Ax-les-Thermes 6 Day Snow Forecast

James from United Kingdom writes:

Ax-les-Thermes is a very good place to be based for downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The town of Ax is down at 700m so rarely gets snow and has the charm of a ‘real’ French town. There is a good selection of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Most of the accommodation in Ax is self catering, but there are also a range of hotels (up to 3 star). Ax is linked to the ski station of Bonascre (1400m) by a high speed cable car that takes about 10 mins. Bonascre is a purpose built resort and is not a good looking place. There are lots of self catering apartments and 1 very good hotel. It is a self contained town with ‘ski food’ restaurants, bars, a disco and small shops.

The downhill skiing area at Ax-les-Thermes is fairly extensive and is divided into 3 well linked domains (watersheds). The skiing is from 1400m up to 2300m with the lower sections being well served by snow cannons. There are enough pistes to keep most people happy, but one of the real joys of the station is the amount of safe ‘between piste’, in and out of the trees there is to be done.

The station is good for beginners as the ‘green slopes’ are up at 1800m and are set apart from the main pistes (so you don’t have to worry about being cut up by others). The only ski school is the ESf and a few of the instructors speak enough English, however there is no ‘group lessons’ for English people, so you need to hire an instructor by the hour.

There are a couple of good mountain restaurants in the middle of the ski areas, so it is not necessary to descend to Bonascre for refreshments.

The resort is favored by people living in Toulouse as it is accessable by train (lots of Toulouseians have apartments). This does mean that it can get busy at the weekends and during the Christmas and February holidays. However, out of the periods you rarely need to queue for an up lift and the slopes are beautifully empty.

The Thermal waters in Ax have been exploited for their medicinal qualities for many years, but in 2009 a luxury Roman Baths (Le Couloubret) was opened with with its jacuzzi, sauna, frigidariam (very chilly pool), steam room and outside relaxation pools, amoungst other things. It is open every evening except for Sundays, and only costs 15E for 2 hours worth of relaxed pleasure. The new spa comes highly recommended - it has a lovely calm ambiance and is the perfect thing for a holiday treat.

Ax (Ax-les-Thermes) is also one of the best places in the Pyrenees to base yourself if you are interested in cross-country skiing. A short drive from Ax are the dedicated cross-country ski domains of Chioula (1400 to 1700m) and Beille (1800 to 2000m), located on high plateaux offering dramatic mountain views at every corner as well as reliable snow cover. The ‘Espace Nordic des Pyrenees’ provides the experienced skier with a suitable alternative to Scandinavia, and the novice, the perfect terrain and climate for taking up this fantastic sport. The stations offer ski hire as well as some excellent café/restaurant facilities.

All the ski stations (Bonascre, Chioula and Beille) offer ‘self guided’ snowshoeing trails which are marked approximately every 20 meters and the trail is prepared with a skidoo making it impossible to get lost.

It is also worth mentioning that Ax (Ax-les-Thermes) is a short drive from 3 other downhill ski stations, opening up a vast ski area. Ascou Pailheres (20mins), Port Puymorens (30 mins) and Pas de la Case – Andorra (45 mins)

2009-11-16