Trying to collate details for the first ski meet in Jan. So far a weekend date looks favourite. I have added a spreadsheet below to try and collate the info.
Could everyone send me their requirements for number of people attending, rooms required and ski lessons by email / private message. Trying to dig out these details from the thread is difficult and I do not want to miss anyone off.
Assuming it is going to be the weekend, then I think Jan 8 - 9 will be suitable. I cannot do the weekend before. I may not be able to meet you all on the Saturday, due to work, but should be okay for the Sunday and possibly the Saturday evening.
I have not confirmed any dates or places as the weather has warm and sunny here and the snow conditions are really bad. Assuming we get some more snow this year, I will come back to this thread and try and get something organised.
Hi
We can’t do a wednesday as two out of the three have school - but in any case, I’ve just realised that we can’t do that first week of Jan at all as my parents arrive on the 3rd and are only here till the 6th.
But we are def up for on in March but ideally a weekend though.
C x
I thought I had better let you know we will not be able to do the first week of January. It was probably a bit of a stretch for us at that location anyway as we wanted to make it a day trip.
Weekends better for us -
Kids being brought along - and would be up for a boarding lesson for me and Max (8) as neither of us ski - the other three do.
As a non skier - outside of attempting to board and landing on my arse, am quite happy to be the one in charge of kids if that helps - as long as they behave!
Well time is moving on, so we had better get cracking on the details if we are ever going to meet up.
Roger is due in the Pyrenees in the first week of Jan, so that seems like a good time for the first meet up. How does Wednesday 5th to Thursday 6th suit everyone? I am intentionally picking weekdays as they are much quieter and also Wednesday because school children are generally off that day. If the majority would prefer a weekend, then we can do that instead. Please let me know.
Kirsty, you mentioned that you knew of some good value places to stay in St Lary. Could you give me the details please. I will have a look at Piau Engaly accommodation as well, but I know it is fairly limited.
Would anyone wanting to stay the night, let me know by 15th Dec and I will make a booking for everyone. It will have to be a chambres d’hote / hotel for one night and not too expensive.
I am hoping to repeat the meet up in March as well, in a different location.
Hi Martin
We’re in the Toulouse area and are complete novices to skiing in the Pyrenees. We’d be interested in joining up with the group in January, bearing in mind that we have two primary age children, so we can do a Wednesday at a pinch, but a weekend would be better.
Emmanuel and I have done a little skiing in our pre-married lives, but the only skiing the kids have done was one afternoon’s ski school this year in Glenshee, Scotland.
We’ll be around from 26th December onwards, if that helps.
At the moment I am a Pyrenees skiing virgin!! I hope to put that right this season and soon.
I am planning on having two meets this sesaon for SFN members, one in Jan when you are down and another in March, avoiding the busy February holidays. Any day in particular that you could be at Piau in January, or should I just plan a day and hope you can make it?
There’s no reason why we can’t make the dates you are in the area. Nothing has been set yet as I was waiting to see how the winter progressed and keep an eye on the snow. So far it has been a good start with some resorts already open.
Hi Martin, we would be interested in a bit of a skiing get together sometime early next year. We usually go to Ax Les Thermes which is great for beginners and intermediates but wouldn’t be against some other location if we can get there. I guess it will depend on when and where though, so just thought I would register our interest.
Added the RSS feed for this to my hub on HubPages about skiing in Ax Les Thermes and Mont D’Olme, never know might generate some more interest.
Hi Kirsty,
Thanks for the update. Some other friends went for their first ski of the season at La Mongie today and reported similar - the busiest they had ever seen it! Half the resort is open at the moment.
Forecast for next week is very cold - minus 12 in St Lary on Wednesday!!! Brrrrr
Hi Kirsty,
Thanks for the info. I had been told that Piau was good for beginners by a number of people and some of them go there all the time as it has just enough runs to keep them interested. Another friend had mentioned that the lower parts of the slopes at Peyragudes were not too good for beginners and as we are likely to be a mixed group, we need to try and cater for all if possible.
I am warming to the idea of going to Piau and staying overnight in St Lary.
Have a great time researching in Piau and let us know what the snow is like!!
Thanks for the info. There are guides to all the Midi-Pyrenees resorts on my site, Guide2MidiPyrenees as well with basic info such as number of lifts and runs etc. As and when I get to ski at the resorts I will add more detail.
We are looking at organising just a couple of days I think rather than a full blown holiday, but people can make there own arrangements to stay longer of course. The main aim is to get everyone up on the slopes and meet up in the evening for a bit of a social.
I think you are right, looks like it could be another great season. I am going to start my regular snow reports on Guide2 this week and a news item on the opening days for all the Midi-Pyrenees resorts tomorrow.
I have added you both to the list. I think sometime in Jan is going to be the most suitable. More chance of having snow and before the Feb holiday season rush! For me it will be best for a midweek meet as we are generally working on the weekends in the season.
Hi Stuart,
Welcome to the group. St Lary is just 30 mins from us, so I am quite happy to go there!! Peyragudes is about 45 mins.
Catherine is going to advertise the meet up in the newsletter, so once we get a response from that, I will start canvassing for suitable dates. Obviously February is out and for me personally, weekends tend to be difficult. I would be looking towards mid Jan I expect, but open to suggestions and could make it earlier.
Hi Martin, I would be interested in Snowboarding this year - I normally got to St Lary or Peyragudes!
I would like to start My son off this year as he is 4 nearly 5 so he can go to ski school, I know they have a good one at Peyragudes.
Thanks for the info and offer to help. Will see how big it gets first!!
I’ve not skied at any of the resorts here yet so can’t really advise on the suitability of runs etc. I’ve got information pages for all the Midi-Pyrenees resorts on my site and will update them once I have managed to spend a day skiing there. I am always looking for comments on the articles, so if you can add any advice and first hand experience to the resort guides, it would be really appreciated.
As you suggest, staying a little way from the resorts give you options depending on the snow conditions. Maybe somewhere near Arreau, as from there you can get to St Lary, Piau, Peyragudes and Superbagneres if the Col is open (normally is), and going the other way, La Mongie, although it is a bit further to drive.
Its partly why we bought near to the A64, so that we can pick and choose resorts easily.