I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas 2005 in Lescun, a small village in the Pyrenees. Here are some of the photos I took. I took the first shot while hiking up from the N134. The mountains seem surreal.

As you get closer to the village, the mountains just get bigger. The roads were clear of snow and Lescun itself gets surprisingly little snow.

Undoubtedly the most striking peak in the area, it is not ‘Pic D’ Anie’ as many people think, but Le Billare, a modest 2309 metre mountain.

The road from Lescun towards Le Billare.

I had my snow shoes with me so had no problems hiking to the Plateau Sanchèse. Looking very different from when I visited the same place in summer.

A view back across the Aspe Valley to more snow-covered mountains.

What started off as a light haze in the valley, quickly became thick fog in the valley. An excellent reminder that the weather can change dangerously quickly in mountainous areas.

The peaks of the Cirque form the natural border between France and Spain.

Admittedly we were lucky with the weather but it is amazing how few people make it up to this area.

Blue sky, grey mountains and white snow. What more could a hiker/photographer ask for?

The trail up to the second cirque near the Refuge de Laberouat, deep snow and blissfully quiet.

The second cirque. At the refuge the snow was about two metres deep.

The view back down the valley towards Lescun. Can you see Le Pic de Midi Ossau on the horizon?

Saving the best until last? What else but Le Billare, taken early in the morning?