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Cross Country track skiing minibreak holiday in the Pyrenees, France3 great days of inspiring Pre-Christmas cross-country skiing |
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3 days of cross-country skiing. |
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 To
notes on week-long trip To
other winter holidays |
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OVERVIEWThe Pyrenees offers the perfect climate for any cross-country skier looking for a early winter fix in preparation for a Scandinavian holiday later in the season. Despite being the depths of winter the sun does not disappear over the horizon until about 5.30pm and with 130km of perfectly groomed pistes to get around we need all the daylight we can get.This holiday is aimed at any track skier (classic or skating) who wants to travel some distance and develop their skills. We spend 2 days at the Plateau de Beille and 1 day at Chioula. During the weekend you will be accompanied by James Thompson, a cross-country
ski instructor, who will offer daily guided tours to his favourite
corners of the mountainside. However the loips are well marked and
graded so you are free to go exploring on your own, if that is your
choice. The Plateau de Beille and the domain du Chioula both have
excellent south facing mountain cafes, with a stunning panoramas, so
you do not have to be on the go all the time. We base ourselves in the pretty spa town of Ax-les-Thermes, which hosts a newly opened Luxury Roman Baths for those wanting to relax in the evenings. Why come to the Pyrenees with Marmot Tours?This unique group holiday is that totally 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!). Firstly the area around our centre (Ax les Thermes) is the perfect base for our trips, offering the best dedicated xc ski stations in the Pyrenees, with over 130kms of groomed pistes, where they have excellent facilities in terms of cafe's, drinking water on tap, and where they maintain their ski areas beautifully. They also happen to be situated in stunning locations with panoramic mountain views! Guiding/Instruction: The trip 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 2003 and has been in the leisure industry for even longer. He knows what makes a good trip and is approachable, energetic and enthusiastic. Both ski domaines that we use (Plateau de Beille and Chioula) 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 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. He will also lead groups on some ski tours at different speeds and for different distances during the week, as well as being around for individual input if you need it. Then, at the end of the day, or whenever you have done enough
skiing, you can grab your book and sit on the sun baked terrace with
a vin chaud or a beer and rest up before the group heads back to the
hotel.
DATESWednesday 16th to Sunday 20th December 2009 (Trip Code SFW I51)HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?The holiday costs £350, starting and ending at Toulouse Airport. Flights are not included but can be picked up cheaply if booked in advance. Allow about £60 for drinks and lunches.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 >> 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 £80 - this must be arranged on booking. WHAT DOES THE PRICE INCLUDE?4 days entrance to the cross-country ski areas at Beille and Chioula. Transfers to from Toulouse Airport. Vehicle support during the weekend. 5 nights in the Hotel Terminus. 4 evening meals, 5 breakfasts. Services, instruction and guiding of James Thompson throughout the minibreak holiday.WHERE DO WE STAY?Throughout this cross-country skiing mini-break we stay in the family run 2 star Hotel Terminus, which provides us with a comfortable base for the week. Alain and Elizabet offer a warm welcome in their lovely hotel. They are proud to serve up delicious evening meals using meat and vegetables from local producers. The rooms are large and all have a window overlooking the river Ariège. The hotel is a 5 minute walk from the centre of Ax les Thermes, opposite the railway station. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, as well as a telephone and television. The kitchen produces excellent authentic Pyrenean dishes.FOOD AND MEALS
Breakfast: Continental style breakfasts are provided by the
hotel. We supplement these with cereals and 'ready brek'. GUIDING AND INSTRUCTIONThere is no 'formal instruction' in this holiday but James will be more than happy to offer top tips and suggest exercises on a one to one basis to those in the group wanting to fine tune their technique.GROUPThere is a maximum of 16 people (minimum 4) plus James on this weekend holiday. James will be assisted by Cathy for groups over 8. Bookings from single people are welcome as activity holidays are a great way to make new friends. MASSAGE SERVICEOn most evenings of this trip Cathy Thompson will be offering Therapeutic Massages at the Hotel. More info>>TRANSPORTThroughout the minibreak holiday you transferred to and from the cross-country ski areas in a private minibus. The bus is naturally fitted with snow tyres and chains are carried. Transfers will be from 20 to 45 mins each way depending on snow cover.CLIMATEThe area around Andorra gets more snow than any other in the Pyrenees (often more than the Alps). Most years the snow sits on the hills until the end of April, while the proximity to the Mediterranean results in a warmer, more stable climate. The latitude ensures that we can enjoy long sunny days in the hills. Even in December we can expect to be skiing in +10 Deg C.
SKI HIRECross-country 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. The basic package for ‘classic’ skiing is €27 for 3 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 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 skis. However, the ski areas are not suitable for wide skis with metal edges and 3 pin bindings. Grip-wax skis can be used in December and January WHAT TO BRING ON HOLIDAYCross country skiing can be fairly energetic, so you will need lots of layers are best, ending in a windproof shell. You will need to be able to carry some water with you while you are skiing. You will be sent a full kit list on booking.TRAVEL :: HOW DO I GET THERE?We get people coming on our 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. |
