Pic du Midi reopens on December 7th, 2024!

After its annual November maintenance break, enjoy breathtaking panoramic views at 2877m all winter long starting Saturday, December 7th, 2024.

header_logo

The tale of the Pic

A century and a half of adventures

July 20, 1878

The great day of the laying of the first stone of the Pic du Midi observatory under the impetus of two members of the Ramond company, General de Nansouty and the engineer Vaussenat.

1903 to 1908

The Pic became the Vaisseau des Étoiles with the construction of its first astronomical observatory: the Baillaud dome and its 50 cm telescope.

1922

The Pic is in danger. The facilities had been damaged after the Great War and an inspection report on French observatories threatened to close the site. Local councillors, scientists and members of the public rallied together to save the Pic. This marked the beginning of a major period of development for the observatory in terms of its activities and infrastructure.

1930 à 1937

Following the "Pic 1922" operation, Bernard Lyot, engineer and scientist, took advantage of the new Pic to experiment with his coronograph. The first images of the solar corona taken at the Pic made the observatory an international centre for solar observation until the 1980s.

1947 To 1952

The Pic's first cable car goes into operation. The observatory enters a new era.

15 August 1952

The Pic's first cable car goes into operation. The observatory enters a new era.

1953 to 1964

The international reputation of the Pic. The scale of the observatory's scientific activity, the quality of its infrastructure, its research and its results have earned it a worldwide reputation. The observatory contributed to major advances in the study of cosmic rays, the sun, the planets and the moon for the Apollo programme.

1963

The installation of TDF. The communications antenna is transforming the face of the Pic and reinforcing its emblematic position in the Pyrenean landscape.

1965 to 1981

The scientific apogee of the Pic with the construction of the Bernard Lyot Telescope (TBL), the largest astronomical instrument on French soil. This instrument enabled the Pic to maintain its activity and its legitimacy in the face of the development of major international observatories.

1982 to 1995

In the early 1980s, the observatory was seriously threatened with closure. Competition from international observatories, the state of the buildings and the cost of running them all led to a decision to close the observatory in 1998. This marked the start of a new period of mobilisation, with the implementation of an ambitious "Pic 2000" operation, combining science and tourism.

1995 to 2000

In 1995, the local authorities joined forces with the scientists to create the Syndicat Mixte pour la Valorisation Touristique du Pic du Midi. In 1996, the French government and the Syndicat signed an agreement to open up the Pic du Midi to tourism. A €40 million project was launched. After four years of work, the threats of the past were removed and the Pic du Midi adventure could continue, looking to the future...

2001 to 2018

The opening was a success, with more and more visitors flocking to the summit throughout the year. The International Starry Sky Reserve label was obtained in 2013. The Pic continues to innovate: Freeride, Concerts, Planetarium, Interpretation Area, Pontoon in the Sky!

2018 to nowdays

The summit now welcomes 140,000 visitors a year, and is turning its ambitions into reality with a number of flagship projects: Maison du Tourmalet, Hôtellerie des Laquets and a UNESCO World Heritage Site application.

Back to top
ClosedWinter opening from december 12th