Skiing in the Pyrenees
 

Can anyone recommend a ski centre and accommodation suitable for families and what is best way to get there. We have not been skiing before. Thanks for any input.

In the French Pyrenees, there is SuperBagnère and Barège, the former just a ski slope I believe, the latter a town at the base of a skiing area. Bagnères de Luchon might be a good base to get to different ski areas.

Thanks Michael, do you have any web sites on these, and which airport does one fly to get to these towns. Thanks again.

Sorry, I do not know any web sites. Toulouse would be the next major airport, although there may be airports for Pau, Tarbes and Lourdes.

if you have not been skiing before i would suggest a group trip to anywhere that sounds appealing to you.many ski clubs/tours go by bus, or fly and have transfers included.

this way you will get your classes and lodging and airfare included.

if you are coming from england there should be plenty of info from there. they do advertise a lot of ski holidays.

coming from the u.s. i would trust a ski organization.

skiing is a wonderful family sport, but it is hard work. i do not know the ages of your children, but all of you being novices is going to be at times stressful, just with the gear and lugging it all around.

so, please take lessons and go with some type of support to get the most out of your holiday.

back to the pyrenees question, none of the spanish resorts are easily accessible without a car.

the alps do seem to have buses from geneva airport to several resorts.

trains form zurich airport are simple to do, also, but the luggage can be so cumbersome.

Good advice from lincasanova.

ttt

I have taken a few overseas ski vacations with the family and have used internet ski sites for booking my trips. They have been very cost effective because they bundle the air hotel with 1/2 board and transfers for a neat price. I would recommend Innsbruck because of different things to do when the weather is not cooperating. There are a lot of ski sites on the internet and any number of sites offer suggestions of places to ski with the family. I would suggest looking on the internet on a few ski sites and then ask which location is best suited for kids etc.

Passed through Bagnères de Luchon this summer and was very impressed with the town.

There are airports all along the French side of the Pyrenees, from Perpignan in the east to Biarritz in the west. However, Toulouse is the only seriously busy airport. Bordeaux is about the same size, but would only really be suitable for the Pyrenees Oriental, which I think is somewhat less than famous for its ski-ing. Ryanair fly to Pau, and there is one airport at Tarbes-Lourdes which you can only get to from Paris, unless you're on a charter flight.

So, in the middle you might try those already recommended or la Mongie- which is horrid in summer but probably fine as a ski resort- Cauterets, which is lovely, Gavarnie or the Val d'Azun, aprt from those already mentioned.

Bagneres de Bigorre is to la Mongie as Luchon is to Super Bagneres.