Skiing in the Catalan Pyrenees
The Pyrenees
For advanced Skiers the Pyrenees doesn't offer as much as the Alps either in terms of sheer scale or quality of snow but because of this the atmosphere is a bit more laid back and less pretentious than some of the resorts in the Alps - it's also cheaper, so if you're a beginner or intermediate it's well worth considering as a destination.
It goes without saying, especially in these days of climate change, it's worth checking the snow forecasts if you're planning a trip and, if you're able, waiting until the last minute before you book. Because of it's 'poor relation' status to the Alps you'll probably find it much easier to book late, but if you can't don't worry too much, snow cannons are increasing in number every year so there will at least be something to slide down!
We've split the Catalunya ski areas into descending order of size, starting with Andorra, then Lleida, French Catalunya and ending with the tiny resorts of Girona province.
Ski Andorra
Andorra is split into two main skiing territories. To the west of the principality is Vall Nord which includes the towns of Arinsal, Pal, La Massana, Ordino and Arcalís, and to the east, the most extensive area, Grandvalira, which includes Encamp, Canillo, El Tartar, Soldeu, Grau Roig and Pas de la Cass.
Vall Nord Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2625m
◊ minimum altitude: 1940m
◊ number of slopes: 67
◊ 11 green, 22 blue, 27 red, 7 black
◊ total length of pistes: 89km
◊ number of lifts: 43
◊ snow canons: 376
◊ ski school?: yes - 3
Grandvalira Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2640m
◊ minimum altitude: 1710m
◊ number of slopes: 110
◊ 18 green, 38 blue, 32 red, 22 black
◊ total length of pistes: 193km
◊ number of lifts: 66
◊ snow canons: 1008
◊ ski school?: yes - 7
| Ski Andorra lift pass prices (2006-07) | ||||
| KEY: VN = Vall Nord, GR = Grandvalira, TA = Total Andorra | ||||
| adults | children | |||
| high season | low season | high season |
low season | |
| 1 day | VN-€33.00 GR-€39.00 |
VN-€28.00 GR-€36.50 |
VN-€25.00 GR-€30.00 |
VN-€21.00 GR-€27.50 |
| 5 days | VN-€129.00 GR-€156.50 TA-€168.00 |
VN-€108.00 GR-€152.50 TA-€157.50 |
VN-€97.00 GR-€119.00 TA-€168.00 |
VN-€81.50 GR-€114.00 TA-€157.50 |
| season |
VN-€665.00
GR-€715.00
TA-€815.00
|
VN-€499.00
GR-€580.00
TA-€692.00
|
||
Ski Lleida
There are six downhill resorts in Lleida province the largest of which is Baqueira-Beret then the significantly smaller Boí Taüll, Port del Comte, Port-Ainé, Espot Esquí and the tiny Tavascan.
Baqueira-Beret Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2510m
◊ minimum altitude: 1500m
◊ number of slopes: 72
◊ 4 green, 36 blue, 26 red, 6 black
◊ total length of pistes: 104km
◊ number of lifts: 33
◊ snow canons: 549
◊ ski school?: yes
Boí Taüll Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2750m
◊ minimum altitude: 2020m
◊ number of slopes: 49
◊ 9 green, 4 blue, 28 red, 8 black
◊ total length of pistes: 43km
◊ number of lifts: 16
◊ snow canons: 155
◊ ski school?: yes
Port del Comte Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2400m
◊ minimum altitude: 1700m
◊ number of slopes: 36
◊ 7 green, 11 blue, 13 red, 5 black
◊ total length of pistes: 41km
◊ number of lifts: 17
◊ snow canons: 200
◊ ski school?: yes
Port-Ainé Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2440m
◊ minimum altitude: 1650m
◊ number of slopes: 33
◊ 7 green, 6 blue, 13 red, 7 black
◊ total length of pistes: 44km
◊ number of lifts: 9
◊ snow canons: 90
◊ ski school?: yes
Espot Esquí Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2500m
◊ minimum altitude: 1500m
◊ number of slopes: 30
◊ 4 green, 9 blue, 11 red, 6 black
◊ total length of pistes: 22.5km
◊ number of lifts: 9
◊ snow canons: 89
◊ ski school?: yes
Tavascan Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2250m
◊ minimum altitude: 1750m
◊ number of slopes: 6
◊ 1 green, 5 red,
◊ total length of pistes: 5km
◊ number of lifts: 3
◊ snow canons: 0
◊ ski school?: yes
| Ski Lleida lift pass prices (2006-07) |
||||
| KEY: BB = Baqueira-Beret, BT = Boí Taüll, PC = Port del Comte, PA = Port-Ainé, EE = Espot Esquí, TA = Tavascan | ||||
| adults |
children |
|||
| 1 day | BB - €40.50 BT - €31.00 PC - €29.50 PA - €30.00 EE - €29.00 TA - €20.00 |
BB - €27.00 BT - €24.00 PC - €23.50 PA - €23.00 EE - €20.00 TA - €12.00 |
||
| 5 days |
BB - €195.00 BT - €151.00 PC - €114.50 PA - €129.00 EE - €116.00 TA - €100.00 |
BB - €126.00 BT - €117.00 PC - €91.00 PA - €98.00 EE - €80.00 TA - €60.00 |
||
| season |
BB - €845.00 BT - €615.00 PC - €475.00 PA - €460.00 EE - €350.00 TA - €180.00 |
BB - €532.00 BT - €460.00 PC - €380.00 PA - €350.00 EE - €260.00 TA - €120.00 |
||
Ski French Catalunya
French Catalunya has eight resorts in total grouped together under the banner of 'Neiges Catalanes'.
