| This global warming is proving to be a bit nippy, there | | | | for driving up and down a mountain road, although |
| have been record snowfalls all across Europe in | | | | that option is there if you want to take it. |
| November 2008 which has meant that everywhere is | | | | The runs at Ax Les Thermes are much longer and |
| enjoying a bumper start to their season on the | | | | provide a better mix for the advanced level winter |
| slopes and the Pyrenees in the South of France is no | | | | sports enthusiast with 5 blacks and 10 reds to select |
| exception. We have already had some great skiing in | | | | from, also with a further 8 blues and 5 greens this |
| the Pyrenees and with the snow falling as I write the | | | | resort can cater for all levels of skiing ability and is a |
| expectations are high for plenty more. | | | | good place for beginners and intermediates as well. I |
| The Pyrenees is not the first place anyone thinks of | | | | suspect that the boarders would enjoy the snowpark |
| when they are thinking about their next skiing | | | | in the Saquet sector which is one of the 3 sectors |
| vacation, more often it is the Alps that gets the first | | | | that make up the Ax 3 Domaines skiing resort, the |
| consideration whether that is France, Austria, Italy or | | | | other 2 are Bonascre and Campels. |
| Germany. But boy, we may have had some snow | | | | Both resorts are enjoying the great snow that |
| but it's certainly not raining Euro's so there may be a | | | | arrived in November 08 and Ax Les Thermes in |
| few people out there who are interested in a cost | | | | particular has had all it's slopes and lifts open since the |
| effective way to go skiing where the prices are a | | | | beginning of December, Ax Les Thermes has a good |
| little more reasonable. | | | | mix of gondolas, chairs and draglifts which means if |
| Most people know about Andorra and the fact that it | | | | you really want to you can save all your energy for |
| is one of the cheapest places to ski, helped by a tax | | | | the skiing and still get the degree of difficulty you are |
| free economy there are some great deals to be had | | | | looking for. Monts d'Olmes on the other hand has |
| and actually two of the main resorts there, Casa de | | | | only one chairlift and the rest of the lifts are of the |
| la Pasa and Soldeu are only about 1/2 an hour or so | | | | drag variety, that said the chair takes you almost to |
| from the resorts I am going to talk about here, | | | | the top so you can get a good run all the way to |
| Monts d'Olmes and Ax Les Thermes both of which lie | | | | the bottom via blues and reds back to the chair. |
| in the French Pyrenees about an hour and a half | | | | Ski passes can be bought from increments of 1/2 |
| south of Toulouse. So if you did fancy an excursion | | | | days up to several days and you should obviously |
| into Andorra from here, as long as you are prepared | | | | check out the tarriffs for the best deals, there are |
| and have some transport its definitely not out of the | | | | special family days (1/2 days excluded) and student |
| question. | | | | passes are available at reduced cost. Ski equipment, |
| Located where they are, there are plenty of options | | | | snowboarding equipment and toboggons are all |
| for getting to both resorts, Monts d'Olmes and Ax | | | | available for hire at reasonable cost and in the case |
| Les Thermes, including flying into Toulouse or | | | | of Ax Les Thermes you can get your equipment |
| Carcassonne, getting a train or a bus and that's not | | | | either in town or you can wait until you get up to |
| to mention the driving option, hire car or otherwise. | | | | Bonascre where the first of the slopes is available. |
| It has to be said that Monts d'Olmes is not that well | | | | For apres ski, Ax Les Thermes has a lot to offer, |
| known and tends to be used by the locals rather | | | | being a spa town with hot springs it is just as well |
| than the ski package tour operators, but it's not a | | | | visited in the summer as it is in the winter and so |
| bad little resort and would be great as a family skiing | | | | there are plenty of facilities on offer including shops, |
| location where there are a range of skill levels from | | | | bars, restaurants and cafes. You could probably get a |
| beginner to intermediate. If you are a serious | | | | hot tub somewhere as well if you wanted, I have |
| advanced skier or snowboarder then I would say | | | | never actually done that but it is a spa town so I am |
| with only 2 black runs and as many greens as reds | | | | sure there will be facilities somewhere in the town. |
| then this would not be the place for you. But for | | | | I hope you have found this review useful and that it |
| beginners and intermediates, or families looking for a | | | | has given you a flavor for a couple of my local ski |
| place where it is relatively easy to keep in touch with | | | | resorts in the Pyrenees, I have skied in a few |
| one another then it's worth consideration. | | | | different places and countries, including Austria, Italy, |
| The resort is at a fairly low altitude so there is a | | | | Bulgaria, Germany and Canada but I can honestly say |
| need to check the snow forecasts and conditions | | | | that I have enjoyed my skiing here as much as |
| and to have a contingency plan if the snow does get | | | | anywhere else, obviously there will be personal |
| a bit sparse, it can also be a bit tricky on the | | | | favorites but as far as I am concerned as long as |
| mountain roads if a snow storm comes in so it is a | | | | you look for the positive and don't get too hung up |
| good idea to be prepared with an appropriate vehicle, | | | | over minor irritations you can enjoy any resort. |
| snow chains or by using the bus service to get there, | | | | You can get further information and details on skiing |
| all these options are easily accommodated at varying | | | | in the Pyrenees on my website Skiing and |
| levels of cost. | | | | Snowboarding in the Pyrenees and if you need some |
| The first contingency plan has got to be Ax Les | | | | help with finding flights and travel information to |
| Thermes which is just down the road from Foix on | | | | Europe you can visit my travel advice page on |
| the way to Andorra, it is a much larger resort and | | | | French Travel Advice which has some very useful |
| has 28 runs (7 more than Monts d'Olmes) and | | | | information for France and Europe generally, whether |
| approximately 80 km's of pisted slopes. It is also | | | | you are flying, driving or looking to go by rail. |
| slightly higher by about 400m, but this can make all | | | | If you enjoy the information in the website on the |
| the difference in terms of snow consistency. Another | | | | Pyrenees don't forget to give it a thumbs up rating |
| serious benefit of Ax Les Thermes is that it can be | | | | at the bottom of the page or to share it with other |
| accessed from the main road to Andorra via a | | | | skiers or snowboarders who might find it interesting. |
| gondola straight out of the town avoiding the need | | | | |