The Pic du Midi and its cable car that propels you to 2877m offer many major Pyrenean descents. Apart from the normal route, skiing at Pic du Midi is mainly about steep routes that are only in condition for a small part of the season. The solution to enjoy it longer? Use skins! With touring skis, the possibilities become much greater. We offer you an overview of the ski routes that can be done with a pair of skins but also a point on all the “classic” routes of the Pic du Midi. The Pic du Midi is an unsecured freeride area. A good knowledge of high mountains is necessary, as well as the use of appropriate equipment (avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe, crampons, ice axes, harness, ski helmet…)
LOCATION :
The Pic du Midi is located on the foothills of the Hautes-Pyrénées just above the Col du Tourmalet. It peaks at 2877m.
HOW TO GET THERE :
From Tarbes, take the D935 towards Bagnères de Bigorre. Continue on the same road towards La Mongie. At Sainte-Marie de Campan, turn right onto the road that climbs to La Mongie. Park if possible in the main parking lot below the cable car.
From the Alps by car : 6h drive / 700km
From the Alps by plane : flight Lyon / Pau 3 times a day – 150€ round trip
WHEN TO GO :
The Pic du Midi cable car is open from November to April. Conditions can be good all season for routes with a touring option. Prefer the months of February / March to enjoy powder snow down to low altitude. For steep slopes on the north side, conditions are generally better from February with a bit of sun on the north faces.
WEATHER AND CONDITIONS :
Webcam : http://www.picdumidi.com
Avalanche and weather report : www.meteo.fr
ICE CLIMBING :
More info at the bottom of the page and here: https://picdumidi.com/fr/page/a-l-aventure
RATES AND SCHEDULE :
Winter season from December 06, 2024 to April 19, 2026 : 9:30 am to 4:00 pm with a break from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm.
Pic Unlimited Pass : 53€ (No Worries Card: -15% school holidays and weekends = 45.50€ / -30% on weekdays = 37.50€) allows unlimited use of the 2 sections of the Pic du Midi in one day. It’s expensive for just one descent or one tour, so plan for a full day of skiing!
New: the Pic du Midi offers a season pass at 250€ which allows unlimited skiing with the possibility of using the chairlift that goes back up to the Col du Tourmalet on the Barèges side.
More info: www.n-py.com
Every Monday during school holidays, the Pic du Midi and the Guides Office offer days dedicated to off-piste safety.
The objective: to provide skiers with the keys to better understand the mountain, analyze conditions and adapt their progression in a changing environment.
Throughout the day, from the summit of the Pic or its intermediate station, you will learn to:
– Read and interpret the terrain and snowpack
– Recognize warning signs of risks
– Adapt your trajectory, pace, and choices
– Anticipate risky situations (avalanches, falls, terrain traps)
– Use safety equipment effectively (avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe)
The approach is concrete, dynamic, and practice-based, with several guided and commented descents to progress in real situations.
📅 Dates: every Monday during winter school holidays
⏱️ Duration: full day
🎒 Required level: good off-piste skiing level / mandatory safety equipment
ℹ️ Info & registration:
https://bureaupicdumidi.fr/journee-securite-hors-piste/
Want to go further?
Outside of these dedicated days, the Pic du Midi Guides Office is available all season to guide your freeride or ski touring outings around the Pic, for a day or tailor-made.
1. PIC DU MIDI – CLASSIC SOUTH FACE
Elevation : 1000m
Difficulty : 1.3 / E1
Route : from the summit, descend the southwest face to the Laquets hotel. Continue on the south side to the Col de Sencours, crossing to the left at the start. Then switch to the west side of the pass and cross above the Oncet lake. Reach the bottom of the valley and stay on the right bank to reach a slightly steeper bowl that leads to the Toue ski lift.
5.1 Variante coume du Pic du Midi : At the Col de Sencours, switch to the east side and follow the coume to the Arizes valley. Then proceed on the left bank of the valley to the Tramazaygues huts and continue east to the road.
2. PIC DU MIDI – ROCHE NOIRE
Elevation of the face : 600m
Difficulty : 3.3 / E2 – 40° max
Route : Descend a few meters on the south side then cross always on the south side under the buildings to the cable car pylon. Enter the bowl after the pylon and follow it to the level of the Col de Sencours. Depending on the snow cover, you have to navigate between the bars around 2500m. Then cross west to reach the pass or continue in the coume du Pic to descend to Artigues.
3. PIC DU MIDI – BOTANICAL GARDEN COULOIR
Elevation of the couloir : 600m
Difficulty : 4.1 / E3 – 45° max
Route : Descend a few meters on the south side then cross always on the south side under the buildings to the cable car pylon. Then cross Roche Noire and reach the southeast ridge of the Pic du Midi. Follow it to the entrance of the couloir located after a small pylon. At the exit of the couloir, cross slightly to the right to avoid the bars and join the Roche Noire route. Then cross west to reach the pass or continue in the coume du Pic to descend to Artigues.
