There are five ski resorts in Huesca, all of them, logically, within the Aragonese Pyrenees. In this province are concentrated the highest elevations of the mountainous system that separates Spain de France. Thus, the Aneto, the highest peak of the entire mountain range is located in the Huesca municipality of Benasque.
Therefore, the ski resorts in Huesca are located at a high altitude and this guarantees that have snow for much of the year. Likewise, in them, whether you are a skier or if you practice other winter sports or climbing and hiking, you will find the best infrastructures and conditions to do your favorite activity. And also you have all the services for you to stay if you wish, from hotels to apartments and restaurants. So that you can choose, we are going to show you the five ski resorts in Huesca.
Formigal Station
The urbanization of Formigal
It is located in the Huesca municipality of Sallent de Gállego, next to the urbanization of Formigal. More specifically, it is located in the tena valley, which has an area of 400 square kilometers and several elevations that exceed 3000 meters in height. It is the case of Balaitus and the Argual them. It is also the place where the river Gállego is born and the border with France it is very close.
However, it is not a very high station. In its upper part it is at 2250 meters, while the base is at 1510. As for the quality of its snow, it is excellent, but the best is usually found in the sector of chamois. Along with this, it offers you three others: Tres Hombres, Anayet and Portalet. You can get to the latter by bus. But at first you can only do it by private car. However, they all have parking.
Formigal has 137 kilometers of ski slopes, to which are added a toboggan run and a racket circuit. In addition, it has some off-piste itineraries. Its ski lifts can move almost forty thousand skiers every hour and the station also has a ski school, equipment rental shop, nursing and restaurant services.
As for the latter, you have bars and places to eat. But also the Marchica terrace-nightclub, in which festive events are organized for after skiing. It is what is known as after ski and lasts until nine at night.
Panticosa Station
Panticosa cable car, the smallest among the Huesca ski resorts
His full name is Panticosa-Lakes and is also found in tena valley, specifically in the municipality that gives it its name. The capital of this is a beautiful mountain town famous for its hot springs. In fact, about eight kilometers from it there a spa. smaller is the jackfruit, which is located on the edge of the Búbal reservoir.
But, in addition, a large part of the municipal territory is occupied by the Natural Monument of the Pyrenean Glaciers. It is a wonder that it includes peaks like the one mentioned Aneto, Monte Perdido or Maladeta, as well as lakes, moraines and other elements typical of glaciers.
Returning to the ski resorts in Huesca, Panticosa shares lump sum entrance with that of Formigal. However, it is much smaller than this, since it has 39 kilometers of slopes. And, as a curiosity, it is accessed by cable car from the town. It is divided into two sectors: Sabocos and Petrosos, although the buildings and the learning area are located in the latter. You also have equipment rental shops, an infirmary, bars and restaurants.
But the activities offered by the Panticosa and Formigal resorts do not end here. In summer it works artouste train. It is a small tourist railway that runs at a height of two thousand meters and offers you wonderful views of the entire valley of Ossau. It is a beautiful route of just ten kilometers that starts from the same ski slopes.
Cerler, the highest of the ski resorts in Huesca
Cerler chairlift
We now travel to the municipality of Benasque to tell you about Cerler station, which is located, more specifically, in the town of the same name. Cerler is the highest town in the entire Aragonese Pyrenees, as it is 1540 meters above sea level. In it you have a beautiful old town with typical stone houses of the area some of which were built in the XNUMXth century.
From it, you can go up to the station by road. This is also the highest of the ski resorts in Huesca. And, in addition, the one that presents steeper slopes. Because its highest part is in the Chicken Coop Peak, at 2630 meters, while the lowest is only 1500. Perhaps that is why it always has excellent snow quality.
Cerler offers you 77 skiable kilometers. They are divided into ten green slopes or for beginners; eighteen blues, for intermediate or low level skiers; twenty-five red or for people who ski well and fourteen black, ideal for experts. Also, it stands out for its nine kilometer track, which was unique in Spain until just two years ago. And also, since 2021, it has one of the fastest chairlifts in the country, because it reaches a speed of six meters per second.
On the other hand, the station has another attraction: the proximity of Benasque. This is one of the most beautiful villages in the entire Pyrenees. In addition to typical mountain constructions, you can visit in this town the Romanesque church of Santa María la Mayor, built in the XNUMXth century. We also advise you to see the Palace of the Counts of Ribagorza, a Renaissance marvel; the Just House with its beautiful tower and the medieval bridge.
Astun Station
Astun slopes
Starting from Pony and following the course of Aragon river in reverse, you will also arrive at canfranc, which marks the border with France. But a few kilometers before you have two other ski resorts in Huesca: Astún and Candanchú.
The first is precisely in the astun valley, almost one thousand eight hundred meters high. It is surrounded by huge peaks like the Bad face or the the monks that offer you a wonderful landscape. Just where the river Aragón is born you can also see a beautiful glacier circus and several ravines. Also, in Astún you have a small town with hotels and restaurants.
The station has forty kilometers marked out which translate into 51 tracks. Of these, a total of 22 are red for medium-high level skiers and 10 black for experts. As for its unevenness, the highest part of the slopes is at 2265 meters of altitude, while the lowest is at 1658. Likewise, to reach the slopes it offers you three chair lifts.
Candanchú, the pioneer among the ski resorts in Huesca
Panoramic view of the Candanchú ski resort
Candanchu station It is not only the oldest in the Pyrenees, but also in all of Spain, as it was inaugurated in 1928. It is, therefore, a classic for ski fans. It is opposite the previous one, but, if possible, it is even more beautiful due to its alpine conditions.
Candanchu offers you 50 skiable kilometers adding its 51 tracks. Of these, 16 are red and 13 black, although, in general, it is more difficult than Astún. One of the reasons for this is their steep slopes. As a sample of them, we will tell you that their unevenness goes from 2400 meters in its highest part to 1530 in the lowest.
But, in case you are not an expert skier, you can also enjoy the station. Have a wide space for beginners in the Tobazo Bajo area. Here you will find 8 green and 2 blue tracks. In addition, Candanchú offers you wonderful landscapes. As for enjoying these, outside the snow season you can do activities of climbing or hiking. Regarding the latter, you have routes like the Camille's path or the GR-11. But, above all, you have one of the variants of the the Camino de Santiago entering Spain through the area of Somport.
On the other hand, since you are going to ski in Candanchú, you can also get to know the beautiful municipality of Aisa, where it is. It has two towns: the own Aisa and Sinues. In the latter you have a beautiful Gothic church. But in both locations you can see traditional Pyrenean houses with their slate roofs. The monumental heritage of the municipality is completed by the parish church of Our Lady of the Assumption and Hermitage of San Esteban in which, according to history, he was educated Alfonso I the Battler, king of Aragon and Pamplona between the years 1104 and 1134 of our era. Finally, in the municipal district you can also see the oldest dolmen in the entire Pyrenees.
In conclusion, we have shown you the five ski resorts in Huesca. However, as they are all excellent, we cannot recommend one in particular. Choosing yours depends on your tastes and needs. For example, if you like tranquility, it is better that you go to the smallest of them, which is the Subscribe. On the other hand, if you are an expert skier, we recommend the Candanchú. And, if you also want to do another type of tourism, the best is Cerler due to its proximity to the beautiful town of Benasque. In any case, don't you think they are wonderful places to practice winter sports?