Europe's Underrated Mountain Range Is An Affordable, Uncrowded, And Scenic Year-Round Alternative To The Alps

Europe's French Alps are an iconic four-season destination, with stunning glaciers, hiking trails, quaint villages, and some of the largest ski areas in the world. However, the area can be expensive to visit, especially as the ski resorts continue to increase rates. To save some cash, consider exploring another European mountain range: the Pyrenees. Sandwiched between France and Spain, this mountain region is home to a number of ski resorts and quaint towns that make it a wonderful alternative destination. Its rugged, authentic feel with less-expensive hotels can be attractive for budget travelers, but it does come with a few challenges (like livestock sharing the roads).

Relative to other areas of France, it's an uncrowded winter destination, as an estimated 80% of the country's ski tourism is in the French Alps. However, the Pyrenees are also fabulous to visit during the summer to experience the natural beauty of the area and the local villages, which are full of charm and history. There are many spa towns in the region as well, including Bagnères-de-Luchon and Cauterets in France, which offer the perfect combination of outdoor adventure and soothing wellness treatments. Finally, the Pyrenees are home to national parks with jaw-dropping views and unbelievable hiking opportunities, including a wild gorge known as "The Grand Canyon of Spain."

As the gateway to Pyrenees National Park, the town and ski resort of Cauterets, France, has some phenomenal hiking, including the trek to the Pont d'Espagne (bridge of Spain), a stone bridge next to rushing, multi-tiered waterfalls. There's also a fairly easy, family-friendly hike around Lac de Gaube, an idyllic, blue-green lake. For a little relaxation after a hike, visitors will find soothing outdoor thermal baths with towering mountains as a backdrop at Cauterets' Les Bains Du Rocher, along with a full-service spa that's one of France's finest. If you're visiting Cauterets during the winter, know that its two ski resorts have some of the most snow-sure slopes in the region; they're particularly great for snowboarders as well as beginner to intermediate skiers.  

Off the slopes, shop for handmade scarves and other cozy items woven from high-quality Pyrenees wool at La Carde in the nearby town of Pays Toy, a 30-minute drive from Cauterets. Other delightful towns in the Pyrenees region in France, include Bagnères-de-Luchon, with its fabulous thermal baths and streets overflowing with Belle Époque architecture.

On the Spanish side of the Pyrenees Mountains, the town of Huesca serves as a hub to Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and biosphere reserve. Covering 96 square miles, the park is home to 32 species of mammals and 171 species of birds. In addition, this Spanish national park has breathtaking waterfalls, glacier views, and spectacular hiking trails alongside the gorge. You'll find every adrenaline-pumping adventure under the sun here, like canyon swings, zip lines, and whitewater rafting. And to top it all off, Huesca is home to five ski resorts with 88 ski lifts and an abundance of shops and restaurants, including several that have earned Michelin stars. 

Costs for accommodations in the Pyrenees will vary depending on the time of the year and the particular town you choose to stay in. Even during the summer and the height of ski season, clean and cozy holiday homes or apartments in Cauterets, France, can cost as little as $70 to $80 a night. If you're staying in Huesca, Spain, you can also find delightfully inexpensive accommodations, with budget rates starting around $60 to $70 per night, right in or near the city center. 

If you're traveling to the Pyrenees from the United States, you have a few different airport options. If you're headed to Cauterets, flying into Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is probably your best bet. From there, it's about a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Cauterets. Alternatively, trains are available from Toulouse to Lourdes, France, where you can then take a one-hour bus ride the rest of the way to Cauterets. On the Spanish side, Zaragoza Airport is about a 50-minute drive from Huesca, but this small airport only receives flights from a handful of European cities. Barcelona is about a three-hour drive from Huesca, and its airport has many direct flights from major U.S. hubs.