|
Aragon pyrenees forms the central region of Spanish pyrenees in Huesca, in the northern Aragon province. ideal for Pyrenees summer Trekking and winter Skiing.
Aragon is an ancient land composed of three provinces: Zaragoza; remote Teruel, which is farther south and Huesca; Most of Aragon constitutes terra incognita for the average tourist-- which is unfortunate, since it is one of the most historic regions of Spain.
Aragon also prides itself on exceptional Mudejar and its Romanic architecture and traditions. In folklore, Aragon is known for the Jota, a bounding, leaping dance performed by men and women since the 1700s. Zaragoza is the Aragon capital, and one of the most-visited destination in the region, the reason being because it lies on the main route between Madrid and Barcelona.
Aragon Pyrenees- Aragon ski resorts guide.
Candanchu - The ski resort of Candanchu is located in the Aragon Pyrenees, in its province of Huesca. You won't find it in many of the big tour operators' brochures but this little known resort offers some excellent ski-ing amid the stunning scenery of the Pyrenees. Together with the neighbouring resort of Astun, there are nearly 90 kilometres of pistes including some tough black runs to challenge the most proficient of skiers.
The resort is on the Spanish-French border in the centre of the Pyrenees, 385 kilometres north west of Barcelona which is the nearest major international airport. It's a popular winter weekend getaway for Spaniards and also attracts a small band of European and even American faithfuls who are attracted by the combination of good ski-ing and the absence of international tourism.
The village of Candanchu is at an altitude of 1,560 metres and the highest peak in the resort rises to 2,400 metres. There are nine green runs, eight blues, 14 reds and 17 blacks. The runs are served by six chair lifts and 19 drag lifts. The resort has a snow park, ski jump, half-pipe for snowboarders and a good range of cross-country trails for skiers of all abilities.
The newer Astun ski area is almost adjacent (you can use the same ski pass) and offers another 43 kilometres of prepared slopes consisting of three greens, 12 blues, 18 reds and 10 blacks. With more than 30% of the slopes in Candanchu designed for expert skiers, this is a paradise for those looking for some hard ski-ing. The runs are relatively short but you'd be hard pushed to find tougher off-piste ski-ing even in the best-known Alpine resorts.
Facilities within the resort include restaurants, cafes, bars, a disco, the usual equipment hire shops and a ski school with 95 instructors. There are sauna and massage facilities to ease your aching muscles after a hard day's ski-ing and if you're travelling with kids you can leave them in the care of the Candanchulandia nursery which accepts children between the ages of six months and six years old. There are three hotels in the resort, an "aparthotel", an hostal and four youth hostels (Albergues Juveniles). There's plenty of self-catering accommodation to be found in and around the resort and a good choice of hotels and hostals in the historic town of Jaca, 15 minutes drive south of Candanchu.
Panticosa - The Pyrenees ski resort of Panticosa is located in the centre of the Spanish Pyrenees Mountains in the region of Aragon. A band of local inhabitants of this lovely, centuries-old village came up with the idea of installing a chair lift to access the local mountain peaks as far back
as 1970. Recent innovations and improvements make this one of the most modern, charming but least commercialised resorts in the whole of Spain.
Panticosa lies close to the French border, sharing the Tena Valley with the livelier resort of Formigal. It's 170 kilometres north of Zaragoza's international airport and about 380 kilometres north west of the bigger airport at Barcelona which serves all the major European capitals with charter and schedule flights.
In Panticosa you'll get good skiing, with 38 slopes covering a total of 34 kilometres. The pistes consist of four green runs, 14 blue runs, 16 red runs and four black runs. They're serviced by a cable car, six chair lifts and seven drag lifts. The glacial lakes of Asnos and Sabacos are among the newer ski areas which have been developed to enhance Panticosa's reputation as a major player among Spain's increasingly popular winter resorts. For snowboarders there's a special zone with virgin snow and no rocks or other hazardous obstacles.
The lifts are capable of transporting 11,495 skiers per hour and an arsenal of snow making cannons ensures the pistes remain open even in periods of light snowfall. The telecabin can take up to 2,500 skiers an hour from the old town to the heart of the ski areas in just six minutes.
There are several one, two and three star hotels in the resort and self-catering apartments available to rent. The village is within easy reach of other ski areas in the Aragonese Pyrenees - Formigal, Cerler and Candanchu. Expert skiers will find the black runs and off-piste ski-ing in Candanchu provide a challenge to rival that of the steepest Alpine slopes. Formigal is the place to go for a livelier après-ski scene than you'll find in Panticosa.
 Formigal - The ski resort of Formigal is located in the Aragon Pyrenees. It's a lively purpose-built resort suitable for beginners, intermediate skiers and families. You don't come here to rub shoulders with the rich and famous but it's a friendly and relaxed resort with good facilities provided at considerably lower prices than in the better known winter playgrounds of the Alps.
The village of El Formigal is 170 kilometres north of Zaragoza's international airport and about 380 kilometres north west of the bigger airport at Barcelona which serves all the major European capitals with charter and schedule flights. It's just eight kilometres from the French border and shares the Tena Valley with the neighbouring resort of Candanchu.
