Nestling in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park, Cauterets has long cultivated a balance between nature, hospitality and dynamism.
Aware of the environmental challenges affecting mountain areas, the destination has chosen to take concrete action to reconcile tourist appeal, local quality of life and respect for the environment. Since 2024, Cauterets has been awarded the “Flocon Vert” (Green Snowflake) label with 2 snowflakes!
In Cauterets, the transition is happening on a daily basis.
Soft mobility, local energy, making the most of natural resources, housing and waste management… these are just some of the actions being taken collectively by local residents, those involved in tourism and elected representatives.
The label that rewards committed mountains
Cauterets is one of a select group of mountain resorts to have been awarded the Flocon Vert label by the Mountain Riders association. This national label recognises mountain tourist destinations that make a concrete commitment to sustainable and responsible development.
A mountain that acts, not suffers
Cauterets has set itself a clear mission: to preserve what makes it special – its environment, its local life, its authenticity – while imagining the tourism of tomorrow. The Flocon Vert is based on 20 demanding criteria grouped into 4 main themes:
- Governance and resilience
- Sustainable economy
- Culture and social cohesion
- Managing natural resources
A calmer village centre!
The village centre has been designed with pedestrians in mind.
Everything is within walking distance: shops, thermal baths, hiking trails and ski resorts.
The result: you can spend an entire holiday without a car, and still enjoy a village on a human scale. Innovative initiatives complement this approach:
- Consideration to be given to reducing traffic in the town centre.
- Cargo bikes to collect bio-waste from restaurants,
- Shuttles and public transport to limit individual journeys,
Local energy
The natural thermal springs in Cauterets are not just for relaxing: they are also used to fuel geothermal and energy recovery projects.
The aim is to use local resources rather than import energy.
It’s a pioneering approach in the Pyrenees, and a very practical way of doing something about the climate.
A destination that also thinks of its inhabitants
Cauterets is a lively village all year round.
To ensure that everyone can live and work here, the commune has set up a number of initiatives:
- The Maison des saisonniers, a reception area with low-cost accommodation, laundry facilities and bike/ski hire.
- A programme to renovate permanent accommodation to attract year-round residents back to the area, against a backdrop of strong property pressure.
- Active support for community and cultural life, the beating heart of the village.
Almost zero waste!
Here, we sort, compost and recycle.
Restaurant owners’ bio-waste is recycled locally using cargo bikes. The 3600 mountain restaurant in the ski resort is equipped with a composting biodigester to reduce its organic waste!
Local residents and accommodation providers are helped to reduce their impact.