Christmas in a mountain town
Nov 20th, 2008, 08:02 AM
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Christmas in a mountain town
Hello all,
My husband and I will be in Spain for 3.5 months starting in early December and we are hoping to find a nice place to spend Christmas with our 3 month old son. Ideally we would find a lovely mid-size mountain town where we could easily snow shoe with our son and maybe spend 1 day skiing. Hopefully it won't be all about the night life and skiing but something smaller. Something akin to Steamboat Springs, Colorado or Crested Butte, CO in the US. Our dream spot in the US is Dunton Hot Springs where we spent our honeymoon and if we could find anything like this in Europe we'd be over the moon!
We'd ideally find a 3-5 star smaller inn (like with 20 rooms) that feels homey yet luxurious. I've been looking in Chamonix because the mountains are so lovely but would welcome any ideas. We'll be traveling from Madrid and would go to any place in France, Germany or Switzerland. I know this is a broad request but I'm on a short time line and don't know these areas at all!
Thanks in advance for your help,
Jessica
My husband and I will be in Spain for 3.5 months starting in early December and we are hoping to find a nice place to spend Christmas with our 3 month old son. Ideally we would find a lovely mid-size mountain town where we could easily snow shoe with our son and maybe spend 1 day skiing. Hopefully it won't be all about the night life and skiing but something smaller. Something akin to Steamboat Springs, Colorado or Crested Butte, CO in the US. Our dream spot in the US is Dunton Hot Springs where we spent our honeymoon and if we could find anything like this in Europe we'd be over the moon!
We'd ideally find a 3-5 star smaller inn (like with 20 rooms) that feels homey yet luxurious. I've been looking in Chamonix because the mountains are so lovely but would welcome any ideas. We'll be traveling from Madrid and would go to any place in France, Germany or Switzerland. I know this is a broad request but I'm on a short time line and don't know these areas at all!
Thanks in advance for your help,
Jessica
Nov 20th, 2008, 08:32 AM
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You don't say where in Spain you are going to be and how you want to travel to this mountain town.
But when I read your post the first place that came into mind was Aix-les-Thermes in the French Pyrenees, which can be easily reached by car from either Barcelona or Bilbao/San Sebastian, via Toulouse or Pau. It's a legendary spa town with thermal waters (although not quite as famous as nearby Lourdes) and sounds almost exactly like what you are looking for.
You should access Aix-les-Thermes from the French side, rather than attempt driving over the Pyrenees at that time of year to get to it! You might scour sights for Lourdes to see transportation advice, because they are in the same general area.
Unfortunately, it is often hard to dig up information on the French pyrenees towns that is in English. Complicating matters, the town is sometimes referred to as Aix-en-Thermes, Aix-Thermes, and there is another town in Provence with the same name!
Perhaps when you are actually in Spain you'll be able to scope out more, although some of the Blue Guides to the region and Michelin can tell you how to get to the town, which has a lot of charm and large market.
But when I read your post the first place that came into mind was Aix-les-Thermes in the French Pyrenees, which can be easily reached by car from either Barcelona or Bilbao/San Sebastian, via Toulouse or Pau. It's a legendary spa town with thermal waters (although not quite as famous as nearby Lourdes) and sounds almost exactly like what you are looking for.
You should access Aix-les-Thermes from the French side, rather than attempt driving over the Pyrenees at that time of year to get to it! You might scour sights for Lourdes to see transportation advice, because they are in the same general area.
Unfortunately, it is often hard to dig up information on the French pyrenees towns that is in English. Complicating matters, the town is sometimes referred to as Aix-en-Thermes, Aix-Thermes, and there is another town in Provence with the same name!
Perhaps when you are actually in Spain you'll be able to scope out more, although some of the Blue Guides to the region and Michelin can tell you how to get to the town, which has a lot of charm and large market.
Nov 20th, 2008, 08:35 AM
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Sorry! I completely blew past that you are leaving from Madrid! Sorry!
Well, if I couldn't find a Madrid-Toulouse flight and I was determined to get to get Aix-en-thermes I would fly to Barcelona (or Perpignan?) rent a car and drive. It would be about 5 hours in nice weather.