4. PIC DU MIDI – PALE À PIERROT
Elevation of the face : 600m
Difficulty : 5.1 / E4 – 50° max
Route : Descend a few meters on the south side then cross always on the south side under the buildings to the cable car pylon. Then cross Roche Noire and reach the southeast ridge of the Pic du Midi. Follow it to the entrance of the face located at the level of the 3rd small pylon. The entrance of the couloir is steep and narrow for 50m then the face widens with a slightly less steep slope (45°). Around 2400m, a couloir allows avoiding the large bar at the bottom and joining the coume du Pic.
5. PIC DU MIDI – COUME FERÉ
Elevation of the face : 1000m
Difficulty : 4.3 / E3 – 45° max
Route : Descend a few meters on the south side then cross always on the south side under the buildings to the cable car pylon. Then cross Roche Noire and reach the southeast ridge of the Pic du Midi. Switch to the north side and descend about 50m then cross to the right to reach the entrance of the coume Feré. Switch to the south side and follow the coume Feré to the coume du Pic (40°).
6. PIC DU MIDI – COULOIR DES POUBELLES
Elevation of the couloir : 1000m
Difficulty : 4.3 / E3 – 50° max
Route : From the summit, the entrance of the couloir des poubelles is obvious to the north of the buildings. Follow the wide couloir (40° at the start then 45° afterwards) and, at the level of the rock bar in the middle of the face, pull slightly to the left to follow a short steeper snow ramp (50°). It leads to wider and less steep slopes. Cross sharply to the right to pass the rock bar at the bottom of the face and reach the Arizes valley. Then proceed on the left bank of the Arizes valley to the Tramazaygues huts and continue east to the road.
Variante : la Cuenta (6.1) and Por Favor (6.2) slightly steeper and more committed lines. They are located further to the right when descending.
7. PIC DU MIDI – LES MURETS BLANCS
Elevation of the passage : 700m
Difficulty : 4.1 / E2 – 40° max
Route : pass on the north side of the TDF building (the one with the antenna) and reach the start of the north ridge. The start is airy but very quickly the slope widens. Follow the ridge line to the Col d’Aouet. The slopes are quite wide but sustained (40°).
8. PIC DU MIDI – COULOIR DE L’OURS
Elevation : 1800m
Difficulty : 3.3 / E2 – 40° max
Route : descend the southwest face of the Pic du Midi to the Col des Laquets where the entrance of the couloir is located. The couloir is relatively narrow at the start (40°) but it widens very quickly to lead into the Clot de Montarriou. Around 2000m after a flat area, cross to the right to arrive in line with the Col d’Aouet. Then you have to climb 200m to reach the Col d’Aouet and switch to the Arizes valley. Descend the south slopes of the Col d’Aouet then proceed on the left bank of the Arizes valley to the Tramazaygues huts and continue east to the road.
9. PIC DU MIDI – COULOIR DU LAC
Elevation : 1000m
Difficulty : 3.3 / E2 – 40° max
Route : descend the southwest face of the Pic du Midi to the Col des Laquets. Climb the ridge that goes west towards the summit of Pène Blanque with crampons. The entrance of the couloir is obvious at the level of a dihedral.
10. PIC DU MIDI – COULOIR DU LAC DE PEYRELADE
More info here
11. PIC DU MIDI – WEST FACE
More info here
PIC DU MIDI – CLASSIC SOUTH FACE
Even if this route is accessible by cable car, it can be interesting to do it on a tour, especially when the cable car is closed.
Elevation: 1100m
Access: park at Super Barèges (1740 m) but the road is generally closed at Tournaboup (1500m) when the station is open and you have to count 300m of D+ on the slopes.
Difficulty: 2.3 / E1
Route: Climb along the Toue ski lift. At the top of it, climb a steeper bowl for 100m slightly to the right. From there, the summit is clearly in view, and you have to cross the plateau in its direction, pass above the Oncet lake to reach the Col de Sencours. From the pass, climb the slope (30-35° over 200m) by veering to the left towards the Hôtellerie des Laquets. Then climb the last slope for 200m towards the observatory.
The classic descent is done by the same path. It is possible to descend steeper slopes, while staying on the south face, by quickly taking a left when descending below the summit (35-40°)
PÈNE LOUNQUE – 2275M
Elevation: ascent 500m / descent 2000m
Difficulty: 1.3 / E1
Access: Pic du Midi cable car
Route: descend the classic south side of the Pic du Midi to the Col de Sencours then continue on the east side of the pass and follow the coume to the Arizes hut. Put on the skins and climb the south side of Pène Lounque by veering east to reach the summit.
