Pyrenees ski resorts are preparing for their best season in years, with early snowfalls creating ideal conditions for the upcoming Puríssima holiday weekend.
According to reports from Ara Cat, the mountain range has experienced significant snowfall weeks earlier than usual, allowing all stations to open with substantial ski domains available.
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This situation marks a dramatic improvement from recent years, which were plagued by drought and warm autumns that delayed openings until mid-December.
Carles Ruiz, president of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), expressed considerable optimism about the season ahead. “We foresee that the Puríssima and this new ski season could be among the best of recent years,” Ruiz confirmed. The public company manages six ski stations under the new Pirineu365 brand. Furthermore, he noted that the early arrival of substantial snow provides excellent snowmaking capacity, suggesting a potentially spectacular season.
Pyrenees Ski Resorts Anticipate Record Numbers
The key factor behind this season’s promising start is the consistently low winter temperatures in recent weeks. Consequently, natural snow has been maintained while artificial snow production has continued uninterrupted. This combination has allowed ski slopes to accumulate centimetres of quality coverage. Ruiz confirmed strong demand for ski passes, indicating significant public enthusiasm for starting the winter sports season.
“Even though this Puríssima is shorter than in other years, the data suggests we’ll have a large influx of people because conditions will be good for enjoying skiing and the mountains,” Ruiz added. The recent snowfalls have particularly affected the north face and the High Pyrenees, but have also generously covered the southern slopes, painting the entire range white. Weather forecasts predict additional light snowfall before the holiday weekend, with calm, usable conditions expected during the Puríssima holidays themselves.
Several private stations, including Masella and Baqueira Beret, inaugurated their season last week. The six FGC stations—La Molina, Vall de Núria, Vallter, Espot, Port Ainé, and Boí Taüll—will open from this Thursday, with La Molina offering a preliminary taste last weekend. These six stations will start with approximately 64 open slopes and over 60 skiable kilometres. “We have a very good snow cover everywhere, and the skiable domain figures are much better than at last year’s opening,” Ruiz assured.
Many stations, both private and public, report up to half a metre or more of snow. Additionally, the facilities offer complementary activities for visitors who don’t ski, such as sledging runs and play areas, ensuring everyone can enjoy the snow and mountains. Regarding the new Pirineu365 brand, a significant innovation is the launch of the Flexipass. This new payment system for accessing all six group stations allows users to pay less as they ski more days, reflecting a strategic move to encourage longer visits. Meanwhile, other regional developments continue, as seen with Catalonia leading Spain’s campervan boom, indicating broader trends in leisure and tourism.
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