 days a winter with at least 30 cm on the ground.
- 1-15 Dec54 cmVariable · 71 %
- 16-31 Dec52 cmVariable · 78 %
- 1-15 Jan57 cmVariable · 78 %
- 16-31 Jan76 cmGood skiing · 91 %
- 1-15 Feb96 cmGood skiing · 87 %
- 16-29 Feb93 cmGood skiing · 88 %
- 1-15 Mar94 cmGood skiing · 82 %
- 16-31 Mar73 cmVariable · 74 %
- 1-15 Apr59 cmVariable · 65 %
- Best winter of the series
- 2013-2014 — 133 days at 30 cm or more
- Worst winter of the series
- 1992-1993 — 36 days at 30 cm or more
How much snow actually falls — 536 cm a winter on average, spread over 58 days of snowfall. Measured over 13 complete winters, from 1995-1996 to 2021-2022.
- Biggest 24-hour snowfall
- 99 cm — 2012-2013
- Snowiest winter
- 2012-2013 — 985 cm
- Leanest winter
- 1996-1997 — 342 cm
The ski area
Compare with another resort →46 pistes, by level — 34 km
- Skiable vertical
- 1,031 m (1,497 m → 2,528 m)
- Lifts
- 5 chairlifts, 3 drag lifts
- Piste aspect
- N 71% · E 22% · S 2% · W 5% (descent direction of 58 OSM pistes, terrain model)
Pistes and lifts surveyed on OpenStreetMap within 4 km of the resort — for a resort in a linked area, the figure may include neighbouring pistes.
Lift passes (2026-2027) detail →
| Adult pass | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 day | €55 |
| 6 days | €294 |
| Season | €786 |
| Child, 1 day | €50 |
| Free | Free under 5 · free from 75 years |
Read on the official price list, full price, excluding promotions. Official price list ↗
The ski area in figures
Measured on 9 September 2026Measured on OpenStreetMap (altitudes: IGN RGE ALTI), not taken from the brochure. The vertical above is that of one piste, not of the whole ski area. Population: INSEE municipal population via geo.api.gouv.fr.
Source: national register of mechanical lifts (STRMTG, CAIRN), fleet as of 1 January 2025 — lifts attributed to Piau-Engaly only (“PIAU ENGALY”), magic carpets included.
Staying and hiring gear in Piau-Engaly
We compare the partners that cover this resort. Some links earn us a commission — never at the expense of the price or of the data.
Stay & accommodation
Live webcams
All webcams (9) →Piau-Engaly broadcasts its images on its own page: the link takes you there. Checked on 12 September 2026.
Piste map
Open on OpenSnowMap ↗Pistes coloured by level, lifts as lines. The resort’s official map is the reference in season.
Base map © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA) · pistes © OpenSnowMap (CC-BY-SA) · data ©OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Getting to Piau-Engaly
From Paris: 9 hr 22 (851 km) by road.
By road
- From Pau: 1 hr 59 · 135 km
- From Toulouse: 2 hr 26 · 179 km
- From Bordeaux: 3 hr 58 · 339 km
- From Perpignan: 4 hr 16 · 374 km
- From Montpellier: 4 hr 43 · 409 km
From other major cities (15)
- From Clermont-Ferrand: 6 hr 19 · 547 km
- From Marseille: 6 hr 24 · 572 km
- From Valence: 6 hr 33 · 607 km
- From Grenoble: 7 hr 30 · 698 km
- From Lyon: 7 hr 41 · 706 km
- From Saint-Étienne: 7 hr 44 · 585 km
- From Nice: 8 hr 01 · 730 km
- From Chambéry: 8 hr 16 · 757 km
- From Annecy: 8 hr 41 · 816 km
- From Genève: 9 hr 10 · 854 km
- From Dijon: 9 hr 13 · 843 km
- From Paris: 9 hr 22 · 851 km
- From Besançon: 9 hr 50 · 901 km
- From Nancy: 11 hr 21 · 1054 km
- From Strasbourg: 12 hr 13 · 1139 km
Excluding traffic and winter conditions; passes closed in winter are avoided.
By train
Capvern station
halt · then 1 hr 03 drive (57 km)
Nearest main station: Tarbes, 1 hr 31 by road.
No direct bus line from the station to the resort appears in the open-data timetables (checked on 13 September 2026): ask the resort about a private shuttle or a taxi.
Shuttles and buses from the station: see the resort’s official website.
By plane
- Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées (LDE): 1 hr 36 by road · 104 km
- Pau-Pyrénées (PUF): 2 hr 03 by road · 139 km
Take me there
These links open the app with Piau-Engaly as the destination. Your starting point is never sent by us — the app asks you for it, if you agree.
Charging an electric car
2 charging stations within 2 km
2 charging points · up to 22 kW
- FR-S65-E65017-001-2 · Load Stations · 1 point · 22 kW · 0.2 km
- FR-S65-E65017-001-3 · Load Stations · 1 point · 22 kW · 0.2 km
Freely accessible charge points read from the French national EV charging database (data.gouv.fr ↗, operators’ own declarations), checked on 9 September 2026. Check availability before you leave: the database says what is installed, not what is free tonight.
Road conditions
From 1 November to 31 March, snow chains or winter tyres are compulsory in most mountain areas (French “Loi Montagne II”).
Driving times computed on the OpenStreetMap road network (OSRM), SNCF stations (open data), airports (Wikidata). Indicative, not a timetable: allow extra time in snow.
Off-piste & ski touring
The resorts for off-piste skiing →Named itineraries: Sarrous
Itineraries surveyed on OpenStreetMap within a 4 km radius (7 September 2026): “marked” means an itinerary exists on the map, not that it is open or safe on the day.
