Sloping off to a Pyrenees paradise

Publication: Manchester Metro News
Date: 2009-02-09
Author: Kate Stirrup

Kate Stirrup goes back to ski school in Andorra

Andorra has long been a favourite with British and Irish skiers looking for a cheaper alternative to the ritzier resorts of Europe.

The town of Pas de la Casa is one of the more popular spots, a haven for great skiing and lively après-ski. Known locally as Pas, the resort is the highest in Andorra, which this season has seen the best snow in years.

Boasting plenty of runs, whatever your level, Pas is a popular choice with families, singles and couples alike. As you might expect, it's extremely hilly (be prepared to get as much exercise off the skis as on) and chock-a-block with bars, restaurants and shops.

Admittedly, it's not the most picturesque of locations (the architecture is functional rather than romantic), but when you're surrounded on all sides by beautifully stunning snowy mountains, who needs quaint alpine chalets?

Heading out to the slopes of a morning is a delight (once you've wrestled with your ski boots and lugged your skis and poles around that is) and I defy anyone not to find a sense of peace from the sheer beauty of the Pyrenees. You almost feel yourself getting healthier simply from breathing in the crisp, clean, mountain air.

Beginners will find lots of nursery slopes on which to boost their confidence, so important in skiing. The Grandvalira ski school is a real bargain – 15 hours of classes for just 115 – with excellent English-speaking instructors to guide you through the basics. Once you get over worrying about falling over in front of complete strangers it's loads of fun.

Anyway, they don't stay strangers for long. It's impossible not to become pals with your fellow learners and by the end of the week – all proudly clutching our certificated – we were toasting our graduation with frothy steins of beer. The current poor exchange rate of the pound to Euro meant eating out was a little expensive (a coke and a chocolate bar cost me around £5 at one slopeside cafe) but don't worry, you can save plenty of money on all the free shots that are offered seemingly wherever you go! Indeed there are happy hours aplenty in Pas (or credit crunch hour, as one bar dubbed it) that start around 4.30pm, just in time for when you stagger wearily offs the mountain.

Pas is famous for its après ski, with bars like Underground offering cheap beer and live music. It's a perfect place to meet up with your ski school classmates to discuss your 'best' fall of the day. Be warned though – there's no non smoking ban in Andorra, which meant readjusting to smoky hair and stinging eyes at the end of the night.

Tucked away slightly apart from the bars and restaurants is the 4* Hotel Himalaia Pas, an alpine-themed hotel which offers a comfortable base from which to enjoy your week. The rooms are stylish and cosy and bathrooms come complete with baths, meaning you can soak away those aches and pains. Best of all is the large bar area, filled with plump sofas (perfect for curling up with a good book), pool tables and free internet access. In the basement is a swimming pool, sauna and hot tub. We stayed on a half-board basis and enjoyed the plentiful breakfast and dinner buffets, which offered lots of choice.

There's plenty to do sans skis, from husky rides to snow shoe treks, pub quizzes to bum boarding (sliding down the slope on a glorified tea tray). If you need a little bit of TLC, head to the thermal spa Caldea (courtesy bus operates to and from many of the hotels) and soak in the pools and outdoor lagoons. Or enjoy a bit of pampering in the therapy rooms (the grapefruit bath or tired legs treatment sounded particularly appealing). But don't forget to head off to the slopes for one last run………..

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