J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Melbatb

I can't help with Barcelona airport bus links as we are the other side of Andorra :)

From the town I know out of season there are buses (we caught one two weeks ago!) through Amdorra. Having said that, it is quite a trek from Andorra town to the two ski areas. The quickest would be the lift from Encamp I guess and that would bring you onto the GrandValira ski area. From what you have said I think this would suit you better. We like the skiing there - plenty of reds but not many blacks. The lift system is efficient!

Have fun!

Am becoming addicted to the webcams! Soldeu is looking white and sunny! I can't wait!

I did an Ally yesterday and checked that the salopettes still fitted! Our stuff pretty much stays out all winter as we manage quite a few day/weekend trips!

Jsted booked the hotel for this weekend - 90€ for the 4 of us half oard for the night in Soldeu. We don't really care where as we will drive down early Saturday, ski the day, hit the hotel and then check out after breakfast to hit the slopes again :)

Ally - you can add me :) thanks!!

We are starting to get excited here. Got all the ski stuff out yesterday and the skis are all serviced.

First trip in 6 days to Andorra for an overnighter. Then Vars on the 22/12 for a week. Only other trip planned is another Andorra weekend on 8/3.

Can't wait.

This Christmas will be our 5th in Vars. Vars is very French (you don't hear much English whereas in Risoul you do!). We are good competent skiers and find enough to keep ourselves amused! The ski school is fabulous -though I can't comment on their English ability as noth our kids speak French.

If you want to try Andorra what about Granvalira? Personally I would avoid staying in Pas (though it does have a better nightlife) especially as it is at the far end of the skiing. We go a lot and last time we still managed to find runs we hadn't done before.

Have fun deciding!

We have skied in Vars (linked resort) many times and are back again in december! Not so keen on the Risoul side but that may be because we have to ski hard to get there and then have to ski back to Vars to pick the kds up from ski school!!! The snow has always been good and there are a mixture of runs so it suits a ariety of levels!

The town seems quite charmless but we have never stayed there long enough! We do however like Vars a lot but it is very much a French resort!

We are in a different situation as we live in the south of France so don't have the same transport issues.

We are off to Vars for Christmas week in a full board hotel that is ski - out/in, includes full area lift pass (Vars and Risoul) pls all equipment and it comes out at £620 pp if you pay full price (we are vvvvvv lucky to get 40% off that!!)

Last year we did a week in Tignes Val Claret in the Maeva apartment there. Most of the cost were the lift passes and ski school for the kids. That is what makes the trips expensive and why the Vars trips are so good value for money!!

For us I guess we do both as the Vars trips are booked though DH's company so are a bit TOed but everything else
we do are DIY.

We ski regularly in Grandvalira (as we only live 2h30 away it is doable in a day!) and we really like it - and we are good skiers. Yes, it lacks th charm of Austrian resorts but the skiing is good, there aren't too many queues and last season the snow was great!