Crossing the Pyrenees in Winter

Col d’Ares – Crossing the Pyrenees in Winter

Col d’Ares is a mountain pass in the eastern Pyrenees, connecting the French town of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste with the Spanish region of Catalonia. At an altitude of around 4921,26 feet, it is one of the scenic routes used to cross the border between France and Spain. We drove across this pass during winter while continuing our motorhome journey through the Pyrenees. The road climbs steadily through forests and mountain slopes before reaching the open area at the top. During our visit there was a light layer of snow along the landscape, but the road remained clear enough to drive. At the summit, there is a small parking area where it is possible to stop and look out over the surrounding mountains. From the top we had wide views across the Pyrenees, with rolling hills and valleys stretching into both France and Spain. Even with only a small amount of snow, the scenery felt very different from the coastal areas we had visited earlier in the trip. After crossing the pass, we continued the drive down toward Spain and briefly stopped at Molló Parc — a small mountain animal park. Driving over Col d’Ares in winter was a memorable part of the journey. The combination of mountain roads, light snow, and the open views from the summit made it an interesting and scenic route while traveling between France and Spain by motorhome.