Ski touring routes described
Resorts for ski touring →12 ski touring routes documented within 10 km of Piau-Engaly — up to 1,400 m of climb.
| Summit and route | Ski grade | Climb | Altitude | Aspect | From resort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pic du Piau · Depuis la station | n/a · E1 · PD- | 850 m | 1,860 → 2,696 m | N | 1.1 km |
| Hourquette de Chermentas · Depuis Piau-Engaly | n/a · E1 · F | 650 m | 1,800 → 2,431 m | N | 1.7 km |
| Pic de Campbieil · Face E | 5.1 · E3 · D+ | 1,400 m | 1,826 → 3,173 m | n/a | 1.8 km |
| Pic de Campbieil · Couloir SE "Burgalasse" | 5.2 · E2 · TD | 1,080 m | 1,870 → 2,950 m | SE | 1.8 km |
| Pic des Toudes · Couloir W | 4.1 · E1 · AD+ | 800 m | 2,079 → 2,860 m | W | 1.9 km |
| Arête de Lentilla (pointe 2882 m) · Par Piau et le col du Lenquo de Capo | 4.1 · E2 · AD+ | 1,032 m | 1,850 → 2,882 m | SE | 2 km |
| Lenquo de Capo · Versant E - depuis Piau-Engaly | 2.1 · E1 · PD- | 900 m | 1,830 → 2,716 m | E | 2 km |
| Pic de la Géla · Couloir du String | 4.2 · E2 · AD- | 950 m | 1,800 → 2,741 m | NE | 2.1 km |
| Pic Méchant · Couloir NW et Arête S | 4.2 · E3 | 870 m | 2,079 → 2,944 m | NW · W · S | 2.1 km |
| Port de Campbieil · Depuis Piau Engaly | n/a · E1 · PD | 830 m | 1,875 → 2,596 m | E | 2.1 km |
| Cintes Blanques Pointe 2896m : Face NE depuis le vallon d'Estaragne | 3.3 · E2 · AD- | 820 m | 2,079 → 2,896 m | NE | 2.1 km |
| Soum des Salettes · Face NE | 3.3 · E3 · AD+ | 1,100 m | 1,850 → 2,976 m | NE | 2.2 km |
Source: Camptocamp.org topo guide (CC BY-SA), routes starting within 10 km, read on 13 September 2026. Descriptions and photos are on Camptocamp; an empty cell is a field nobody has filled in. Camptocamp ski touring routes ↗
Practical information
Collective accommodation
1,302 bed spaces in tourist residences, holiday villages and hostels
- 2 hotels · 61 rooms (1 × 3★)
- 1 holiday village or family centre · 214 bed spaces
- 3 tourist residences and apartment hotels · 864 bed spaces
- 1 youth hostel or sports centre · 224 bed spaces
- 2 campsites · 178 pitches
Commune: Aragnouet · INSEE tourist accommodation survey, 2026, read on 12 September 2026. Collective accommodation only — privately let flats and second homes are not counted. INSEE dataset ↗
Ski school
ESF Piau Engaly
38 instructors
🇬🇧 10 English-speaking instructors — lessons in English available
🗓️ This school sells its lessons online — book ↗
Source: esf.net
In case of accident
112 — the European emergency number, free of charge, triggers mountain rescue. On the pistes, the ski patrol number is printed on the piste map and at lift ticket offices. Piste rescue is charged: check your insurance or take the option sold with the lift pass.
Nearby resorts
Frequently asked questions
How high is Piau-Engaly?
Piau-Engaly sits at 1,860 m at village level, and its ski area rises to 2,528 m.
How many kilometres of pistes does Piau-Engaly have?
Piau-Engaly has 34 km of pistes served by 8 lifts (OpenStreetMap survey).
What is the longest piste in Piau-Engaly?
The longest piste is Grande bleue: 5 km (blue run), for 771 m of vertical. Measured on the OpenStreetMap map, segments of the same name and level joined end to end, altitudes from the IGN RGE ALTI terrain model — a resort sometimes advertises a longer run by chaining several pistes.
How high do the lifts go in Piau-Engaly?
The highest lift, Pic De Piau (detachable chairlift), tops out at 2,529 m. Source: STRMTG, French national register of mechanical lifts (CAIRN database), file dated 1 January 2025.
How many lifts does Piau-Engaly have, and what is their capacity?
The French national register of mechanical lifts records 10 installations at Piau-Engaly (4 chairlifts, 5 drag lifts, 1 magic carpet), for an authorised capacity of 14,423 people per hour, of which 2,500 for Pic De Piau alone. The fleet spans 1976 to 2022, an average age of 29 years. This count covers the resort itself, magic carpets included, not the whole linked ski area — a resort brochure often announces a different number. Source: STRMTG, French national register of mechanical lifts (CAIRN database), file dated 1 January 2025.
How much is a lift pass in Piau-Engaly?
The adult day pass costs €55 and the 6-day pass €294 (2026-2027, read on the official price list).
How do I get to Piau-Engaly?
By road, Piau-Engaly is 1 hr 59 from Pau (135 km), excluding traffic and winter conditions. By train, the nearest station is Capvern, 1 hr 03 by road from the resort. No direct bus line from the station to the resort appears in the open-data timetables. The nearest airport is Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées, 1 hr 36 away.
How long is the drive from Paris to Piau-Engaly?
9 hr 22 for 851 km from central Paris, excluding traffic and winter conditions. Computed on the real road network (OpenStreetMap): allow more on a school-holiday Saturday.
Is the snow reliable in Piau-Engaly?
Yes: good snow through most of the winter according to twenty winters of Météo-France measurements; in season the daily report prevails.
Is Piau-Engaly good for beginners and families?
61% of the pistes are green or blue: a rather easy area.
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