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Pyrenees Orientales - ski resorts guide
Font-Romeu - One of Europe’s oldest winter resorts, Font Romeu has been welcoming skiers since 1921. It remains a lively and popular border resort attracting weekend crowds from Spain as well as France. It has the biggest snow making operation in the Pyrenées and the second biggest bed base. Font Romeu itself is an historic town, about 200km (125 miles) from the city of Toulouse. Facilities include a casino, climbing wall, dog sledding, horse riding, ice hockey, judo, a library, squash, tennis and marked winter walking routes. The ski lifts are 4km (2.5 miles) away. Font Romeu receives 3000 hours of sunshine yearly, more than the Rockies, and has a large snowmaking system.
Most runs are short and flat, but for a greater choice the resort has signed up to the Les Neiges Catalanes Pass, which encompasses neighbouring ski resorts Err Puigmal, Eyne, Formigueres, Les Angles and lift-linked Pyrenées 2000, St Pierre del Forcats and Porte Puymorens. The most challenging skiing available at Font Romeu is "Competition" on the northern face. In general, it's a perfect base for beginners and families.
Cambre D’Aze - St Pierre dels Forcats and the resort of Cambre D’Aze is part of the Neiges Catalanes Area which incorporates ten ski stations all covered by one lift pass. Cambre D’Aze is the first station reached when travelling from the Mediterranean and is settled at the foot of an amazing glacial cirque. Wonderfully quiet skiing on tree lined pistes, with a distinct lack of queues and very few British skiers means that a visit to the French Pyrenees offers a very different skiing experience.
Intermediate skiers will be challenged by the narrower pistes while enjoying the variety of gradient on offer. The resort is ideal for first timers with two special beginners areas incorporating 8 green runs with very gentle lifts. Beginners will also be able to ski from the top of the chair lift along beautiful, gentle paths.
The great beginner and intermediate skiing make this an ideal resort for families.Non skiers – snowshoes, horse riding and thermal baths are all part of attraction for nonskier. Swimming, skating, bowling, thermal baths, ski de fond, dog sleds, cinemas.
There is one small park set aside for snowboarders, but most enjoy the quiet pistes through the forest and can try out the larger parks in other Neiges Catalanes resorts within 15 minutes drive. There are a number of bars at the foot of the slopes and several bar/restaurants in the two villages that make up Cambre D’Aze. Non skiers – snowshoes, horse riding andthermal baths are all part of attraction for nonskiers. Swimming, skating, bowling, thermal baths, ski de fond, dog sleds, cinemas, casinos
Puigmal 2600 - For your dose of thrills, try your skills on the resort's long black runs as they plunge down the mountainside. A truly stimulating experience. The less adventurous will enjoy the panoramic mountain views. Accommodation in nearby villages making up the Puigmal group: Err, Saillagouse, Estavar, Palau-de-Cerdagne, Nahuja and Sainte Léocadie along with other partner communes: Llo, Targasonne, Angoustrine, Dorres, Ur and Valcebollere.
Pyrenees 2000 -Pyrenees 2000 is a resort at the foot of the slopes. Choose from studio flats or appartments in the heart of the resort, furnished accommodation, rest houses, tourist residences, family accommodation, holiday centres and more. At Pyrénées 2000, there is accommodation to meet every need.
There is a special parking area for camping cars just 200 m from the runs which is open all year round.
Porte Puymorens - Typical Catalan mountain village, a family ski resort for all levels with well-prepared, wide slopes set in a large skiing area to guarantee fun for all.
Les Angles - Les Angles is a small mountain resort in the Eastern Pyrenees which is popular both for winter sports and summer holidaying. High on the Capcir plateau it enjoys the sunniest climate in France, is near the Spanish frontier and Andorra and only a 100 kms from Carcassonne and Perpignan. Skiers will enjoy the wealth of runs in, what many consider as, the best ski resort in the Pyrenees and nearby ski Mecca Font Romeu, while summer visitors love the lake with its childrens activities and the proximity of forest and mountain trails.
Les Angles boasts 50 kms of slopes with 29 slopes of all levels: 5 blue, 6 green, 16 red and 2 black, 19 lifts, Cross country skiing area (40kms), 1 snow park, continuous half-pipe. Good après-ski with a large selection of restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, skating rink, swimming- pool, leisure centre, theatre, cinema, animal park, under-ice diving and so on.
Formigueres -From the village or from the ski resort, Formigueres offers a new cross-country skiing area where you can discover little-known valleys and grandiose views.
Puyvalador - Follow long panoramic trails through a huge forest in completely natural surroundings facing the Puy Valador lake. Those seeking new sensations can discover off piste skiing and new gliding sports. South-facing chalets and flats to let among the pine trees opposite the ski slopes.
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