The Better Ski Week holiday

On arrival at Zaragoza you are met by your guide for the drive up into the very little known Pyrenean ski resort of Cerler.

Lifts are open from 9am to around 5pm daily but we usually start at around 10am for the best conditions. Groups invariably contain a variety of ability levels from people fairly new to the sport to confident experts.

Lessons are with Pura guide/instructors, helped out by local instructors where necessary.If you’re used to the usual “crocodile” style lessons in a class of 10 or more, be prepared for a pleasant surprise.

Lessons are with Pura guide/instructors, helped out by local instructors where necessary.If you’re used to the usual “crocodile” style lessons in a class of 10 or more, be prepared for a pleasant surprise.

The way we run lessons depends somewhat on the ability profile of the group, but for less experienced skiers we normally offer lessons in the morning for a couple of hours in small groups of 2-5.

For better skiers, the tuition experience is probably better described as coaching rather than lessons.
How you play it in the afternoon depends on the group. You still have the guide/instructors available. This gives you some flexibility in mixing group ski time with tuition.

You’re free, of course, to opt-in to as much or little of the tuition as you like.

With 71km of skiable runs on 60 pistes, served by 18 lifts, Cerler is great for a wide range of skiing abilities.Relax this afternoon after skiing. Eat out in a range of restaurants.

The lifts are a 5-10 minute walk away from the hotel across the village. People either walk or hop in the van for the short drive down to the lifts each morning. As this valley is really not known outside Spain it is really peaceful.

In the event that the weather closes in, we’ll do our best to give you options. You might like to have a relaxed day down in the town of Benasque, try snowshoeing, or just relaxing.

There are rarely queues at the lifts in Cerler so you can explore freely without having to worry about waiting in line. The amount of skiing you do in a day is therefore determined by your appetite, not the time wasted queueing.

Beginners
For beginners and intermediate skiers returning after a long break, there is a really pretty piste that runs down from the heart of the resort at Cota 2000. It has lots of variety, is nice and wide, and you’re based in the heart of the resort, not stuck out of the way.

Intermediate
For intermediate to good skiers, there is a huge choice of long and varied blue and red runs. One of the beauties of Cerler skiing is that from almost any point in the resort you’ll have a good choice of routes to take depending on your mood and conditions.

Advanced
For the more advanced or adventurous skiers, there is plenty of more challenging skiing on piste and trails, especially on the Ampriu side of the resort.

Cerler has the biggest skiable descent in the Pyrenees: over 1,100m from the top of Gallinero down to the bottom of El Molino without having to stop to take a lift. It takes a bit of stamina, but you’re rewarded with a glorious descent.

The slopes are generally very quiet and you have plenty of room to go at your own pace. There is none of the barging, posing and frenetic energy which characterises many resorts.

The lift infrastructure is mostly very modern. Lift passes are smart cards which stay in your pocket to can as you pass through the turnstiles onto a lift.

There are rarely queues at the lifts in Cerler so you can explore freely without having to worry about waiting in line. The amount of skiing you do in a day is therefore determined by your appetite, not the time wasted queueing / jostling.

If you get the impression that we love Cerler, then you’d be right.

Full day to ski with the usual ski lessons.The resort is every bit as good for snowboarding as it is for skiing. Jaime is qualified to teach both.

Enjoy your last day on the slopes before a final dinner together.

During the week you’ll experience a range of different restaurants: all offering good food, some exceptionally good.

During the week you’ll experience a range of different restaurants: all offering good food, some exceptionally good. Your guide assists with translations and may join you for dinner.

As of March 2008, there are four restaurants in the heart of the village that we recommend.The menus tend to be straightforward but with a very high standard of produce and cooking.

Very good meat and game dominates, complemented by good salads and vegetables. There is usually also fish on the menu.

Vegetarians are unlikely to be spoiled for choice but with a little care, can eat very well.

You’ll find a good choice of Spanish wines on menus. The regional wine is Somontano, which is not well known in the UK, but it’s well worth a try. Some of the more expensive bottles (€10-15 in a restaurant) are very good indeed.

You’ll also find a selection of better-known Rioja, Ribera del Duero and other Spanish wines on most menus. These may well be more familiar wines to us in the UK, though the prices will be a pleasant surprise.

Head back to the airport for your journey home.