 Poster: A snowHead
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Just had a couple of days blasting around Grandvalira.
Even though it hasn’t snowed for a couple of weeks we managed to ski across the whole area, Pas de la Casa to Canillo and back.
The condition of the pistes that were opened were remarkably good, with the best snow being on the Pas side.
The majority of the steeper runs didn’t have sufficient snow coverage to be opened + we didn’t bother heading off piste anywhere as the coverage was thin at best.
We stayed in the Hotel Himalaya in Soldeu, which was well located in the centre of the village and has a very impressive breakfast spread.
Apres in the Harp pub and dinner in Fat Alberts made of an enjoyable evening post skiing. Ribs on a pizza sounds a strange combination, but it worked !
If in Soldeu on a Tuesday night I would recommend booking in for their Ribs evening.
A good lunch at CBBC just above Pas, excellent food and people watching, but not recommended for a speedy lunch as service wasn’t the quickest.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Nice report - I've heard that the conditions in Grandvalira are holding up well dispite the weather over the last few weeks, possibly due to their extensive snow making facilities.
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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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Yep - think the piste conditions are helped by all the snow making.
It might suffer a bit over the next few days as the temperature is rising and not falling below zero overnight.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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nice post @mortonia, hope you have time to update it
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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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Sorry back near Toulouse now. Only there for a couple of days, so no further updates.
Enjoying the unseasonable warm weather and getting some extra cycling in though.
Back in the mountains after Xmas, hopefully, after more snow.
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@mortonia, I'm tempted to pop Soldeu at some point but may have to hire a car and drive from Toulouse airport, do you know the transfer time off the top of your head? I've seen mixed reports online!
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Sometimes it can be as quick as 2:30hrs, others it can be never ending !
Traffic around Toulouse can be heavy especially at rush hour. Coming into the airport you'd be in the middle of all the Airbus traffic.
Then up into the mountains can be slow due to single lane roads with nowhere to pass and a couple of pinch points, like around Ax Les Thermes.
And of course miss French/Spanish holidays as they are a complete nightmare.
In general coming in on the weekend, not on a holiday weekend and with ok weather you should be able to get from Toulouse to Soldeu in around 3 hours.
If the weather is good head over the pass rather than through the tunnel as will give you a chance to see some of the ski fields + save yourself EUR6 for the first couple of beers.
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Thanks @mortonia, that's great info. The flight I'm looking at gets into Toulouse at 4.20pm on a thurs, so I'm guessing I'd be hitting rush hour traffic!!!! Could be painful!
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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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@Handy Turnip, Have you looked at Barcelona Flights? Transfer times are about the same as Toulouse but car hire is usually cheaper in Spain. I suspect that there maybe a few more flight options too.
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@joydivision, I have to admit I'm a bit confused by the transfer times. On the soldeu website they say the transfer time for the shuttle buses from Toulouse is 2.5 hrs and from Barcelona is 4hrs. And on other sites they say it's a similar transfer time.
Barcelona would definitely be an option is the transfer time isn't too long.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Handy Turnip, If the transfer bus is taking 4hrs from Barcelona, then it must take an indirect route. We drove from Barcelona to Pas de la casa via the French side in 2.5hrs in a small Peugeot of some sort. I've never driven from Toulouse but when going in the transfer bus it always takes around 3.5hrs, but that includes a stop in Ax Les Thermes.
update, I've just popped Barcelona -> Soldeu in google maps and its saying 2hrs 44mins which sounds about right.
The only thing to be careful of if hiring a car from Barcelona is that some of the hire companies don't let you take it to Andorra, so its worth checking before booking and not mentioning it when you pick the car up!
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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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Perfect! The Barcelona option is back on the table!! Cheers @joydivision! 
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@Handy Turnip We've done the drive before from Barcelona via the Spanish route (the French side was snowbound) and I think it took about 3 hours in total that route, though there was some traffic around Andorra La Vella.
I've also got the bus before and the reason it takes 4 hours is because it stops everywhere, and sometimes you even need to wait around in La Vella to change buses!
