As you can see on the map above, we are 30km (by road) from the nearest ski resort, and it is an easy daily journey.

So, why stay with us for a Winter holiday?

We are often asked by our Summer visitors: 'Can you ski or snowboard properly in the Pyrenees?' and 'Do you get many people staying here when they are skiing?'. The answer to both questions is yes, but our facilities are better suited to some types of Winter holiday than others, so we'd recommend thinking about some key questions before you try it :

Possible advantages of staying with us:

• To reduce cost. Your accomodation with us will cost much less than similar accomodation in a resort.
• For a short break or weekend. We are happy to offer a daily rate for Winter bookings, and can be much more flexible than the resorts which usually specify Saturday to Saturday bookings.
• You want to try out different resorts. It's much easier to sample the different resorts when you're starting from the valley.
• You don't want to be in the middle of the ski resort nightlife. By staying with us you can 'escape' at the end of the day and be assured of a quiet night.
• Not everyone in the group wants to ski every day. By staying with us, part of the group can head off up the mountain to ski, while the others visit Carcassonne, Toulouse or other attractions in the area.
• Quality food is important to you. There is a much better range of restaurants in our nearby towns than in the ski resorts.

Possible disadvantages of staying with us:

• You prefer to ski 'from the door'. If you do, then the journeys to and from the resorts are likely to become tedious and it may be worth the extra cost of staying in the resort.
• You are an expert who does not want to ski the same slope twice. The Pyrenees does not have a resort to rival the large Alpine ski centres, so you WILL need to travel to a different resort every day, and again, the journeys may become tedious.

What are the facilities in the Pyrenees?

The high season for Winter Sports in the Pyrenees is the school holiday periods at Christmas and February, plus weekends and public holidays. the low season is all other times. Some resorts will open at the beginning of December, others not until Christmas. Some resorts will also close at the end of March while others go on into April - so do check the details for each resort to get accurate information.

All resorts will have a ski school, and most will have an English speaking instructor but it's advisable to book in advance.

Most of the resorts offer baby and child minding, again, it's always advisable to book these in advance. In most cases they also offer 'snow garden' introductory sessions for children aged from 3 - 6yrs.

Resorts

All the French resorts are described and summarised on the main site France Montagnes . If you pick the link to the Pyrenees from the main page then there are maps, snow details and so on for each of the resorts but beware - the 'cross-country' ski resorts are listed alongside the 'downhill' resorts.

Andorra is a separate country, so is not listed on the French site, and as we are near Andorra we have tried on this page to list the closest resorts in order of their distance from us.

First our nearest French resort...

Les Monts d'Olmes (30 minutes (30km) to the slopes from us)

Our local ski-resort, Mont d'Olmes has 23km of piste set out in a bowl of the Pyrenees near the Montsegur monastry. The resort is excellent for anyone starting out in the sport, or for a family of mixed ability who want to ski together for a couple of days in a well-defined area. Monts d'Olmes has a full ski school, with some English speaking instructors, and the prices are significantly cheaper than Alpine resorts (for example a full-day adult high season lift pass costs 24 Euros, and hire of skis, boots and sticks is 20 Euros for the day). We would not recommend this resort to experienced skiiers and snowboarders for more than a day or two, but it's good for a day to get back into the sport after a few years layoff.
Link to the Monts d'Olmes site

Ax les Thermes (1 hour (70km) to the slopes)

Ax is one of the best resorts in the Pyrenees, now linking three separate areas - Bonascre, Saquet and Campels. Ax has over 75km of piste, and provides a full range of facilities - from gentle introductory slopes adjoining the village of Bonascre at 1400m, to the glacial valleys and raw nature of Campels at 2400m, there are 9 Green, 10 Blue, 10 Red and 7 Black runs.

There are over 20 lifts, including a cable car to take you from the valley to 1800m, and there is plenty of scope for all levels and ages to enjoy the snow! Ax welcomes family groups and is a member of the 'Les p'tits Montagnards' scheme (French ski resorts for families and children) - there are even special 'baby' draglifts!
Link to the Ax ski site

Lunch at the bottom of
the slope at Ax les Thermes!

Guzet (90 mins (100km) to the slopes)

In the mountains between Foix and St Girons, Guzet is a resort which is not well known outside the local skiing enthusiasts. This is a shame as the skiing ranges from 1400 - 2100m, now with 14 lifts and the 40km of slopes suits a range of family abilities. There are 7 Green, 8 Blue, 9 Red and 6 Black runs.

There is little nightlife or apres ski at Guzet, but several restaurants are available for lunch stops. There is also a resident ski school.
Link to the Guzet ski site

Les Angles (90 minutes (85km) to the slopes)

Les Angles has 50km of piste, from 1600m - 2400m, 2 black, 16 red, 9 blue and 13 green runs. 19 lifts and plenty of snow cannons. Les Angles is better for more experienced skiers, and has a resonable nightlife.
Link to Les Angles

Font Romeu (2 hours (120km) to the slopes)

1800m up in the Pyrenees, Font Romeu has 45km of piste, 9 black, 9 red, 15 blue and 10 green runs. 28 lifts and plenty of snow cannons. Up to date details of the resort and snow conditions are on their website.
Link to Font-Romeu

Andorra

The many small village resorts in Andorra are now linked into 2 areas, Grandvalira and Vallnord. These two areas are summarised on the single site Ski Andorra.

Grandvalira has been created in recent years after investment of £52m to create a sophisticated lift network which is now a match for many Alpine resorts.

This area is in the North of Andorra and is for everyone from beginner through expert skiers - it now hosts a round of the Alpine ski championship.

GrandValira (90 minutes (99km) to the slopes)

Grandvalira is the largest single skiable area in the Pyrenees and is a combined ski area that links a number of Andorran villages on the Northern border of Andorra 20 minutes South of Ax Les Thermes. These villages are:

• Pas de la Casa
• Grau Roig
• Soldeu / El Tarter
• Canillo
• Encamp

Grandvalira is the most popular resort in Andorra with more than 200 km of piste and over 60 lifts - and (in)famous nightlife!

The slopes range from 2000-2600m and there are 22 Green, 46 Blue, 31 Red and 33 Black runs. (as of Winter 2012-2013). The resort also has custom snowparks, boardercross, mogul stadium, childrens areas etc.
Link to Grandvalira

Vallnord (2.5 hours (140km) to the slopes)

Vallnord is aimed at the younger market, with vibrant bars and nightlife.

Vallnord merges the villages of

• Pal
• Arinsal
• Arcalis

The resort has 93 km of piste and 46 lifts, including a half pipe. Slopes range from 1500-2600m, with 14 Green, 21 Blue, 26 Red and 6 Black runs with 20 restaurants and freestyle, d boardercross and slalom areas.
Link to Vallnord