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Skiers
from neighbouring Spain regularly head
across the border to enjoy better snow
conditions on the largely north-facing
French slopes, an advantage which
increasing numbers of skiers from the UK
are also discovering. The
Pyrénées offer big-mountain
skiing, and in a good season
Pyrénées ski resorts
snowfall figures often actually
outperform those of the Alps, but that is
where the similarities end. You really
sense you’re in the South here,
particularly in popular Catalan ski areas
like Les Angles or Pyrénées
2000/ Font Romeu, where if you wish you
can ski in the morning, then head down to
spend the afternoon on a Mediterranean
beach (perfect for anyone undecided about
what kind of winter break to
choose).
Surprisingly, this exotic-sounding
experience doesn’t carry a price
premium – throughout the French
Pyrénées lift-passes,
accommodation, meals and services
generally offer noticeably better value
than their Alpine counterparts. Not that
French skiers view this as merely a
budget alternative. Loyalties to
particular ski areas run deep, with
generations of French families returning
year after year to ski their favourite
pistes with old friends, so the mood,
both on and off the mountains, is both
relaxed and friendly, often with an
infectious, cosmopolitan air.
And these days things are far from
unsophisticated. Areas like the Hautes
Pyrénées in particular have
made huge investments in recent years and
now offer world-class lifts,
piste-grooming and snowmaking, along with
premium accommodation and dining to
satisfy today’s
ever-more-discerning visitors.
There’s drama, too, in skiing
around classic Tour de France stages like
the Col du Tourmalet from La Mongie (and
taking a breathtaking cable-car ride up
to the 2877m Pic du Midi) or among the
soaring peaks of Cauterets or Peyragudes.
And if you’re looking for a more
traditional village experience, Saint
Lary Soulan has real, year-round charm
(and a new gondola lift direct to its
pistes).
The French Pyrénées also
hold a few more surprises: there’s
a high chance you’ll be skiing
beneath clear, blue skies, with the
option of relaxing afterwards in one of
the thermal spas for which the region was
famous long before the arrival of skiers.
Finally, if you’re travelling by
air you’ll generally have shorter
transfers than those making for Alpine
ski resorts. And if not, while driving
distances from the Channel ports are
greater, the constantly improving French
autoroutes are excellent and carry less
traffic than those to the Alps.
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Grand
Tourmalet
The
Domaine du Grand Tourmalet is a two-sided
ski area composed of La Mongie to the
East and Barèges to the West. The
Domaine du Tourmalet is the largest
skiable region in the French Pyrenees;
with 100km of skiing, 69 ski slopes, 39
ski lifts and an altitude up to 2500m
this is the ideal ski resort for all
abilities of skiing, snowboarding,
cross-country skiing, free-ride and
snowshoeing.
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La
Mongie
La
Mongie is a modern ski resort at the
heart of the Domaine du Grand Tourmalet
ski area, at the foot of the slopes and
the Pic du Midi, in the middle of the
Pyrenees. Purpose built directly on the
slopes; La Mongie is ideally located and
has a large selection of bars,
restaurants and shops. La Mongie is well
suited to all levels of skiers and has a
good range of great value
accommodation.
Pyrenees
2000
The
Pyrenees 2000 ski resort is located in
the heart of the Cerdagne in the Eastern
Pyrenees. The Les Neiges Catalanes Pass,
grants access to skiing in the ski
resorts Err Puigmal, Eyne, Formigueres,
Les Angles and Font Romeu creating the
ski area of Pyrenées 2000.
Pyrénées
2000 (1800-2213m) offers 58km of ski
slopes, 111km of cross-country runs, 500
snow cannons, 1 sledge run, 2 free ski
lifts for beginners, 1 boarder cross and
1 slalom.
Enjoying
an exceptional amount of sunshine,
Pyrenees 2000 is a family-friendly ski
area
offering
magnificent views, mountain lakes,
immense forests and natural hot
springs.
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Les
Angles
Les
Angles is an attractive resort with one
of the best ski areas in the Pyrenees.
Ski trails offer picturesque views of
quaint Catalan churches, forests and
lakes. It has been a favourite resort for
both French and Spanish for many years.
The resort is best for beginners and
intermediates and is great for families.
Les Angles is renowned for having lots to
do off the slopes.
Les
Angles is mostly visited by intermediate
skiers and beginners, with access to 180
individual pistes most of which are
pretty tree lined runs. There is a busy
snow park for the avid boarders, complete
with half-pipe and quarter pipes. Not far
from the village skiers can enjoy the
relaxing, peaceful cross country trails
through the neighbouring forests.
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Font
Romeu
Font
Romeu is a small and lively family ski
resort in the French Pyrenees just 19km
from Perpignan. It enjoys plenty of
sunshine during the year. With an
altitude of 1800m you can enjoy
cross-country skiing, downhill skiing or
explore the local heritage sites. Skiing
in Font Romeu is particularly good for
intermediate and beginner skiers. Many of
the runs are fairly short and not too
challenging. Accommodation here is very
good value.
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Cauterets
Cauterets
is a small town a short distance from
Lourdes and on the threshold of the
Pyrenees national park. Cauterets is a
historical Pyrenean spa town, which found
fame, as the spas are renowned for their
special healing powers. As a consequence
Cauterets is very lively with a wide
selection of good value for money places
to go out. Cauterets gives access to 36km
of downhill pistes via a main cable-car
to ferry the non motorised. Cauterets ski
area is Le Cirque du Lys and provides a
great range of skiing for all abilities.
The domain stretches to a second
independent domain named Pont d'Espagne
(reached by bus or with a car)
principally made for Nordic skiing but
that also offers half a dozen very
contemplative circuits to the downhill
enthusiasts. Cauterets was awarded "Best
Snow Dump of the Season 08/09" by the Ski
Club of Great Britain for having 160cm of
snow fall in just 36 hours!
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Peyragudes
Nestling
in the Pyrenees National Park, not far
from the Spanish border, Peyragudes
dominates the valleys of Louron and
Larboust and was created by merging the
two ski resorts of Peyresourde and Agudes
together. Peyragudes is a welcoming and
lively resort, but still manages to
retain its traditional charms. It offers
high quality snow coverage, challenging
slopes and something for everyone. The
lift served area extends from 1600m to
2400m with 60km of ski slopes and 15km of
cross country trails. As with many other
Pyrenéan resorts, the ski lifts
are of an excellent standard. Peyragudes
is famous for its spas and thermal baths,
a great way to unwind after a days
skiing.
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Saint
Lary
Saint Lary is a large traditional
Pyrenean resort, located in the
Hautes-Pyrenees. It is an authentic
Pyrenean village, with a lively
atmosphere. Saint Lary is famous for its
spa culture and it is definitely worth
taking a trip to the local spa. There is
a good range of restaurants and bars to
suit all budgets and tastes as well as
good value accommodation. Access to the
ski area is made possible by cable car
from the village. The ski area caters for
all levels of skiers, with beautiful
green and blue pistes, moguls, slaloms
and a great snow park along with a huge
variety of red pistes for intermediates
to cruise. Up-to-date facilities such as
new lifts and snow cannons were recently
added
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