A hotel returns at 2,620 metres in the Pyrenees

Hôtellerie des Laquets, at 2,620 metres above sea level in the French Pyrenees, reopened on September 25 and received fresh international travel coverage on October 15.

The operator and tourism authority present it as France’s highest hotel, a category that does not include every mountain refuge or establish a world accommodation record.

Why travel above the hotel first?

The official route starts at La Mongie, where a cable car takes visitors to the Pic du Midi summit at 2,877 metres. A private cable car then descends to the hotel. Subtracting the two published elevations gives a difference of 257 metres. The hotel is therefore below the summit; describing it as standing on the peak would be inaccurate. Reaching a room involves more than the usual arrival at a roadside hotel.

What has returned after the long closure?

The building dates from 1930–1933 and, according to the official history, closed in 1996. Its 2026 return follows about 30 years of closure. Renovation and expansion have produced 16 rooms. This is the revival of a historic mountain tourism facility, rather than the creation of a large new accommodation complex. Reports give differing renovation costs, so no definitive project budget is stated here.

What exactly does the height comparison mean?

Euronews identifies the previous highest hotel as Refuge de Solaise in the Alps, at 2,551 metres. Laquets is 69 metres higher. The comparison is elevation above sea level, rather than the height of the buildings. Mountain refuges or other accommodation types can sit higher, so removing the word hotel would make the claim broader than the evidence.

What should visitors check next?

The operator asks guests to reach the departure counter at La Mongie before 4 p.m. Actual operation and access need checking against notices for the intended travel date. The official advice also calls for warm clothing even in summer. This report does not confirm a particular departure, room availability or price. Cable-car timetables, weather notices and cancellation conditions matter more for an actual visit than the record alone.

Primary sources and independent checks

Operator: elevations, 16 rooms, access route, history and arrival instructions: Pic du Midi: Hôtellerie des Laquets

Tourism authority: September 25 reopening plan and hotel category; actual reopening checked against later reporting: Tourisme Occitanie: 25 September 2026

Independent travel coverage: reopening, altitude comparison, rooms and route; not availability or price confirmation: Euronews: Dianne Apen-Sadler, 15 October 2026

Mountain reporting: confirms actual September 25 reopening and 69-metre difference: Actumontagne: Aurélien Antoine, 7 October 2026

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