My personal favourite and worth the additional 10-15 minutes in the car compared to Le Mourtis or SuperBagneres, Peyragudes is the linked ski area served by the purpose-built resorts of Peyresourde and Les Agudes. Although many British skiers will be unfamiliar with the ski area, some may recognise Peyresourde as the setting for the opening of Tomorrow Never Dies, where 007 makes a dramatic escape from a ‘Russian’ arms market.

The 50km of pistes from 2400m down to 1600m straddle the Col de Flamme and are accessed by an efficient lift network. Intermediates and families are well catered for with wide principally red and blue runs whilst more advanced skiers will find the steep moguls of the Faucons and Eperviers runs and the unpisted Pene Nere challenging. The open nature of the terrain means that off-piste opportunities abound and skiers and boarders are sure to enjoy the snowpark and boardercross.

Peyragudes showpiece is the Vallee Blanche, a 6km red run that descends down a hidden valley and through tree-lined farmland. The 1000m vertical, wide variety of terrain and feeling of remoteness make this one of the most enjoyable runs in the French Pyrenees. 

If you tire of sliding down the white stuff, Peyragudes also offers cross-country skiing, snowshoe treks, husky rides, airboarding and snow archery. You can ride in a piste groomer after the pistes have closed to understand the work of the snow groomers, spend a night in an igloo or get rid of those aches and pains at the Balnéa spa and relaxation centre