Slope Breakdown
Cauterets at a glance
Cauterets is a ski resort in France, part of the Cauterets area. It offers 36 km of slopes served by 11 lifts, with skiing between 1,850 m and 2,415 m (565 m vertical). That makes it the 40th largest of the 40 ski resorts in France listed on Intski. The season usually runs from December to April. Cauterets is particularly beginner-friendly: about 58% of its slopes are easy blue runs.
Top features of this resort
Snow forecast
About 9 cm of new snow at the top (2,415 m) in the next 3 days, none at the base.
New snow and temperature at the top station. Estimated by Intski from the MET Norway forecast, updated every few hours. Where it snows most this week
Email me when it snows
An alert when 15 cm or more is on the way at Cauterets, and a heads-up before it opens.
Getting there & lift pass
Nearest airport
Tarbes-Lourdes (LDE) — about 33 km from the resort, straight-line distance, allow more by road.
Lift pass
Adult day pass around 46 EUR (2026/27 season). Cauterets day pass.
Compare lift pass prices at all resortsPrice source, checked 2026-09-14
Driving to Cauterets
Rules for a car in France, checked 30 September 2026 against official sources.
Road charge
Motorway tolls by distance. A43 (AREA) Saint-Quentin-Fallavier barrier (Lyon) to Chambéry Nord, 88 km, class 1 €13.40, A43 (AREA) Chignin barrier to Aiton, 31 km, class 1 (towards Albertville and Maurienne) €4.20
Winter tyres
Winter tyres or chains on board, 1 Nov to 31 Mar, in the signed mountain zones
Studded tyres
Allowed 1 Nov to 31 Mar (90 km/h, rear disc)
Cauterets resort facts
Difficulty shares from skiresort.info, applied to the area total.
About Cauterets
Cauterets is a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of Occitanie, in south-western France.
Resort Highlights
Spa town first, ski resort second
Cauterets is a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of Occitanie, in south-western France. The order of that description is telling. This is a settled, year-round town with a life beyond the lifts, and the thermal identity gives it a rhythm that purpose-built ski stations lack: people have been coming here for the waters as well as the snow.
The skiing
The ski area is compact at 36 km of pistes with 11 lifts, but it is set high. The base lies at 1,850 m and the top at 2,415 m, a vertical of 565 m. The entire ski area therefore sits above 1,800 m, and the top station clears the 2,200 m mark where altitude begins to make a real difference to snow reliability. That helps cover hold through a season listed from December to April, even though the piste map is small.
Thirty-six kilometres with a modest vertical is a resort for relaxed skiing. Beginners, families and intermediates will find enough for several days, while dedicated mileage-hunters will have covered it within a couple. No difficulty breakdown is supplied. Eleven lifts for 36 km is a well-served ratio, so the skiing consists of short repeats with little waiting rather than long expeditions.
The altitude also shapes the character of a day here. Starting at 1,850 m means there is no long lift ride up from a valley town before the skiing begins, and the modest 565 m vertical keeps the whole area within easy reach of the base for lunch and for regrouping. That makes Cauterets a practical choice for mixed groups and for anyone skiing with children, who can be kept within sight without crossing half a mountain.
Thermal waters and mountain character
What separates Cauterets from other small ski areas is the town itself. As a spa town it has the infrastructure of a place that welcomes visitors all year, and the listed features of traditional charm and scenic views point to a Pyrenean town with an established character and a proper mountain setting rather than an apartment-block base. For a mixed group where not everyone skis, that balance between slopes and town is the real attraction.
Practical
Cauterets is not a quick transfer from a major hub: Toulouse airport, the nearest in our data, is roughly 146 km away as the crow flies, so allow a long drive. The season runs from December to April, and the resort’s official website carries practical details on the town and its facilities.
Frequently asked questions about Cauterets
Yes. Cauterets is described as a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées, so the thermal side of the town is as much a part of its identity as the skiing.
565 m, from a base at 1,850 m to a top station at 2,415 m. The whole ski area sits above 1,800 m.
No. It is a commune and long-established spa town, listed for traditional charm and scenic views.
Eleven lifts serve 36 km of pistes, a well-served ratio for a compact area.
Cauterets has 36 km of marked slopes: 21 km easy (blue), 12 km intermediate (red), 3 km expert (black), served by 11 ski lifts.
The skiing in Cauterets ranges from 1,850 m at the base to 2,415 m at the top — a vertical drop of 565 m.
The ski season in Cauterets typically runs from December to April. Exact opening dates vary by year and snow conditions.
Yes — Cauterets is well suited to beginners. About 58% of the slopes (21 km) are easy blue runs.
Cauterets has 3 km of expert (black) slopes — about 9% of the total.
An adult day pass in Cauterets costs around 46 EUR (2026/27 season). Cauterets day pass.
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