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INTRODUCTION

This week of cross-country skiing aimed at beginners and intermediate skiers using either classic or skating techniques.  During the holiday we stay in the thermal spa town of Ax-Les Thermes which gives us access to two largest cross-country skiing areas in the Pyrenees, with over 120 km of well-maintained trails to explore. Being so far south, we are blessed with long sunny days but as the resorts are located on high plateaux we still have reliable snow cover with the bonus of dramatic mountain views at every corner. Consequently this region provides the experienced skier with a suitable alternative to Scandinavia, and the novice the perfect terrain and climate for taking up this fantastic sport.

During the holiday you will be looked after by James Thompson (SSE XC Instructor), who will facilitate all arrangements and offer instruction for both beginners and improvers. James will be assisted by Cathy Thompson for the first 3 days of the holiday enabling us to offer guided ski-tours at different standards throughout the week. Naturally there is the option to ski independently if that is your preference.

Our base for this holiday is the popular thermal spa town of Ax-les-Thermes. The charming town centre is only a 5 mins walk from our hotel giving us access to a full range of the shops, restaurants and lively bars.  With its luxury roman baths and spa facilities, you are not going to be short of après ski activities. Ax is linked by cable car to the extensive down hill ski station of Ax-Bonascre, giving the option of downhill skiing or self guided snowshoeing on any day of this holiday.

If you are an intermediate or experienced cross-country skier who wants to travel some distance and explore a larger area of the Pyrenees, or an experienced skier then you may be more interested in our Nordic Highlights holidays.

WHAT IS CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING ALL ABOUT?

GUIDING AND INSTRUCTION

The flexible nature of this week makes it suitable for both beginners and experienced classic cross-country skiers as well as those wanting to progress with or try out the skating technique. We offer supreme flexibility so that you get all the benefits of being in a mixed skill group (meeting others, having a laugh, teaming up with people at your level), with none of the disadvantages (feeling like you are slowing the group down, feeling like you have gone back to school, being out of your depth or conversely being held back by others in the group!)

Although guided skis tours (with informal instruction) are offered every day, they are not compulsory, so you are free to ski as much or as little as your aspirations and physical ability allow. If you and your partner are of different standards then this trip is perfect for you as there is bound to be someone in the group after a similar experience to yourself.

The holiday is led by James Thompson, who is a qualified Snowsport England XC ski instructor and offers 'top tips' to both beginners and improvers in either 'classic' or 'skating' styles of skiing.    As the director of Marmot Tours, James has been leading skiing holidays since 2002 and has been in the leisure industry for even longer.  He knows what makes a good trip and is approachable, energetic and enthusiastic.

For the first 3 days of this trip Cathy Thompson will be offering orientation tours at different speeds.

Beginners: You will receive a formal lesson on the first morning to help you master the basic xc techniques. In the afternoon you will go on a ski tour with Cathy to give you an opportunity to put into practice what you have leant. For the rest of the week James will offer informal tips and exercises on a one to one basis tailored to your individual needs, ensuring you can progress at your own rate whilst still giving you the chance to tour the cross-country ski areas.

Improvers: On the first morning you will have a chance to get back into the swing of things with Cathy. During the afternoon James will give a refresher of the basics and offer a few pointers on an individual basis. This style of informal tuition will continue thought the holiday to fine tune your technique and hopefully make your skiing more efficient and enjoyable.

Skating: James will offer skaters with one or more weeks experience a rolling program of instruction throughout the holiday and offer various exercises tailored to your level. People wanting to try skating for the first time are encouraged to hire a local French instructor for an hour (at extra cost).

INDEPENDENT SKIING

Both cross-country ski domains that we use (Plateau de Beille and Chioula) during this holiday are easy to orientate around, allowing us to run this week so flexibly.  Within a couple of days you will have a feel for where you are going so can then have the confidence to head off independently to either get some km's under your belt, or to practice some of the cross-country skiing techniques you have just learnt.  James will suggest various routes for various members of the group, depending on your skills, and you will be sure to find others in the group at a similar level, and with similar aspirations to yourself.

We include a rest day in our weeks holiday itinerary so that you can, as it suggests, rest up for a day. For the complete relaxation you would enjoy the New Roman Baths. However there are lots of other local activities such as downhill skiing or snowshoeing, or do a spot of sightseeing.

