Saint Lary Soulan ski resort guide - reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Saint Lary Soulan
Saint Lary Review
Saint Lary Soulan to give the village it's full name, sits in the beautiful Aure Valley at 830m looking on to the Gascony hills at the base of the Pyrenees Mountains.
The village is popular with both French and Spanish skiers and its easy to get to either from south-western France on the A64 motorway (Toulouse-Bayonne) or via the Aragnouet-Bielsa tunnel that connects the Aure valley with Spain.
Après-ski
The village comes to life as skiers return from the slopes, with lots of shops, restaurants, tapas bars, and après ski watering holes. A popular option is the wellness & thermal spa in the village to relax and unwind before a night out in the town.
Being just 20kms from the Spanish border means that Saint Lary is a melting pot of Iberian and south-western French cultures which make the evenings very lively.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 830m |
| Top lift | 2500m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 100 |
| Longest run | 4 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 4 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 3 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✔ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively |
Saint Lary ski area guide
The ski area is one of the largest in the Pyrenees with 100kms of pistes spread around 55 trails over 3 sectors...
Saint-Lary 1700
Also known as the Pla d'Adet, this sector is accessed directly from the village and is the main meeting place for ski school. For 6 to 12 year olds, there is a Kids Park here with an obstacle course, mini-moguls, "woops," a halfpipe and is supervised by two expert facilitators.
Saint-Lary 1900
This area can also be accessed from the base of the tiny hamlet called Espiaube at the end of the access road and has plenty of blues and red pistes.
Saint-Lary 2400
Known as the Vallon du Portet, this ski area offers fantastic 360° panoramic views of the Pyrenees peaks. The sector borders the National Park and near to Lake Oules which is one of the popular ski tours.
Beginners
First time skiers are in for a treat as Saint Lary has many green and blue pistes on the top sections of the mountain meaning you can enjoy the panoramic views and mountain restaurants without being confined to the beginner areas at the base stations.
Intermediate
Around two thirds of the pistes are graded blue and red which is heaven for intermediate skiers and boarders. The most popular area is Saint Lary 1900 which connects to the Pla d'Adet and Vallon du Portet.
Advanced
The majority of the terrain caters for beginners and intermediate skiers with only 10 black pistes. However, the off-piste is very good and there are many ski tours that can be booked through the ski schools where a guide will escourt you around using touring skis.
Snowboarding
The main snowboarding park is at Saint Lary 2400 which offers different modules for all levels and has jibs, boxes, rails, and other cool features. Its a great place to chill out on the deckchairs with music and barbecue.
Childcare
Saint Lary has been awarded the "Familie Plus" accreditation in recognition of the excellent facilities and services the resort offers families. Many of these are based at Pla d'Adet above the village as this is where the children's ski school meets and also where the daycare centres are based. The "piou-piou" club teaches children from the age of 3 to ski.
Things to see & do
Saint Lary provides some mouth watering activities in addition to downhill skiing including...
- Ten pin bowling
- Cinema
- Ice skating
- Sledging
- Snowshoeing
- Snowmobile tours
The resort also boats the Sensoria health and beauty centre with à la carte treatments using products from the Nuxe range plus the Saint-Lary-Soulan thermal spa.
Our view on Saint Lary Soulan
Outside of France, Saint Lary is off the grid for most skiers and boarders which means there is definitely that authentic and traditional village feel. With an excellent snow record, pristine pistes and first class family services and facilities, Saint Lary is a refreshing change to the mass tourist resorts around Haute Savoie.
