My husband and I will be in San Sebastian the week before Christmas. We wanted to go sightseeing in the Pyrenees, but we weren't sure how bad the weather would be. Is there a fair amount of snow, and if snow, how good is the snow removal, as we will be traveling by car? Any highly recommended places?

There are only a few roads over the Pyreneés, none in the Basque Country. The major routes are in Navarra, the N121A & B and the N135, all of which are kept clear during the winter months. You'll find that the N330/E7 and N260 out of Huesca are well maintained, as is the A138 and N230 to Vall d'Aran. They all lead up to the ski areas/resorts and are heavily traveled during the ski season. A couple of the roads can be difficult during the summer, so you can expect a little more of a challenge during the winter months.

Thanks Robert - the info you gave was very helpful!!

The north (French) side of the Pyrénées tends to have a little more snow than the southern side. The easiest way to explore either side would be to use the coastal road that connects Hondarribia, Irún and Hendaye. Then you do not have to be concerned about crossing the passes. Once into the Pays Basque, there are a number of country roads to follow, or take the D918 from St Jean-de-Luz to Cambo, the D932 from Anglet to St Jean-Pied-de-Port, of follow the A64 inland towards Pau. You can also cross over the Pyreneés on the old smugglers route that takes you from Bera (Vera) in Navarra to Sare in the Pays Basque. It's a short trip of around 12 km.

You can explore the villages on the Navarran side of the Pyreneés from Pamplona.