HOLIDAY ITINERARY

The itinerary remains flexible to accommodate for the snow conditions. We intend to be on the slopes by 10am and aim to finish by 4.30pm. You do not need to be on the go all the time, as all areas have cafes offering fine mountain views. You will be given a key to the van, so at any stage during the day you can have access to spare clothing, different skis, etc. 

Detailed information about each of the cross-country ski areas can be found here >>

HOLIDAY DATES

HOW MUCH DOES THE HOLIDAY COST?

This price includes:

NB: The price above is based on sharing a room. If you would like your own room for the holiday there is a supplement of £135 - this must be arranged on booking.

WHERE DO WE STAY?

FOOD AND MEALS

GETTING AROUND

CLIMATE

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI HIRE

XC Ski / boot / pole hire is not included in the cost of the holiday to allow different people to hire kit to suit their skill levels and many people bring their own kit. The basic package for ‘classic’ skiing is €49 for 6 days. Skis can be exchanged throughout the week as your confidence / ability increases. Good quality skating gear can also be hired for an additional €5 per day. The classic xc skis have ‘fishscale grip’  with NNN (Rossignol / Rotterfella) bindings - these are not compatible with SNS boots. It is not necessary to pre-book these.

NB: You are welcome bring your own cross-country skis on this holiday. However, the ski areas are not suitable for wide skis with metal edges and 3 pin bindings. Grip-wax skis can be used but are not recommended (apart from in January) due to range of snow temperatures that can be experienced within one day.

Marmot Tours has a mobile ski waxing stand which is normally set up on the terrace of the hotel.  You are welcome to borrow all our kit (iron, brushes, scrapers etc), but will need to provide your own consumables (wax).

WHAT TO BRING

TRAVEL :: HOW DO I GET THERE?

We get people coming on our cross-country skiing holidays from all over the world, so it is impossible to include all the information on our website. The notes below are tailored to travellers from the UK. People from other countries please contact us for advice.

Free minibus transfers to / from Toulouse Airport are offered to tie in with the flights listed below from London Heathrow and Manchester. It is also possible to fly direct from Bristol, Gatwick, Dublin and Leeds and take the train to / from Ax-les-Thermes.  In addition to these flights it is possible to fly from most UK airports via Paris, Amsterdam or London.

Some people chose to extend their holiday by arriving the day before and spending an afternoon / evening exploring the vibrant and ornate red bricked city of Toulouse. You could then head back to the Airport in time for our transfer to Ax.

Please see the transport section of our website for all travel options (air, road and rail) plus information on getting to Ax Les Thermes independently of the group transfer from Toulouse, Carcassonne or Barcelona Airports.

We would like to emphasise that for this cross-country skiing holiday the 'ski train' from London to Ax is a fun, cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative to air travel, please see our Green Travel pages.

Flights into Toulouse with free airport transfers:
For this cross-country skiing holiday we offer a free airport transfer to tie in with the flights listed below. If any of these flights are delayed then the transfer will naturally be rescheduled. People arriving on the earlier of the flights will be expected to wait at the airport (max 2hrs) for the later flights to arrive. The transfer time is approximately 2 hrs.

BMI Baby flights from Manchester.
OUT: departs Manchester at 0655, arrives Toulouse at 1005.
IN: departs Toulouse at 1035, arrives Manchester 1145.

British Airways flights from London Heathrow.
OUT: departs London Heathrow at 0750, arrives Toulouse at 1035.
IN: departs Toulouse at 1120, arrives London Heathrow at 1210. 

Flights into Toulouse with independent transfers:
If the above flights are inconvenient for you, then it is also possible to fly into Toulouse on the flights below and make your own way to Ax-les Thermes independently by using the train. There are trains throughout the day with the last trains being at 1750, 1850, 1950 and 2122. Full details of this journey can be found in the transport section of our website.

Easy Jet flights from London Gatwick.
OUT: departs Gatwick at 1335, arrives Toulouse at 1620.
IN: departs Toulouse at 1650, arrives Gatwick at 1740. 

Easy Jet flights from Bristol.
OUT: departs Bristol at 1335, arrives Toulouse at 1620.
IN: departs Toulouse at 1650, arrives Bristol at 1740. 

British Airways flights from London Heathrow.
OUT: departs Heathrow at 1335, arrives Toulouse at 1625.
IN: departs Toulouse at 1125, arrives Heathrow at 1210.
or  departs Toulouse at 1710, arrives Heathrow at 1755.