There are 57 kilometres of marked runs consisting of four greens, 13 blues and 24 reds. More than 21,000 skiers per hour can be transported via the resort's 22 lifts (one gondola, five chair lifts and 16 drag lifts). Expert skiers have the option of going off-piste or heading for the more challenging resort of Candanchu which has steep, tough blacks to rival the hardest Alpine slopes. The resort's ski school has more than 50 instructors and there are 109 snow cannons at the ready to keep the pistes open when nature fails to come up with the goods. There's a slalom course, a half-pipe for snowboarders and the chance to try your hand at snowcatting or heli ski-ing. Harassed parents can make use of the resort's Guarderia which takes children from four months to five years of age between the hours of 8am and 7pm. If you're a non-skier, though, be warned that there's not a great deal to do in the village while your partner (or party) is on the slopes.
Good quality, cheap food and drink is available at several bars and restaurants on and off the pistes. The fixed price "menu del dia" is exceptionally good value compared with the kind of prices you have to pay in the more exclusive Swiss and French resorts.
There's a good range of hotels and self-catering apartments in and around the resort including four 4-star hotels in the village itself. The 4-star hotels include the 125-room Hotel Formigal which has excellent facilities and wonderful mountain views from many of the bedroom balconies. There's a big sun terrace overlooking the Pyrenees, an indoor heated swimming pool, Turkish bath, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and massage service. The large number of hotels, bars and discos in the resort ensure a lively après ski scene until the small hours.
 Cerler - The ski resort of Cerler is located in the Spanish province of Huesca in the Aragon Pyrenees. This is the highest ski resort in the Aragon Pyrenees, surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Benasque Valley where majestic pine and snow clad mountains rise to more than3,000 metres. The resort offers some good ski-ing for all abilities and because of its inherent charm and lack of commercialism many skiers prefer it to nearby Baqueira-Beret, northern Spain's premier ski centre. Zaragoza is the nearest international airport, 228 kilometres south of Cerler, and Barcelona's much bigger airport (serving all the major European capitals with charter and schedule flights) is about 270 kilometres to the south east.
The resort has 52 kilometres of slopes consisting of eight green runs, 15 blues, 15 reds and seven blacks. There are 18 lifts capable of transporting 21,440 skiers per hour - four two-seater chair lifts, four four-seater lifts, one six-seater lift, seven drag lifts and two rope drags. There's also a half-pipe for snowboarders and 25 kilometres of trails for cross-country skiers. The resort's 200 cannons help to keep the pistes open even in periods of light snowfall. If you're visiting with children you'll be able to leave them in the safe hands of the kindergarten which runs a snow garden for children aged three to six years. There's an indoor playroom and dining room and an outdoor play area where educational toys and activities enable youngsters to explore the world of snow in a safe environment. You can either pay by the hour or leave your child in the nursery during the day while you ski.
Other resort facilities include a ski school with more than 60 instructors who provide group or individual coaching in Alpine ski-ing, snowboarding, telemarking and off-piste techniques. There are several bars and cafes offering a range of hot and cold snacks as well as a good quality and very reasonable priced "menu del dia". You can relax over a meal either indoors or on the outside terraces of the various watering holes which you'll find at altitudes of 1,800 metres, 2000 metres or 2,300 metres.
There's a small number of hotels and self-catering apartments in the resort itself and many more to choose from in the nearby town of Benasque. The thee-star Monte Alba is right at the foot of the pistes and has a good range of facilities including a heated swimming pool, nursery, games room and storeroom for ski equipment.
Casa Cornell is a delightful stone-built, family-run hotel with just 15 rooms, all of which have magnificent views of the ski slopes. The building was once the private home of the illustrious Cornel family whose documented history dates back to the 13th century when Pere Cornel was the personal tutor of King James I the Conqueror.
 Astun - Astun is of the two major Aragon Pyrenees ski resorts. Set in the beautiful valley of Aragon, 80km from the French town of Pau, Astún is one of Spain's biggest snowsport zones and the venue for many national competitions including the European Cup. With a capacity for more than 15,000 skiers per hour and descents which are never less than 3km long, the resort offers tranquil skiing. There are 27 pistes (slopes) covering 37km - two green (beginners), seven blue (easy), 12 red (medium difficult), and six black (difficult) - plus two ski routes and a snowboard slope, all of which are served by five chairlifts and 11 draglifts. Artificial slopes mean there is skiing throughout the season. There are 60 instructors on site and individual hourly lessons for ski and snowboard start at 24 euros with reductions for groups up to six people. Classes for a minimum of seven and a maximum 10 people cost 12 euros, and weekly tickets are available. There is plenty of accommodation on the site including the three-star Hotel Europa and the Hoserval apartment complex. The resort has a nursery for children aged three to five as well as cafeterias, bars and a discotheque, heated pool, sauna, gymnasium, four sports shops for rental of equipment, a supermarket and ski club. Parking is available for 2.700 cars.
Accredited to pyreneesguide.com©
|