Descend by the wide south side to the Arizes valley. Then proceed on the left bank of the Arizes valley to the Tramazaygues huts and continue east to the road. It is also possible to descend by the coume de Sencouéou further east.
CRÊTE DE CONQUES – 2232M
Elevation: ascent 500m / descent 2200m
Difficulty: 1.3 / E1
Access: Pic du Midi cable car
Route: descend the classic south side of the Pic du Midi to the Col de Sencours then continue on the east side of the pass and follow the coume to the Arizes hut. Put on the skins and climb the south sides by veering west to reach the Col d’Aouet. From the pass, depending on the chosen line, shift to the Crête de Conques heading north and switch to the southwest side for the descent. Direct descent to a flat area where there is a track (1250m). Follow it north then quickly turn left onto another track that leads to Chiroulet where you need to leave a car beforehand.
Variant: it is also possible to access the Crête de Conques from the Pic du Midi via the Murets Blancs or the Couloir de l’Ours but these routes are less often in condition and are generally not compatible with a descent of the Crête de Conques in powder.
PÈNE BLANQUE – 2743M
Elevation: ascent 500m / descent 1600m
Difficulty: 1.3 / E2
Access: Pic du Midi cable car
Route: descend the classic south side of the Pic du Midi to the Col de Sencours then continue on the west side of the pass to the Oncet lake. Put on the skins and go around the lake on the right bank. Then climb the east-facing bowl above the lake to the Col d’Oncet. Finally, climb the southwest face of Pène Blanque to the summit by more or less following the ridge that starts from the pass. Descent by the southwest face to the Aoube valley then follow it to the ski track.
TRAVERSEE PIC DU MIDI – HAUTACAM
Elevation: D+1100m / D-2500m
Difficulty: 2.1 / E1
Access: Pic du Midi cable car. Long car shuttle needed for the return from Hautacam to La Mongie. Possibility to avoid it by returning via Chiroulet from the last summit (Pic de Barran) with a much shorter car shuttle.
Route: descend the classic south face of the Pic du Midi to the Oncet lake. Climb to the Col d’Oncet by the east side and switch to the west side to the Aouda lake. Climb to the Col d’Aoube by the southeast side then descend on the other side to the Blue lake. Put on the skins once again to climb towards the Pène det Pourri. Pass near the point at 2355m on the IGN map to switch to the Ourec lake valley. Descend to the lake then put on the skins one last time to reach the Pic de Barran which allows switching to the Hautacam station. The lifts or a few more conversions allow reaching the parking lot.
Variant: many variants are possible, including summits above each pass. It is also possible to bypass some passes. Be careful, for those tempted to bypass the Blue lake from the north, it is difficult to pass on skis due to the bars that plunge into the lake. It is better to pass from the south.
By creating an ice climbing at the summit, the Pic du Midi wants to affirm that the Pyrenees are a major place for mountaineering and mountain culture. This universe represents a strong potential for enriching the Pic’s tourist offer. Usually reserved for experienced practitioners, ice climbing is as frightening as it is fascinating. The ice climbing at the summit will allow the general public to be introduced to this spectacular climb, in optimal safety conditions. No doubt. No doubt that the Ponton in the sky will transform into one of the most unusual stands to admire the climbers’ exploits.
The ice climbing is located on the north face of the Pic du Midi, near the Ponton in the Sky. It is formed from water brought from the Oncet lake and kept circulating on the Observatory to prevent freezing during the winter. The excess water is channeled to the desired location to form the most interesting ice pattern for climbers. In the spring, this water will return to its liquid state and return to the mountain.
The discipline of ice climbing is accessible to everyone provided they are in good physical condition. From the summit, visitors who have booked their initiation will be supervised by a high mountain guide. The necessary equipment (helmet, crampons, ice axes, harness) will be provided by the project partner, CAMP, a brand of sports and vertical practices equipment. After discovering the techniques and basic gestures, the climber, secured at all times by their guide, will pass to the other side of the guardrail, descend to the foot of the ice wall, and finally start their ascent.
We can already imagine the emotion… climbing an ice wall at nearly 3,000 meters altitude, feeling each ice axe strike anchor into the ice, rising step by step towards the summit, realizing that under the crampons the air has replaced the ground, succeeding in each gesture and feeling the confidence rise, finally smiling, the face overwhelmed by frost and the intensity of the experience lived.
How to try the experience?
The initiation takes place over half a day. On the program: cable car ascent to the Pic du Midi /
discovery of mountaineering equipment and gear / learning techniques and gestures /
climbing the different walls of the ice climbing, from slightly to very vertical…
For this initiation, the guide supervises a maximum of two clients per half-day.
Half-day supervision rate by a guide: 220€ (for a maximum of two people).
The guide supervision rate does not include cable car access.
Reservation and information on the web page dedicated to ice climbing: https://picdumidi.com/fr/vivre-intensement/cascade-de-glace
