We've just finished our Pyrenees Snowshoeing Holiday, which was a wonderful week with sunshine, crisp winter air, snowy mountain landscapes and a great group of walkers keen to explore the Pyrenees in winter.
We had such luck with the weather - all planned obviously! After a winter of snow, low cloud and high winds nearly every day, we enjoyed blue skies and sunshine for most of the week and most importantly, loads of snow to enjoy. Pablo and David were both guiding the trip giving the snowshoeing group plenty of options along the routes.
Canyons of Ainsa
Dual level guided holiday
Explore the eastern side of the Ordesa National Park
10 - 17 May 2026
Our first four nights were spent in the lovely Hotel Almud in the mountain village of Sallent de Gállego.
The week began with a beautiful circular walk above Piedrafita, starting near La Cuniacha. Snowshoeing through quiet forests then up to the open meadows where the Ibon de Piedrafita lake lies under the kilometre high cliffs of la Partacua.
On the second day we explored the area around the Portalet pass on the French-Spanish border. As we can park at 1800 metres, this is a winter playground and a brilliant destination for snowshoeing, ski-touring or taking the kids with their sledges. The route explored the Spanish side, climbing up towards the historic Puerto Viejo de Sallent (previously the principal crossing point between the two countries before the road was constructed), before wandering across the snowy ridges with wide views down the valley and across the mountains.
The following day brought one of the week’s highlights: a snowshoe ascent of Pico Canal Roya (2345m), starting from the French side just beyond the Portalet pass. This peak, which sits right on the French-Spanish border, has stunning views. You look down into the deep valley of the same name, to the north lies the famous and eye-catching summit of Pic du Midi d'Ossau and to both the east, west and south there are dozens of peaks stretching out into the distance.
On Thursday, we enjoyed a relaxed rest day. Part of the group went to visit the historic town of Jaca, with its lively streets and cafés,and the rest went to Balneraio de Panticosa to try their hand at cross-country skiing.
After lunch in Jaca, we headed up the Aragon valley to the impressive Canfranc International Railway Station, a remarkable building with a fascinating story, set among the mountains and once a major international railway station before a runaway train damaged a bridge and forced the closure of the line in the early seventies. The whole project was an incredible feat of engineering, featuring a spiral tunnel, they had to reroute the river and at the time of opening, teh station was the largest indoor space in Europe.
The final three nights of the trip where at Hotel Villa de Anayet, right next to the station.
For Friday's route, the group took the chairlift at the ski station of Astún, which whisks you up to over 2150 metres. From the top of the lift, we leave the skiers behind and cross into France via the Collado de los Monjes, enjoying a scenic walk across the gentle snowy slopes on the French side.
On the final day, our luck with the weather ran out and winter returned with a vengeance. We headed towards the beautiful lake of Ibón de Estanés but wickedly cold winds turned us back before we reached the frozen lake. Not the perfect way to finish the week but a good reminder of what winter can be like and how lucky we were for the rest of teh week!
We hope everyone enjoyed their snowshoeing. Our thoughts are turning to the spring and summer trips now, but we'll be back on the snowshoes next winter if you'd like to come and join us on a trip.
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