@mortonia, Thanks so much for the update - we're going on the 27th and I'm a little addicted to checking the Grandvalira and SoldeuFocus Twitter accounts to see how the pistes are holding up!! Fingers crossed they will survive the heat over the next few days...
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You know it makes sense.
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I just booked a weekend to el tarter in feb, return flights to barcelona from stanstead = £39.98! now thats a bargain!
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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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The bus transfer from Barcelona to Andorra takes the longer route which doesn't have motorway and tunnel tolls. It will also do a 25 minute stop half way along.
mikeholmes25, great work 
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Poster: A snowHead
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I got back last night from a quick 4 dayer in Soldeu. 1st post is bang on, got slushy late on weds & thurs around sol' & El Tarter, very warm.
They really do know how to look after the piste and get the most out of it over there.
Sunday afternoon from Barca airport it took 3 hours with no stop on Novatel transfer. Yesterday afternoon it took 3 1/2hrs coming back. £53 return.
It really does need a couple of good dumps and some colder temps to open the rest of it, but that should come.
The ribs are always good!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Got back last night from 5 nights in Pas, spring like conditions, but all links open, and skied from Pas to Soldeu and back, lower slopes suffering a little, but still skiable.
We always fly to Barcelona, as the French border tends to close more often. We usually stay in Soldeu, Novatel transfers usually takes 3 1/2 hours to there, driving about 3 hours including stopping at a supermarket on the way up.
Sixt and Avis let you take their cars into Andorra, as they have Offices there.
Will be back to Soldeu in January.
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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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Anyone know of any car hire companies from Barcelona that give the option of winter tyres? All the cars from Toulouse have this option but can't find any from Barcelona that do!
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I don't, sorry. I can imagine that it would be hard to find. My advice is to by snowsocks from Alcampo near the airport (or from Diagonal Mar shopping centre in the Forum area of the city itself)... very cheap. No doubt there are other places that sell them too, though it would be hard to beat Alcampo on price, I suspect.
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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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Cheers @Pyremaniac, I suspected that might be the case. Shame as it would give me a bit more reassurance if I had winter tyres on, especially as I haven't driven in the mountains before.
But I like the snow socks idea - and I can hire snow chains from the hire company.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I would definitely fly to Barcelona in preference to Toulouse - much better flight and car hire options, and better maintained road network.
Nowhere in Barcelona will rent you a car with snow tyres. But if you happen to try and drive up the mountain when it is snowing heavily the police will turn you back if you don't have snow chains. As Pyremaniac says, best bet is to buy snow chains or snow socks at a service station or supermarket on the way. They all stock them and they are not expensive, but if you get caught out and try to buy them once the snow is coming down it is chaos! I must have made the drive from Barcelona to Andorra over 100 times and have only ever needed snow chains to actually get up to resort twice. Check the weather forecast before you go. The Andorrans usually do a much better job of keeping the roads clear of snow than the French do, and it is very rare for snow to affect roads down into Spain (but it does happen - I once had a 9 hour drive from the airport to our apartment due to heavy snow in Spain!)
Here are some things we've learnt over the years about hiring a car in Barcelona airport to take to Andorra.
1. Check the hire company will let you take it to Andorra. Some have specific exclusions for Andorra (it used to be a bit Wild West up there!) If they exclude Andorra, just move onto the next hire company - they won't change their mind and they will take a very dim view if you break down or damage the car in Andorra (as a friend's husband whose car was hit by a snowplough one night found out!)
2. Check you can pick it up in the terminal. The ones that are 'on the perimeter' can be up to an hours bus ride away but still advertised as airport pick up.
3. If you get the option, get a petrol car, as petrol has a lower freezing point than diesel. If you get a diesel car, as soon as you are able to top it up with Pyrenean diesel. It will have an additive in it to help stop it going waxy in low temperatures which is normal in most colder areas, but not considered necessary in Barcelona. Waxy diesel = car that won't start until it warms up. Which might not be for days!
4. There are not many petrol stations near the airport. The one at El Bruc is a good one - it is 30 Kms out but I've found the fuel gauge still shows full when you arrive at the airport if you fill up there.
