History of the esf

The Barèges ski school: from 1921 to today

This is the story of a French ski school at the foot of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, in the village of Barèges—known both as a spa town and a ski resort. Today, Barèges is linked to La Mongie, forming the Grand Tourmalet, the largest ski area in the Pyrenees.

In 1921, a young teacher from Tarbes named Urbain Cazaux arrived in Barèges and quickly became known as "the man of Barèges".

Although not an instructor himself, Urbain Cazaux was the first director of the ski school. The team had five instructors: Jean Cazaux, known as "Palu" (father of "Ricao"), Fourtine Denis, known as "Nini," Lapeyre Laurent, known as "Tranquilin," Hontat Laurent, known as "Tourtet," Marcel Lavedan, and François Vignolle.

Urbain Cazaux was also instrumental in founding the first ski lift company, SAEB, and in building the Lienz funicular in 1930. This funicular opened access to the "Laquette" ski area.

In 1935, Urbain Cazaux founded the first ski school in Barèges.

Marcel Lavedan, who later became the mayor of Esquièze-Sère and authored an extraordinary book on the Barèges valley, was the engineer behind the design of the Lienz funicular. This project helped Barèges become one of the first classified ski resorts.

In 1924, the "Avalanche de Barèges" sports club was founded, and in 1936, the first ski jump was constructed.

Great ski champions gave the ski school a prestigious reputation and an undeniable aura.

Annie Famose, the champion of Barèges

Annie Famose has an impressive track record. A member of the renowned French ski team in the 1960s, she achieved the following:

World slalom champion.
Vice world champion in downhill and combined in 1966 in Portillo, Chile.
Silver medalist in the giant slalom and bronze medalist in the slalom at the 1968 Grenoble Olympics.
Winner of the Slalom World Cup in 1967.
Two-time winner in the Alberg-Kandahar downhill, winning in Chamonix in 1963 and Saint-Anton in 1965

François Vignolle, the man who flew on his skis

François Vignolle, acclaimed as the best international skier of his time, was crowned French slalom champion in 1935. That same year, the robust skier from the Pyrenees earned a bronze medal at the World Championships in Mürren, Switzerland. Despite his promising career, an accident curtailed his potential. Emile Allais remarked that Vignolle would undoubtedly have become a great champion.

Far from the bustling Alps, the affable Pyrenean spent the 1920s gliding effortlessly on his "soles of the wind," reflecting a beginning common to many of the era's youth.

Barèges, a charming and family-friendly resort village, continued to grow, and the ski school evolved in line with this development.

In 1937, Jean Cazaux succeeded Urbain Cazaux as director. In 1950, Jean was followed by his son Henri Cazaux, fresh off his French slalom championship win in Briançon and a member of the French national team. When Henri's commitments took him away from Barèges, Henri Noguère took over as director and remained until 1969, when Louis Barzu assumed the role. Laurent Crampe succeeded Barzu in 1981, serving until 2009.

During this period, four French Championships were held on the Ayré, along with several European Cups.