This was my first experience of skiing and I can safely say that I will be going again (but not back to Pas de la Casa). It has been described as the Ibiza on Snow and as a general indication of what you can expect this is not far wrong.
The facilities are fine. Plentiful chair lifts, good runs up and over the main resort into neighbouring resorts and the snow is pretty reliable. I was lucky to have gorgeous weather there in March which certianly made the experience a delight.
Lessons are widely available and all the instructors speak English. Mine (Ricard) was a true character and a joy to learn with. Others were more fierce and less understanding I hear, so this is a bit of pot luck.
Hotels here are not exactly classy. It is basic and functional. Walls are thin, doors slam loudly. But the resort is small and nowhere is out of reach, even in ski boots.
There is a distinct lack of good places to eat, which was surprising given the quality of the neighbouring country's cuisine. Even the local supermarkets didn't seem to have a stock of fresh ingredients, so you won't be much better off going self-catering. Chips is almost mandatory, though pizza or pasta are edible alternatives. Bars offer promo deals, happy hours, free shots... you get the picture?
But, as a tax free zone, there are advantages to coming here. Perfume is well priced, though not any cheaper than in the airports, booze is very cheap (I bought a litre of reasonable sherry in a plastic container in a supermarket for about 50p) and electrical products are very good value.
Accessibility to the resort was a little troublesome. We flew to Toulouse via Easyjet and got a coach transfer, which was a good 2 hours. Driving up in to the mountains in the dark in the drifting snow was on the scary side of fun, but the daytime journey back down afforded spectacular views before hitting the plains of southern France.
Quality aside, the holiday was an excellent and cheap introduction to skiing. It is not a place I would go back to given the plethora of alternatives out there. As a family option, it may be cheap, but not very family friendly overall. A place for the young, impecunious, or party types.
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Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Jun 15th, 2007
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