4 day trip, with nephew Pete to check out the Val D’Aran and other Pyrenees skiing delights, taking in Baqueira Beret, Cerler and Boi Taull as well as a morning in Toulouse.
Tuesday 13th December 2017
Having not slept well and awake at 5:20 I got up quietly, turned off the alarm before it went off and made ready to depart. Well! Having planned ahead and obtained at the last minute the driving license form for the rental car, it proved my down fall. As once on the Ilkley train to Leeds found I’d not put the actual license back in wallet. What a twit! Hilary to the rescue as kindly, when woken early, she scanned and emailed them. The hope being a passport, drivers letter and scan will do the trick. Pete sees the funny side as the hire is not paid for yet and as he says he is an ex professional – trust him!
At Leeds I find the train to Manchester Airport is delayed due to a trespasser near North Allerton. Any rails it turns up 20 mins late, and the contingency I’d planned for will help. But just outside Manchester Piccadilly we stop. No room in the station, it’s that time of year! By the time a platform is free it’s changed to be the last stop – so have to change trains. Time has been slipping by and texts to Hilary confirm, I was not calm. However got another train to airport and arrive not too late.
Flybe now enter the fun as the baggage belts are down, so everyone has to get ticketed and then go to baggage inspection to hand bags in. Followed by the inevitable security lag. The good news is I made it through to lounge with 10 mins before Gate called. Success!! Now to chill!!! Rest of journey is unadventurous. Met Pete at airport, hired car and scanned drivers licence worked a treat – thanks Hilary, journey to Arties made easy by direction notes printed out previously – phew at least something pre-planned worked!
Hotel Bessiberri our base in Arties is an old building and room is bijou but comfortable. We spend the evening in local tapas bar for beer, wine and good range of nibbles
Wednesday 14th December 2017
A great breakfast of cheese, meats and bread with oil and tomatoes – just what would have impressed Cristina, there will be no need for lunch!!
It’s a 5 min drive to Baqueira Beret Ski resort. Having parked up we rent skis from a local shop rather than inter sport for the same price. Intermediate carvers, so will have to relearn to ski again!
There are no returns to resort as there’s too little snow but once up the first lift there are plenty of runs. Around one can see there would be plenty of off piste fun once the area is full of snow. As it is the skiing is limited, with the area facing south still to be opened up. The sun is out and a fun days millionaires ski is enjoyed, but there is little more than a day in these conditions and even when fully open probably just a week end.
Down off the hills by 4:30. Pete who had finished earlier timed the pick up to perfection and we head off to check out a side valley for apres ski. We stop in a small village called Unha. There is a ridiculous Via Feratta that goes from here, but all beer opportunities are closed. Very off season feel. Much more to it in the summer I suspect.
We trawl Arties for a meal. The choices are a South African restaurant called Pollo loco, a very pricey restaurant and a third that seems to do a reasonable menu – that’s our choice. We are the only guests for the night, and suspect the chef, rang up his Ukrainian waitress to come in especially as she appeared half an hour later. In the meantime the chef serve us some pre-meal nibbles and a very acceptable glass of Red. The meal was good, however th witness split my soup into the wine, so she brought a new bottle of the same wine. Amazingly tasted so different from the first one.
Thursday 15th December 2017
After birthday call with Hilary and late breakfast, we head to Cerler in Aragon- the next state over from Catalonia. It’s a good 2 hours drive and as it turns out well worth it. The valley up to Cerler is very different from the Val D’Aran, much wider, open and south facing. The snow is great and all the resort is open, expect for the return run into the Cerler lower station. As with Baqueira it’s a one day/weekend resort in terms of coverage but since we are only skiing for 5 hours, perfect for us and the other few folks who have made the effort to join us.
Talking of the other few folks – there were probably no more than a hundred or so skiing not counting the 50 from the Spanish Army, who had descended on the resort for a days training. They ranged from experts to those that seemed to be on their first days skiing.
I appreciate Pete driving home as I do a good impression of a nodding dog!
On our return we chat with the hotel manager and Cristina, since the plan to ski Espot Esqui and Port Annie looks dubious given snow conditions and weather prospects. They suggest Boi Taull, which in my resource investigation I’d missed somehow. Plan to await the morning and latest weather forecast.
Back to the first nights Tapas bar for a meal off the menu this time, avoiding the 1kg steak for 2, we have a good meal and the place is full with a good vibe, but at 10 sharp empties – amazing.
Friday 16th December 2017
After a long study of the weather during breakfast, Pete breaks with tradition and goes for Bacon and Eggs, we decide it’s Boi Taull. So it’s back down to Vielha and the tunnel from yesterday, but left turn not right and up yet another valley. Different again and wonderful.
It’s a good call as the cloudy weather breaks and we get 3 hours of sunny if rather windy skiing. There can be no more than 50 cars in the car park and many of these will be staff and those helping a helicopter transport spare parts for a lift repair happening on a ridge. Unloading parts direct to 2 people balanced on the top of the pylon – hair raising in the wind. There are probably no more than 100 folks actually skiing the resort and on some runs I have it to myself. A few lifts are closed for maintenance or because of wind but there is plenty to ski. At 3 O’clock the clouds and snow move in so we head back to Arties, returning skis in Baqueira on the way.
A great trip, 3 ski resorts, 3 different valleys each with own beauty and 3 days pleasant skiing in pretty good conditions.
It’s rather pleasant to have an hour to pack before we check out of the hotel in the late afternoon and then drop in on a Tapas bar in Vielha en-route to Toulouse for evening meal. It’s then 2 hours to Toulouse Holiday Inn, check in, return hire car, hang about for hotel shuttle before sitting at the bar by 10:15, 15 mins after old mother Templar’s prediction!
Saturday 17th December 2017
Pete is up and off by 7 for his flight. I have a morning before my flight. 
As planned I avail myself of a hotel bike. It an electric bike so a first for me. Rather apprehensively I head off towards Toulouse with no instructions about route, amazingly the hotel could offer no advice but I know it’s kind of south. There are cycle ways that I pick up and meander in the general direction of the city. Following my nose I hit the city centre after about 45 mins, making use of the electric motor to speed along, entering Toulouse over the river with great morning light.
The traffic is surprisingly light. Many are cycling, and many on these sit up and beg bikes, in addition the Toulouse version of the Boris bike is available although I only saw 3 trepidatious Japanese girls navigating about the city on them.
I knew Toulouse was a Rugby mad city – 3 shops on top of each other reinforce this.
After an hours potter I retrace the route to the hotel, via the Roman Amphitheatre that I cycled past on the way into the city without even noticing. A good way to while away a sunny morning.
good write up Rob! id already forgotten how good it was!
PS cristina enjoyed the special mention!