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Nordic Skiing Highlights of the Pyrenees, EuropeThis cross country skiing holiday offers you access to the 5 best track xc ski areas in the Pyrenees, for an opportunity to ski some distance, across different terrains with stunning scenery, and in a pleasant climate. Well suited to both intermediate skiers and experienced skiers. |
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Vast XC ski area to explore. |
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INTRODUCTIONOur Nordic highlights cross-country skiing holiday is a must for any track skiing enthusiast looking for an exciting alternative to Scandinavia. We tour the Pyrenees visiting 5 different cross-country ski areas, each with their own character, 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.This xc skiing holiday is best suited to people with one or more weeks cross-country skiing experience (both classic or skating) who we know will enjoy the challenge of going the distance and travelling through the varied ski terrains that we come across during the holiday. Group holidays are great fun and skiing in good company is always a pleasure, however, this itinerary also allows you the freedom of independent skiing should you desire it. Your guide, James Thompson, SSE Nordic Ski Instructor, will be available every day for orientation and ski tours at different speeds and distances. However there is no obligation to ski in a group, or with others, and we would encourage you to get exactly what you want out of this cross-country skiing experience. We are fortunate to have such high quality cross-country ski areas on our doorstep, where the tracks are beautifully maintained and clearly marked so orientation is very easy. This cross-country skiing holiday 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. HOLIDAY ITINERARYThis cross country skiing holiday 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 minibus, so at any stage during the day you can have access to spare clothing, different skis, etc.
WHY CHOOSE US?As an experienced classic and skating skier himself, James knows what makes a good cross country skiing experience. For him it is about really emphasising the 'cross country' aspect of this winter activity, and covering not only some distance, but experiencing different landscapes and terrains. Within the area of the Eastern Pyrenees, this is exactly what we can offer you, and you will be able to ski across high mountain plateaux, through beech and pine forests, and along valley floors, all in the space of the week. All the skiing is on groomed trails allowing you to hone your technique and get the maximum glide possible during your skiing. To get the most from the cross country skiing 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, and all apart from one of the ski centres have cafe's available for you to sit and take a well earned break (generally on a sun baked terrace with panoramic views!). This means that this trip can work well for mixed ability couples or for those wanting to mix downhill and cross-country skiing (downhill skiing is an alternative option on every day of this trip). Director of Marmot Tours, James has been leading cross-country skiing holidays for over 7 years and has been in the leisure industry for even longer. He is approachable, energetic and enthusiastic, and should you want any top tips on improving your cross-country skiing technique, then he will be happy to help you out. If you are fairly new to cross-country skiing then we feel that our
centre
based trip would probably be more appropriate for you. It is important to us that people book
the correct holidays so please do not hesitate to contact
us if you have have any questions. 2010 HOLIDAY DATESSunday 2 Jan - Sunday 9 Jan 2011 (Trip Code XFT K02)Sunday 30 Jan - Sunday 6 Feb 2011 (Trip Code XFT K06) HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?The holiday costs £650, 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.This price includes: Airport transfers, 6 days transport to different ski regions, 6 days guided cross-country skiing with one or two guides, informal cross-country ski instruction, 5 nights 2** Hotel in Ax-Les-Thermes. 2 nights in 2** Hotel near Font Romeu. 7 breakfasts and 7 evening meals. Cross-country ski pass that gives access to the prepared cross-country skiing tracks.NB: Prices are based on sharing a twin room. The single
supplement for this holiday is £120 - please liaise with us
regarding availability for this at the time of your booking 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 and have a TV with UK news and free WIFI access.Font-Romeu: We stay in a chalet style 2 star hotel, Y-Sem-Be, 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. FOOD AND MEALS
Breakfast: Continental style breakfasts are provided by the
hotel. We supplement these with cereals and 'ready brek'. GETTING AROUNDThroughout the holiday you transferred to and from the cross-country ski areas in a private minibus. James and Cathy (2nd guide with larger groups) 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.CROSS COUNTRY SKI HIRECross-country ski hire is not included in the holiday cost, so you can hire the type and quality of ski you want, or even try out different skis / boots as the week progresses. We are very lucky to have a dedicated cross-country ski hire shop with an excellent selections of equipment. Classic XC ski hire starts at €49 per week, including boots and poles. Good quality skating ski hire starts at €79 per week, including boots and poles (and a set of classic cross-country skis are included in the price). All skis 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).NB: You are welcome bring your own
cross-country skis on this holiday. However, the cross-country ski areas are not suitable for wide skis with
metal edges and 3 pin bindings. Grip-wax cross-country skis can be used but are
not recommended (apart from in December and January) due to range of snow temperatures that can be
experienced within one day. OTHER ACTIVITIESThere is no 'official' rest day during this holiday, but you are invited to take it easy whenever suits you. Both Ax and Font Romeu have downhill ski stations. All the ski areas have marked snowshoe trails and Snowshoes can be borrowed free of charge from Marmot Tours. At several of the stations you could try dogsledding or paragliding. Relaxing is always an option!MASSAGE SERVICEOn most evenings of this holiday Cathy Thompson will be offering Therapeutic Massages at the Hotel. More info>>WHAT TO BRINGPlease see this holidays packing list for details. Cross-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°C, so you do not get cold when you stop.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. We would like to emphasise that for this cross-country skiing
holiday the 'ski train' is a fun, cost effective and environmentally
friendly alternative to air travel, please
see our
Green Travel pages. |