Well, if I couldn't find a Madrid-Toulouse flight and I was determined to get to get Aix-en-thermes I would fly to Barcelona (or Perpignan?) rent a car and drive. It would be about 5 hours in nice weather.
Nov 20th, 2008, 08:45 AM
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Mystery solved:
The spelling of the town is actually
AX les thermes (no "i"
. My mistake.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ax-les-Thermes
With the right spelling, you should be able to get sufficient info on it over the 'net.
The spelling of the town is actually
AX les thermes (no "i"
. My mistake.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ax-les-Thermes
With the right spelling, you should be able to get sufficient info on it over the 'net.
Nov 20th, 2008, 08:48 AM
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And this is even more helpful:
http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wik...Ax-Les-Thermes
I've never been to the US towns you mentioned. Ax en Thermes is quirky (and not as pretty as some other towns in the Pyrenees, but I don't know if they have hot springs plus skiing.)
http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wik...Ax-Les-Thermes
I've never been to the US towns you mentioned. Ax en Thermes is quirky (and not as pretty as some other towns in the Pyrenees, but I don't know if they have hot springs plus skiing.)
Nov 20th, 2008, 09:48 AM
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To not get into too much travelling, i think the area between vielha and baquiera beret will provide you with plenty of snow shoeing treks and the day you want to ski, bauiera is about the best skiing in all of spain.
the parador at arties is wonderful, and there are several nice smaller hotels spread acorss the valley up to the ski resort itself.
especially fun here are the converted farmhouses/stables into fabulous dining spots.
if the pass is open you can also cross over into france for the day.
www.baquiera.es
here you have an interactive "map" with a lot of hotels marked on them.
and my husband likes this hotel
www.hoteldetredos.com
(unfortunately the last ski trips he has done only with our son so i have not stayed here yet).
ski runs are opening this weekend, so they have already received record amounts of snow.
the parador at arties is wonderful, and there are several nice smaller hotels spread acorss the valley up to the ski resort itself.
especially fun here are the converted farmhouses/stables into fabulous dining spots.
if the pass is open you can also cross over into france for the day.
www.baquiera.es
here you have an interactive "map" with a lot of hotels marked on them.
and my husband likes this hotel
www.hoteldetredos.com
(unfortunately the last ski trips he has done only with our son so i have not stayed here yet).
ski runs are opening this weekend, so they have already received record amounts of snow.
Nov 20th, 2008, 10:06 AM
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I just took a peek at Dunton Hot Springs, and there is certainly nothing that luxurious in Ax les Thermes. You indeed might come close to matching that in Baquiera
http://www.francealacarte.com/ski_baqueira.htm
http://www.francealacarte.com/ski_baqueira.htm
Nov 20th, 2008, 10:20 AM
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Also, if snowshoeing is your main interest, I think the Pont d'Espagne above Cauterets in the French Pyrenees is well known for its snowshoe trails, although there is skiing and thermal springs there as well. But its accommodations are probably 4* at best, although it is a charming 19th c. town.
Nov 20th, 2008, 04:10 PM
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If flying into Munich is easy for you, the resort village of Reit im Winkl would fit your bill.
You can take the train from the airport to the main station, and from there the train to Prien (on the Munich Salzburg main line). Takes about one hour from the main station and costs the three of you EUR28.There is a bus from the Prien station to Reit im Winkl, takes about 1 hour, same ticket.
Reit is a picture-postcard mountain village, with a number of hotels B&B's and private rooms for rent. Right across the border to Austria, about a 10minutes cab ride, is the Peterhof Resort. Great location and lodging and facilities. Look it up on the Internet. Peterhof in Koessen.
You can take the train from the airport to the main station, and from there the train to Prien (on the Munich Salzburg main line). Takes about one hour from the main station and costs the three of you EUR28.There is a bus from the Prien station to Reit im Winkl, takes about 1 hour, same ticket.
Reit is a picture-postcard mountain village, with a number of hotels B&B's and private rooms for rent. Right across the border to Austria, about a 10minutes cab ride, is the Peterhof Resort. Great location and lodging and facilities. Look it up on the Internet. Peterhof in Koessen.
