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Nordic Highlights of the PyreneesA tour of the 5 best track cross country skiing areas in the Pyrenees. |
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OVERVIEWThis is a cross country skiing holiday for any track skiing enthusiast looking for an exciting alternative to Norway. We tour the Pyrenees visiting 5 different cross-country ski areas, offering us a staggering 360 km of prepared and marked trails. The high altitude of the ski areas ensures good snow conditions, while the proximity to the Mediterranean gives us longer sunnier days. During the week the leaders, James and Cathy will offer orientation tours of the different ski areas, however you are encouraged to ski on your own if that is your desire.The trip is based in two very different mountain towns. Ax-Les-Thermes is a pretty thermal spa town straddling the river Ariège while Font-Romeu is a more cosmopolitan town set on the vast sun baked plateau near the Spanish border. Each day we drive to a different ski area, giving us a huge variety
of trails, landscapes and views. Each of the stations has their
own character and during the week we visit the Plateau de Beille,
Domain de Chioula, Capcir, Font-Romeu and Pyrenees 2000. IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?This cross country skiing trip is aimed at skiers who have had two or more weeks of experience of either classic or skating. The holiday is about covering some distance on prepared tracks and exploring these ski areas in the Pyrenees. To get the most from the holiday you will need to be in a relatively good shape. However, due to the flexible nature of the holiday, you are free to ski as much or as little as you like. This is particularly advantageous for mixed ability couples. Please note that there is no off-piste skiing on this holiday. Cathy has written an article on cross-country skiing in the area which gives you an overview of the holiday. Downhill skiing is an option on every day of this holiday. If you are new to XC skiing then our center based trip would be more appropriate for you. It is important to us that people book the correct trip - please do not hesitate to contact us if you have have any questions.THE SKI AREASAll of the ski areas are lovingly groomed and fresh loipes are
pressed into the snow every night by specialist cross-country skiing
piste bashers.
Domain de Chioula - 60km of trails between 1240 to 1650m
Capcir - 100km of trails at 1500m Font-Romeu / Pyrenees 2000 - 100km of trails between 1500
to 2000m. DATESSunday 4 Jan - Sunday 11 Jan 2009 (Trip Code XFT I01)Sunday 1 Feb - Sunday 8 Feb 2009 (Trip Code XFT I05) Sunday 22 Feb - Sunday 1 March 2009 (Trip code XFT I08) HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?The holiday costs £610, starting at Toulouse Airport. Flights are not included but can be picked up very cheaply if booked in advance. Allow about £50 for drinks and the meals not included (outlined below). There are no other local payments or hidden costs. Please note that we offer a 5% discount if you book more than 3 months before the departure date. We also offer group and loyalty discounts. More Info >>WHAT DOES THE PRICE INCLUDE?Airport transfers, 6 days transport to different ski regions, 6 days guided skiing with one or two guides, informal ski instruction, 4 nights 2** Hotel in Ax-Les-Thermes. 3 nights in 2** Hotel near Font Romeu. 7 breakfasts and 6 evening meals. Ski pass that gives access to the prepared ski tracks.WHERE DO WE STAYAx-les-thermes: We stay in a small, comfortable 2 star hotel in the town of Ax-les-Thermes. Known for its friendly atmosphere and good cuisine, the Hotel Terminus source the meats and fish for their traditional French dishes, from local producers. The house wine is organic, plus they have an extensive wine list with choices from both near and afar. Traditional French breakfasts are also provided. The hotel is a short walk from the town centre, and is situated on the banks of the River Ariege. All the rooms have views over the river.Font-Romeu: We stay in a chalet style 2 star hotel just outside town. It is situated at 1800m on the sunny plateau of the Cerdagne, enjoying stunning panoramic views. It is well placed for accessing the facilities in the centre of Font Romeu. The hotel has a pleasant and airy restaurant where we take our evening meals. There is also drying facilities and a comfortable lounge area. Accommodation is normally allocated on a twin share basis with shared facilities. A single room can be guaranteed for a supplement of £105 - please let us know at the time of booking. FOODAll breakfasts are included and are continental style. All evening meals will be taken in the hotel restaurants where we will be spoilt with fine home cooking. No lunches are included - this enables you to make up your own picnic from the many patisseries in town, or eat at the quality restaurants on the ski areas. Vegetarians are welcome and will be looked after very well.GUIDING AND INSTRUCTIONThis trip is not intended for beginners, so no instruction is included. James Thompson and Cathy Durbridge will offer orientation ski tours of each station at a reasonable pace. However all the stations are well signposted and the maps are very clear and easy to read, so it is possible to ski off on your own. For those wanting to fine tune their technique, James (a Snow Sport England Instructor) will be able to offer top tips throughout the holiday.TRANSPORTThroughout the trip you transferred to and from the ski areas in a private minibus. Both James and Cathy have lots of experience of driving in snowy conditions. The buses are naturally fitted with snow tyres and chains are carried. Each day we transfer 15 to 45mins depending on snow conditions on the road.CLIMATEThis part of the Pyrenees generally has more snow for a longer season than further West. Also the Proximity to the Mediterranean gives us longer sunnier days. On the slopes we can expect anything from -10 to +20, while in Ax it very rarely gets below freezing. Font-Romeu get more sun than anywhere else in France, this has been exploited and there are several huge solar energy stations in the region.SKI HIRESki Hire is not included, so you can hire the type and quality of ski you want, or even try out different skis / boots as the week progresses. Basic classic ski hire starts at €49 per week, including boots and poles. We are very lucky to have a ski hire shop with an excellent selections of equipment. The Ski's are mounted with NNN bindings. In addition there is a very good outdoor clothing and gear shop in Ax-les-Thermes, 200 meters from our hotel - see Telemark Pyrenees (external website).OTHER ACTIVITIESThere is no 'official' rest day, but you are encouraged to take it easy on at least a couple of days. Both Ax and Font Romeu have downhill ski stations. All the ski areas have marked snowshoe trails and Snowshoes can be hired for a couple of hours. At several of the stations you could try dogsledding or paragliding. Relaxing is always an option!WHAT TO BRINGCross country skiing can be fairly energetic, so you will need lots of layers, ending in a windproof shell. You will need to be able to carry some water with you while you are skiing. One of the joys of skiing in the Pyrenees is that even in January we are skiing in temperatures over 12 dec C, so you do not get cold when you stop. A full packing list will be sent to you on booking.HOW DO I GET THERE?Toulouse Airport is only 1hr 45mins form Ax-les-Thermes and 3hrs from Font-Romeu by road. Minibus transfers at specified times are included in the cost of the holiday.For this trip the airport transfers are scheduled to tie in with the British Airways flights from London Gatwick. If this flight is delayed then the transfer will naturally be rescheduled.
OUT: Flight BA7953 arriving in Toulouse at 1740. There are also flights from most UK regional airports with KLM via Amsterdam which tie in with these transfers. We can help you find the most suitable flight, please contact us. Please see the Transport section for all travel options (air, road and rail), plus getting to the start point independently of the group transfer.
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