During the two-hour journey from Toulouse to the Val d'Aran, snow is in short supply. The opposite awaits us in Vielha, the main town in the Val d'Aran. A few kilometers into the valley, we reach the picturesque village of Salardú. The streets here are narrow, winding and can sometimes lead to a flight of steps. The mighty Romanesque bell tower of the church of Sant Andreu attracts our impressed gaze, while a subtly mystical lighting makes the masses of snow on the roofs of the densely packed medieval stone houses appear in a golden light. At almost three o'clock in the morning, the hotel manager welcomes us cheerfully and politely to the "Valley of Valleys" (German translation of the name Val d'Aran). We decide on the ski resort for the first day. Spain's largest ski area is called Baqueira-Beret, which is divided into three sections. Numerous lifts and spacious pistes, some open, some surrounded by forest, characterize the area. Winter sports have been practiced here since the 1960s. We are accompanied by Lionel, a local mountain guide. One of the advantages of his home region is its diversity. This is expressed in the combination of many kilometers of slopes of all levels of difficulty with almost limitless freeriding opportunities. Most winter sports enthusiasts stay on the pistes or in the terrain in between. However, with a little creativity and knowledge of the terrain, it is possible to cross over and make lonely descents into remote valleys. With the appropriate touring equipment, there are great tours from there.
We cruise through the ski resort and initially focus on exploring the area. On closer inspection, however, a few lines catch our eye to such an extent that we shift our focus to the hunt for the best snow and the best runs. At the end of the day, we look back and have to agree with Lionel: Baqueira-Beret is definitely worth a visit. Lionel thinks we should join him for some après-ski. The same thought crosses our minds and we look at each other, unmotivated. "No, thank you! We come from the Alps and know après-ski. We've had enough of that!" But Lionel doesn't let up. Après ski is different here than in the Alps. And politely, but still unmotivated, we shuffle after him. We enter a small restaurant that offers an almost unmanageable selection of pinchos and tapas.
Mostly local people meet up to chat or simply enjoy a good glass of red wine. The few ski tourists take advantage of this pleasant atmosphere for a quiet end to their skiing day. Well-kept après-ski, we think to ourselves, and take full advantage of the lavish offerings. For the rest of our days, après-ski became as much a part of our daily routine as brushing our teeth. On the second day, we wake up very early and set off on our tour. The temperatures are spring-like warm and we hope to find good snow on the shady slopes of the Tuc de Horno. The plan works. We find generous terrain for wide turns on the almost 2,400 m high summit. A second or even third ascent would give us the opportunity to extend the tour to over 2,000 vertical meters, but we make do with one ascent, because an alpine summit with a promising steep gully is already tempting us for the next day. And also: "Aprés Ski!" We have to mention at this point that friends and locals on site provide us with good information. Not dissimilar to the Alps in terms of their characteristics, but often extremely complex, especially when it comes to access, the Central Pyrenees are often difficult for visitors to navigate. The unusually high diurnal temperature fluctuations, even in the height of winter, and the resulting changes in snow cover need to be taken into account when planning a tour. On the third day, we find ourselves in the steep gully mentioned above. At the end of this, the terrain remains consistently challenging and, with skis on our backpacks, we climb up the rock to our highest goal of the week, the 2,887 m high Tuc de Estanhets. With a 360° panoramic view from the summit, a number of traverse and combination options catch our eye. A true Eldorado for passionate ski mountaineers.
In pleasant contrast to the Alps, such extended tours, which are comparable to tours in our latitudes, do not end in well-booked huts, but in stylish hotels. A tasty steak in the restaurant in the evening, followed by a few drinks at the bar and new plans and ideas for the next few days are born. While we shake a leg and the mayor of Salardú personally serves us cocktails, a strong western front brings more snow. The result the next morning is 75 cm of fresh snow. This obliges us to behave defensively and avoid steep terrain. The immense potential of the Val d'Aran allows us to undertake a unique ski tour even in these difficult conditions. Although we are unable to reach the selected summit, we ski through the medieval old town of Salardú to the hotel on snow-covered cobbled streets. The past snowy winter gave the Val d'Aran an unusually long winter season. A finale like the one we have just experienced describes something special and is also one of the highlights of the winter for us.
The next day, the rotors are whirring. Far away from the ski area and the usual tours, the local heli-ski provider operates in a professional style. We deliberately choose this option because the snow and weather conditions are ideal. We also reach regions that are difficult to access and gain a deeper insight into the mountain world of the Val d'Aran. This day brings us five long descents with a Spanish pinchos snack in the middle of nowhere. The regulation of local heliski tourism in accordance with the boundaries of the national park is particularly noteworthy. This ensures that space is preserved for flora and fauna as well as for the various winter sports activities. We were happy to receive tips and recommendations and were thus able to choose from an exquisite selection of very different tour days. The Val d'Aran is a good choice especially for ski tourers and freeriders with exotic cravings and as a comfortable alternative to a ski touring week in the Alps. About the authors:
Matthias Knaus (born 1978) and Michael Astenwald (born 1977) are both geography graduates with a particular fondness for skiing. Together they undertake tours mainly away from the crowds and try to explore cultural, social and socio-economic conditions in addition to purely sporting aspects.
Useful information on the topic:
Avalanche warning service Val d'Aran
Organizational help of any kind: EVALIA
Trip providers: TIME FOR OUTSIDE
closest airport: Toulouse Blagnac (TLS)
