Formigal, Spain

Visitor reviews for Formigal

• February 16, 2008
  Tuca from SPAIN
  

  I don't like this resort for many reasons.
  First, it's not as big as it pretends to be. Most of the new runs added in the last couple of years are actually a joke: they start from nowhere and lead to nowhere (meaning that there is no way to reach the beginning of the run except by walking a long way and once you get to the end, the closest chair is a couple of kilometers away). Baqueira, for instance, has less official kilometers of runs, but is really much bigger and the runs are real.
  Second, the vertical drop is very limited, especially if you consider that most of the time there is no snow on the lower half.
  Third, the top of the resort is only 2200 m high. This means that most of the time you ski well below and the snow is not particularly good.
  Fourth, most of the runs are quite easy (although if you look at the ski map, you might think it is the most challenging ski resort in the world. But it's a joke!)
  Fifth, there are always incredible traffic jams, especially on a Sunday afternoon. And huge lines at the bottom of the chairs!
  Plus, it is quite expensive. Of course, it can be fun on a working Monday after a big dump...

• January 03, 2008
  JaimeH from SPAIN
  

  Just came back from a long weekend in Formigal. After all the investment made in the last years Formigal has become one of the best resorts in Spain. The new area (Portalet) has excellent & fast lifts that lead onto mid level slopes as well as tough ones.
  Even though snowfall has been limited this year (but much better than last year) they currently have some 80% of the slopes open with good snow conditions. People tend to concentrate in the Valle de Izas & Anayet areas, but if you move to either side of the resort you will find plenty of room even on busy days.

• December 18, 2007
  Pedro Villaret from PORTUGAL
  

  Hi there! My name is Pedro, I'm from Portugal and I've been to Formigal last year in March (2007). I'll be there again this year, in March (2008)!
  I've done skiing since I was a little kid, so...(about 20 years) and during these years I've been to lots of places like Sierra Nevada, Baqueira, Chamonix, Les 3 vallés, Andorra and from all these places Formigal is definitely one of my favourites. The landscapes in Formigal are only comparable to the landscapes in Chamonix. It´s beautiful to go skiing in Formigal. The landscapes are great! The tracks are fantastic, the snow is really good! Last year it was a crazy winter but even like that in Formigal it's reat. They produce lots of snow, there are lots of new lifts, including the one with 8 places that substitutes the old egg.
  There is a major investment in Formigal. Formigal is already the biggest ski station in Spain. 3 years ago (2006) they had around 80 kms of ski tracks, last year they had 105 kms and this year they have 137 kms distributed in around 70 tracks. Comparing to Sierra Nevada for example, Formigal is much better, Sierra Nevada is always too crowded and there's no evolution in Sierra Nevada! Always the same....every year...nothing new!
  I think that you should visit Formigals website for good information.
  The only thing that I think they should do in Formigal is to built a lift that takes us up directly from the center of the village to the mountain. Right now they have the skibus, that is free or we can walk like 5 or 10 minutes until the ski station....but with the skis or the board on our back...it's not easy!
  Well....that is all I have to say! Go to Formigal! It's really one of the best!

• March 04, 2006
  Pablo from SPAIN
  

  March 01 2005 . Formigal can be great now during the week and has a very promising future. However it gets much too busy on Saturdays and Sundays as skiers flood in from many urban areas. The slopes really need policing everywhere to control use, especially dangerous skiers when there is heavy traffic. Then there are long queues by 09.15 to access the area (so get up early)and more qeueuing to get everything. As the main gondola hasn't been replaced yet, crossing the resort is time consuming too so plan your day carefully to avoid constant queues. After 14.00 it gets better and on Sunday much much better so plan to ski more pm than am and slope orientation means good quality snow pm till late March. The wind and the gales can be the worst aspect so check snow reports carefully before departing. Look out for offers for 5 days for ski passes+accom etc.

• February 15, 2006
  Anders from SPAIN
  

  Some amendments to your web page information. Ski resort is fully operational that is, 83 kms, with all parking open (included Portalet) and though the 8 seat chairlift is still close (next season) the connection to the rest of the ski resort areas is served by a free shuttle bus. There is plenty of snow this season (above 1 M) and all slopes are open including the mythical forest and downhill to the former gondola (where you pick the shuttle to return to one of the skiing areas). Closest airport is not Barcelona, actually it is a long and expensive drive, but Toulouse, Tarbes or Pau in France and Pamplona or Zaragoza in Spain. But closest with BA and easyjet (& other Int. flights) is Bilbao at only 2:30h drive mostly on motorway. You can visit the Guggenheim Museum and next day be skiing in Formigal and on the way back go surfing at the beach (really nice in March-April), scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing or visiting the Rioja region and taste some delicious wines at their famous vineyards. Enjoy your stay!

• February 10, 2006
  jorge from PORTUGAL
  

  Hello everybody! I'm just a normal Portuguese teenager that likes to snowboard! Formigal is a fantastic resort, lots of tracks(for beginners and experts). At night you can have some fun, but the real fun is on the slopes, you have some nice freeriding spots...I don't know, I've been there for 4 sessons and have always discoverded some new and nice spots!!!so just try..it's a nice resort, go and have fun!peace..

• February 08, 2005
  Manuel Pérez from SPAIN
  

  New slopes opened! Portalet ski area is open, but access by road (Portalet parking) is not yet open.

  You must gain the new area using the Anayet Parking. A brand new 6 places chairlift jumps from Anayet to Portalet.

  Your choice is three Blue (La Glera, 1.5 km), Red (El Solano, 1.4 km), and Black (Garmet, 1,5 km) slopes back to Anayet, or two Blue (Batallero, 1.8 km) and Red (Corona, 1.7) slopes down to Portalet, served by another new 6 places chairlift.

  There is a green slope (0,7 km) called Faballones with his own 4 places chairlift.

  Snow quality on Portalet valley is really nice (height and orientation helps) Corona and Batallero will be soon Formigal favourites, like Midi and Anayet are for the mainstream skiers. Freaks will think Portalet area is too easy...

  Best regards,

  Manuel

• December 30, 2004
  Manuel Pérez from SPAIN
  

  Formigal Users Warning. Peters principle: all that will go bad, goes worse. Formigal has open with the last year ski slopes plan, no one new slope nor new parking will open until mid season.
  Car parkings: keep on mind only Anayet and Sarrios parkings are open; ancient 'Huevo' parking is closed, and new 'Portalet' parking will not open this season.
  There is a free bus shutle from Formigal Village to Anayet and Sarrios Parkings.
  Acces to the ski area: only lifts from Anayet and Sarrios entry areas.
  All these questions will create traffic jams and lifts queues. Keep on mind and wake up on advance!
  Formigal is a great ski resort, and I'm sure when works in progress will finish, will be THE spanish pyrenees resort.
  Have fun!
  Manuel

• December 02, 2004
  Txoripeter from SPAIN
  

  Formigal ski resort has programmed a vast investment schedule for the forthcoming years. In fact this season 4 new lifts where going to be installed (including 1 large 8 seats lift), but due to some wrong geological measurements, we will not be able to enjoy them during this season. As a result main access to the resort wont available during 2004/2005 ski season, thus, long queues and traffic jams are expected ¡we will have to wake up earlier than usual¡.Better management is really necessary to manage one of the best ski resorts in the Spanish Pyrinees.