5 Don't touch Firefly with a barge pole. Cheap, and very, very nasty. They advertise Focus Estates on the Internet, but when you go to pick the car up all they seem to have is an endless supply of Fiat Puntos, which believe me are very tricky to fit a family of 4 all with skis in! Judging by some of the others in the queue at the desk you can't fit 3 burly blokes with snowboards in one either. We ended up accepting 2 Puntos from them as they said they would only charge for one, but they did charge for both cars and we never managed to get the money back out of them. The main recognised brands - Avis, Sixt, Enterprise, etc are all only a little bit more expensive but much better.
The best route is the one the Novatel bus uses via Ponts and Seu d'Urgell (sorry for long link, I can figure out how to tidy it up!) - https://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NDEuOTQ1MzA2fjEuODkyOTIxJmx2bD04JnN0eT1yJnJ0cD1wb3MuNDEuMzAzMDI4XzIuMDc1OTMwXzA4ODIwJTIwRWwlMjBQcmF0JTIwZGUlMjBMbG9icmVnYXQlMjAwODgyMCUyMEJhcmNlbG9uYSUyMEJhcmNlbG9uYV9CYXJjZWxvbmElRTIlODAlOTNFbCUyMFByYXQlMjBBaXJwb3J0XzkwNCUyMDQwNCUyMDcwNF9lX1lONjMwNng3ODg4NTMxMTMwMzM3MjYzNDh+cG9zLjQxLjkxNjkwMV8xLjE4NDI4MF9Qb250cyUyQyUyMENhdGFsb25pYSUyQyUyMFNwYWluX19fZV9+cG9zLjQyLjU3NjcyMV8xLjY2NzYwMF9Tb2xkZXUlMkMlMjBBbmRvcnJhX19fZV8mbW9kZT1EJnJ0b3A9MH4wfjB+
It is a little longer than the more direct Puigcerda route, but there are no tolls, which are expensive, unnecessarily frequent and often have queues for cash payment. The last bit of the Puigcerda route is sick-inducingly windy, and takes forever, and is less likely to have been cleared of snow. Every few years we look at google maps and are convinced to try this route, and each time we vow not to do it again!
Final thing to be aware of on the road up to Andorra, whichever route you take, is that once you are off the motorway, if you see a sign for a speed camera, then slow down! Be aware of the speed limit for the bit of road you are on, because the Spanish seem to sprinkle completely random speed limit signs around all over with several changes in a very short stretch of road, and if there is a speed camera (usually hidden in an unmarked grey concrete block at the side of the road) and you are over the limit, they will hunt you down and find you! As far as Spain is concerned, speeding foreigners in hire cars is a just another lucrative form of income.
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Just thought of another thing - if you have a car and can park outside your hotel or apartment, and are feeling particularly lazy, you can park for free right next to the main lifts at both El Tarter and Grau Roig. Which is excellent when you are trying to carry not only your own skis, but also those of your 2 young children! Or if you are not feeling like walking far for any other reason....
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Thanks @pandora, what a fantastic post!! Great tips! A few people have said don't be tempted by the quicker route so I'll avoid that and stick to the one you recommend.
I would normally take the bus but our flight gets in 3.40pm which means getting the 6pm bus and getting into resort about 10pm. My reckoning is that by hiring a car we should be there by 8, which gives us a bit more evening esp as we're only there for a few days (and maybe even a chance to get skis sorted).
I was going to park in one of the underground car parks - bit more costly, but at least I don't have to worry about getting snowed in!!!
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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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Most of the larger car parks are fine, whether covered or not. We left the spare car last year (see point 5 above) in the big free one at El Tarter all week and it was fine. Just be careful of parking by the side of the road, especially the Main road through Soldeu - they are extremely enthusiastic about keeping roads clear, and the snow ploughs frequently accidently damage cars parked on the roadside. Most of the hotels have underground parking too, depends which one you stay in.
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@pandora, I'm in the Himalaia so no parking I believe but good to know that I needn't restrict myself to the underground ones.
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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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It´s snowing right now in Grandvalira.
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We get the lift pass + lunch voucher everytime, it's really worth it as a package. You can use it in some of the pasta and pizza places, just ask. We find the portions are a bit much for one person, so often stop for late breakfast and split one, then again in the afternoon.
