 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I will be out in Toulouse with work between Oct-Dec this year. Hoping to catch the start of the ski season before heading back to the UK just in time for Xmas and looking for recommendations. I've not skied there before so if anyone could point me in the right direction the would be good. Have skied in the Alps about 12 times and would say I ski at a good level.
I normally ski on piste, maybe a bit of off piste but nothing major. Don't tend to go to the park. If anyone can give advice on where to ski in the Pyrenees and how best to get there from Toulouse then I'd really appreciate it. I will have my car there with me.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry, just realised I've posted this in the wrong section. If someone could move this to the resorts section would really appreciate it.
Thanks
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi Rolly88,
Personally I'd go to Soldeu in Andorra. It's a fair drive from Toulose by bus (4hours) but with you'll be far quicker by car.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for the tip. Just had a quick look. Googlemaps reckons it about 2 hours drive so just about reasonable. What is Soldeu like then?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Rolly88,
No particular knowledge of the Pyrenees other then in the summer. However at that time of the year my general experience is that snowfall is unpredictable and there are often significant fairly local variations. I would wait to see where the snow falls and drive to it.
Just enjoy whatever resort happens to have the best conditions.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Fair point. Just wondered if any particular favourites. But yea at that time of year guess can't be choosy, just rock up and ski wherever has the snow
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Don't take the googlemaps estimates too seriously. I have come up from the Perpignan end towards Pasa and the Toulouse has had traffic jams that stretched all the way down the mountain plus some and can take hours to get through.
There are a lot of small resorts worth a day or two skiing so maybe worth seeing how much time you will be able to get skiing, if reasonable get a season pass for a big resort but visit some smaller ones like Pyrenees 2000/ Font Remeu or Puymorens hopefully avoiding some of the worst traffic jams.
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Peyragudes is a nice resort and fairly large by Pyreneean standards. My sister used to own a property there and we used to go out regularly. Plenty of fast lifts and few queues.No nightclubs.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I grew up in Toulouse and I'd give Peyragudes another vote. It's very easy and quick to access and good enough for a day's skiing.
When I wanted to push towards Andorra, I used to go to Pas de la Casa. Ugly resort but again decent for day's or week-end worth of skiing. Personally I've never experienced needing 4 hours to get there and I certainly would not approach it from the Perpignan direction... Plus on the way to there there is also the Ax les Thermes/Bonascre resort so you could do a last minute "switch". We use to park in Ax and get the Gondola to the resort. There's more tree lined pistes there so its a bit prettier, You can actually use Google street view to see the pistes..It'll give a good preview.
On the whole none of those resorts are very demanding if you're an advanced skier.
Close to Toulouse you also have Superbagnere that can be fun and if you're willing to travel a bit further you have Font-Romeu as mentionned above or St Lary-Soulan, Cauterets, Piau-Engaly, all of which are worth a day trip and all of which I have indeed done as a day trip.. You could also look into Bacquiera.
For a day or week-end you're spoilt for choice really. As suggested, since it'll be early in the season, look where the snow is and go from there..
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Baqueira, on the Spanish side of the border, is well worth a try. It's pretty easily accessible from Toulouse.
There are over a hundred km of pistes over four valleys, which are all well connected. The pistes are varied, mainly open and cruisey, but with some pretty tasty black itineraries too. If you were to fancy a bit of off piste there's loads of easy to reach "out of bounds" skiing. We were there March last year, when it didn't seem to be snowing anywhere, but I think it would be quite spectacular after a fresh fall of snow.
I think the chap who runs the Baqueira British Ski School has a chalet there which does short breaks, if you just wanted to stay for a couple of nights.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Would give Les Angles a positive vote. Generally family friendly skiing, although there are some steep itinerary style runs which are quite enough to challange and amuse most people, and ring a family resort which are are pretty quiet. Also, I'd speak up in favour of tiny formigueres, just up the road, which gives great access to a nice ski tour area.
Did four weeks skiing last year, 3 weeks in the alps, val d'Isere, chamonix, zermatt, and a week based in les angles. For all the glitz and glam of the alps had as much fun in little old les angles.
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I've snowboarded Le Tourmalet while out there on business. Interconnected to neighbouring resorts quite easily, so plenty of steep, interesting terrain to cover. Not a huge resort tho, we had pretty much seen it all after 3 (very hard ) days. Defo recommend the Pyrennes tho.
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You know it makes sense.
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If I were you I would base myself in luz
St Sauveur hautes Pyrenees, from there
you have Luz Ardiden, Grand Tourmalet
,Gavarnie and Cauterets all within easy drive.
You can decide where to go depending on
snow condition a. Check out www.n-py.com
For more info.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Roads are normally fine and if your going in December you should not
have any problems with holiday traffic but
Toulouse is always busy at rush hours. If you
have chains then you will be good for where
ever you end up going.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I live near Toulouse and for the last 2 winters the snow as been excellent in the Pyrenees in December.
All the top resorts have been mentioned, but my personal favorites are:
Ax les Thermes not an extensive ski area so good for day trips. Also as you can park in the town and take a lift up to the skiing you have lesser concerns for road conditions.
On from Ax - Andorra and Pas de la Casa - excellent skiing and more night life than the resorts in the French Pyrenees. Excellent for picking up cheap kit in the shops there. Tend to stay in Soldeu
Baqueria for all round skiing and tapas, but recommend staying in Arties if skiing here as more going on there. The Moet winter lounge on the piste there always seems to be a hit with the girls in the group.
Grand Tourmalet for off piste with the Pic Du Midi free skiing area. Access from Toulouse is quicker from the La Mongie side, even though its not the prettiest resort.
http://vimeo.com/89169949
Traffic around Toulouse can be difficult during rush hours. Especially, if you need to pass the large Airbus factory near the airport.
Early in the season the resorts tend to be very quiet. During the week in December we've had lifts and runs to ourselves for hours !
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I used to live in Andorra and I concur with all the choices & info from mortonia - cracking video too, the terrain off the Pic du Midi looks great, after watching that I've now added Les Jardin Bontaniques route to my ever-growing list of 'ones to tick off' 
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FAQ
Sadly I'm not but will hopefully get chance to try a few of them. I don't mind too much where I go as long as there's some good skiing. When you've done a lot of your skiing in Flaine you don't care about how the resort looks (anyone whose been will know what I mean 
). Will be bookmarking this page for when I'm there. Guess snow conditions will decide where I go.