Bolquère Pyrénées 2000 & Font-Romeu Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2200m
◊ minimum altitude: 1800m
◊ number of pistes: 34
◊ 9 green, 9 blue, 8 red, 8 black
◊ total length of pistes: 54km
◊ number of lifts: 22
◊ snow canons: 500
◊ ski school?: yes
Cerdagne Puigmal Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2700m
◊ minimum altitude: 1800m
◊ number of pistes: 29
◊ 4 green, 5 blue, 14 red, 6 black
◊ total length of pistes: unknown
◊ number of lifts: 14
◊ snow canons: unknown
◊ ski school?: unknown
Cambre d’Aze Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2400m
◊ minimum altitude: 1640m
◊ number of pistes: 25
◊ 12 green, 4 blue, 7 red, 2 black
◊ total length of pistes: 35km
◊ number of lifts: 16
◊ snow canons: 157
◊ ski school?: unknown
Les Angles Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2400m
◊ minimum altitude: 1600m
◊ number of pistes: 18
◊ ? green, ? blue, ? red, ? black
◊ total length of pistes: unknown
◊ number of lifts: 16
◊ snow canons: unknown
◊ ski school?: yes
Porté Puymorens Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2500m
◊ minimum altitude: 1600m
◊ number of pistes: 22
◊ 7 green, 7 blue, 4 red, 4 black
◊ total length of pistes: 45km
◊ number of lifts: 12
◊ snow canons: yes
◊ ski school?: yes
Formiguères Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2350m
◊ minimum altitude: 1700m
◊ number of pistes: 19
◊ ? green, ? blue, ? red, ? black
◊ total length of pistes: unknown
◊ number of lifts: 8
◊ snow canons: unknow
◊ ski school?: unknown
Puyvalador Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 2400m
◊ minimum altitude: 1700m
◊ number of pistes: 17
◊ 4 green, 5 blue, 6 red, 2 black
◊ total length of pistes: unknown
◊ number of lifts: unknown
◊ snow canons: unknown
◊ ski school?: yes
La Quillane Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: 1800m
◊ minimum altitude: 1700m
◊ number of pistes: 4
◊ 3 green, 1 blue
◊ total length of pistes: unknown
◊ number of lifts: 3
◊ snow canons: yes
◊ ski school?: yes
| Ski French Catalunya lift pass prices (2006-07) | ||||
| KEY: BP = Bolquère Pyrénées, CP = Cerdagne Puigmal, CA = Cambre d’Aze, PP = Porté Puymorens, FO = Formiguères, LA = Les Angles, PU = Puyvalador, LQ = La Quillane, NC = Neiges Catalanes (all 8 French Catalan resorts) | ||||
| adults | children | |||
| high season | low season | high season | low season | |
| 1 day | BP-€26.00 CP-€24.00 CA-€22.00 LA-€28.00 PP-€23.00 FO-€24.00 PU-€23.00 LQ-€19.50 |
BP-€21.00 CP-€24.00 CA-n/a LA-n/a PP-€22.00 FO-n/a PU-€23.00 LQ-n/a |
BP-€22.00 CP-€20.00 CA-€13.00 LA-€24.00 PP-€16.00 FO-€18.00 PU-€19.00 LQ-€17.50 |
BP-€18.00 CP-€12.00 CA-n/a LA-n/a PP-€15.00 FO-n/a PU-€19.00 LQ-n/a |
| 6 days |
NC-€172.00 | NC-€138.00 | NC-€139.00 | NC-€110.00 |
| season |
NC-€495.00 |
NC-€420.00 |
||
Ski Girona
introduction
La Molina Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: ?m
◊ minimum altitude: ?m
◊ number of pistes: 23
◊ 8 green, 7 blue, 7 red, 1 black
◊ total length of pistes: 20km
◊ number of lifts: 10
◊ snow canons: unknown
◊ ski school?: unknown
Vall de Núria Statistics
◊ maximum altitude: ?m
◊ minimum altitude: ?m
◊ number of pistes: 10
◊ ? green, ? blue, ? red, ? black
◊ total length of pistes: unknown
◊ number of lifts: 4
◊ snow canons: yes
◊ ski school?: yes
| Ski Girona lift pass prices (2006-07) | ||||
| KEY: LM = La Molina,VN = Vall de Núria | ||||
| adults |
children | |||
| high season | low season | high season | low season | |
| 1 day | LM VN |
LM VN |
LM VN |
LM VN |
| 5 days |
LM VN |
LM VN |
LM VN |
LM VN |
| season |
LM VN |
LM VN |
||