We get ours from soldeu.com website.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just got back from a week there. So impressed with how hard the staff are working to keep the pistes in such a decent condition.
Granted, there were closed pistes, and the open ones were in some places patchy, brown or had stones on them, but given that (until Saturday, the day we left) it had not snowed since the end of November, there was still some genuinely decent piste skiing / riding to be had.
Anyone going out there any time soon, you'll have a great time, and it looks as though it's dumping it down now so I'm sure the slopes status will vastly improve over the coming days!
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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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Can anyone, please, tell me what is the best place to hire Skis in Pas de La Casa (not just the cheapest one but the one I can really trust the quality of the equipments and service)?
I am checking the websites from Pic Negre, Skimium (Lake Ski), Shusski, Skiset (Surf Evasion), Ski-Republic and Casa Esqui. There is a maximum EUR 10 difference between them.
I appreciate your help!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Koleoptero, couldn't comment upon the quality of the equipment, but we had a service done at Pas 83 last year (it's under KSB, on the piste-side, not the road-side) based upon a recommendation from a friend of ours who lives in the resort.
The service seemed very good, and was of a decent quality, plus the shop itself is right on the side of the piste if you want to use it as a locker location too. The people in there really seemed to know their stuff.
Having said that, last week, we used Pic Negre to service our gear (as it was an awful lot closer to the bottom of town where I was staying) and they were equally very friendly and knowing.
Based on that, I'd recommend Pic Negre or Pas 83, but I haven't actually used any of the other ones.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Koleoptero wrote: |
@pandora,
I will also do as @Handy Turnip said and will park in an underground park in Pas. What is the best covered park and how much it costs for a day to park there?
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I have used the multistory car park at the bottom of town near the roundabout / next to Hotel Cal Ruiz. It's supposed to be about €18 per day, but if you're staying for longer than three days, if you go and speak to people at the cash desk within an hour of getting there, they will charge you only €11 per day, which is not a bad deal at all.
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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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@Kingofthec, Thanks a lot for all the information.
I will wait to see if someone else will add something or I will go for the Pic Negre, witch is just accross the street from the apartament I´m renting.
I will also use this car parking you recommended.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sorry, not much idea about Pas (we go Soldeu side of things) but Pic Negre is a perfectly respectable company over our side of the mountain. Can't imagine it would be much different in Pas! Can't add much to any queries about parking in Pas either.
True story about pisties/piste conditions in Grandvalira: not long after the resorts of Pas and Soldeu formed the Grandvalira partnership, the Daily Mail Ski and Snowboard magazine came out to do a review. The magazine attempted to pay a complement to the piste workers by saying in the article that they were (in their opinion) second in the world only to the Canadians in attention to detail, lift queue management and fabulous condition of their pistes. This was taken as a slight against them by the pisties - they were furious about being second to anyone, and set about being the best in a very enthusiastic manner! Obviously as with all resorts there are lift pinch points, and skiing between New Year and Three Kings (6th january) the resort is full of nutters. But the rest of the time it is a nice place.
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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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| pandora wrote: |
| True story about pisties/piste conditions in Grandvalira: not long after the resorts of Pas and Soldeu formed the Grandvalira partnership, the Daily Mail Ski and Snowboard magazine came out to do a review. The magazine attempted to pay a complement to the piste workers by saying in the article that they were (in their opinion) second in the world only to the Canadians in attention to detail, lift queue management and fabulous condition of their pistes. This was taken as a slight against them by the pisties - they were furious about being second to anyone, and set about being the best in a very enthusiastic manner! Obviously as with all resorts there are lift pinch points, and skiing between New Year and Three Kings (6th january) the resort is full of nutters. But the rest of the time it is a nice place. |
Love this story! Until last week, I've always been in the middle of Feb so have never really been during "poor snow" times, so was incredibly impressed at the dedication of the staff which maintained month-old snow to such a high level! Compared to what I was expecting (and from what I've seen / read / heard, compared to a lot of other places in Europe last week) the conditions were excellent!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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They were fab in Vall Nord too over New year week too (bearing in mind amount of snow).... Looking blooming amazing now.... And not going back until half term 
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