Saint-Lary-Soulan. Living the pyrenees
In the heart of the Hautes-Pyrénées, next to the Le Néouvielle Nature Reserve and the Pyrenees National Park, is the village of Saint-Lary.
In 1963, the village of Soulan joined Saint-Lary to form a single municipality: Saint-Lary Soulan.
Saint-Lary Soulan is nestled in the Aure Valley, 830 meters above sea level, in an open and sunny place.
The ski area receives its name from the Glungezer mountain (2,677 m) and is located in a Nature paradise with stunning panoramic views over the Inn valley and across the summit of the Nordkette.
The cross-border eco-resort is known as the star of the Pyrenees and is celebrating its 65th anniversary.
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This beautiful Pyrenean town gives its name to a ski area of more than 100 km, 700 hectares and 59 slopes -11 black, 14 red, 26 blue, 7 green-, spread over 3 areas: Pla d'Adet, Espiaube and Vallon du Portet , which rise between 1,650 and 2,515 meters above sea level, in the Aulon and Néouvielle nature reserves.
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The village of Saint-Lary is connected to the ski area by 2 lifts, the Pic Lumière cable car, and the Vignec cable car.
Pla d'Adet, also known as Saint-Lary 1700, is the historic part of the Saint-Lary ski area, located at the arrival point of the lifts coming from the village and right in front of most of the on-piste accommodations.
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The Pla d'Adet has been recently rehabilitated, it offers wide slopes. Its design is oriented to receive beginners, families, and children. In what is known as "Espace Debutant" we find the ski schools, the Piou Piou club (snow garden), 2 luge slopes (1 of them for the little ones), the beginners’ slope and the kidpark, a playful ski course Reserved for children between 6 and 12 years old. The beginner area has two large covered conveyor belts.
Espiaube or Saint-Lary 1,900 is an intermediate sector whose base is located at 1,650 m, next to the Espiaube car park. In this sector we will find some of the most beautiful slopes of the Saint-Lary ski area located in the forests on the north slope, and the longest of the ski area such as the Mirabelle and Terranère slopes with descents of more than 3 kilometers, being one of the longest slopes in the Pyrenees. This sector attracts advanced and intermediate skiers.
Finally, Vallon du Portet or Saint-Lary 2,400, is the skiable area located at the highest altitude, with all its slopes being above 2,000 m. Here we can enjoy incredible views of the Pyrenees National Park and Lake Oule while skiing.
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The Le Vallon du Portet sector is the cradle of snowboarding, speed-riding and paragliding, although it has blue and very sunny slopes.
In 1988, the opening of the Saint-Lary Soulan thermal baths gave a definite boost to the tourist offer in Saint-Lary Soulan. Next to the thermal baths is Sensoria, the Saint-Lary wellness center, a modern balneotherapy space where you can enjoy individual treatments, seaweed wraps, relaxing massages, etc.
After skiing in Saint-Lary you can enjoy some of the bars and pubs for tapas, the Aure Valley is known for its cheeses and pork products, or have a drink in a friendly atmosphere.
In the heart of the village, in an old stone house called the Maison du Gâteau à la broche, with fir-shaped cakes in the windows, pure High Pyrenean tradition, they make an ancestral sweet pastry dough cake which is poured around a conical roasting pan on a wood fire.
Restaurant Les 3 Guides, eating in a former shepherds' hut, accessible only on skis via the Mirabelle piste, Les 3 Guides is a must-visit and historic place in Saint-Lary. This restaurant was created in 1975, by a family of Soulan mountaineers in one of the barns used as a shelter for the Soulan shepherds during the summer. All the dishes are made with products from the valley.
Sleeping in a historic hotel. Elegance, tradition and the most emblematic family history of the resort are told within the walls of the "Hôtel Mir". This 3-star hotel in the heart of Saint-Lary, owned by the Mir family (the driving force behind the ski area), has recently been renovated and retains the authentic mountain spirit and the calm, comfort and simplicity of the Mir family. Some of the spacious rooms have a garden terrace with beautiful views of the mountains. The La Pergola restaurant is the hotel's great added value, listed in most gastronomic guides for the high quality of its cuisine, thanks to the products of local artisans.
