Gourette is a picturesque ski resort located in the Pyrenees Mountains of southwestern France. Part of the Eaux-Bonnes commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, it is situated about 50 kilometers south of Pau. The resort lies at an altitude of 1,350 to 2,450 meters and is recognized as the oldest ski area in the Pyrenees.
Gourette ski area
At the heart of the prestigious Cirque de Gourette, in a natural amphitheatre, encircled by high peaks, the Gourette ski station is located due south, at an altitude of 1,345 metres, on the slopes of the Col d’Aubisque. It extends on two sides over an area of 100 hectares, to Cotch and Pène Blanque. From here you can enjoy a magnificent, very mountainous panorama, surrounded by peaks reaching over 2,500 metres altitude. The resort has a very steep decline of 1,200 metres from top to bottom.
Rising between 1400 and 2450 metres above sea level, the Gourette ski area offers 30 marked runs, so there’s something for everyone. Gourette has a very large skiing area for beginners, unique in the Pyrenees. Beginners will particularly appreciate the Espace Découverte Bézou, a specially-designed area with gentle slopes and specially-adapted lifts to make learning easier and safer. It boasts 14 hectares, completely separate from the rest of the resort, where you can learn to ski in safety. At the Happy Place, you will find the ‘Snake Gliss’, sleds that fit together for fun, family tobogganing...
At an altitude of 2,450 metres, it offers exceptional panoramic views and pistes to suit all levels, from beginner to expert. Its unique beginners’ area, the Espace Découverte Bézou, offers a safe introduction, while the Cotch and Pène Blanque sectors offer stimulating challenges for experienced skiers.
Conviviality meets skiing at Gourette ski resort, with the high altitude restaurant, Le Cairn.
Gourette village
Gourette is part of Eaux-Bonnes, a 19th century spa town a few kilometres away, and you are likely to also visit that town while you are here. That is also quite a small town, and for a slightly larger town with a supermarket you need to travel a few kilometres further to Laruns, which also has a small historic centre.
The main attraction is the scenic highlights. Gourette is on the road that leads to the Col d'Aubisque, a scenic mountain pass a few kilometres to the east. North of Eaux-Bones you can also explore the picturesque Valley d'Ossau, one of the importanat valleys across the Béarn region
From the Ley parking area, about one kilometre below Gourette you can follow a short walk to see a waterfall called the Cascade de Ley, a 140 metres high waterfall as the river emerges from a cliff.
Gourette ski resort