Check out this fantastic article by Swiss journalist Tina Gerber writing for PINKBIKE about our Backcountry Tour of the Pyrenees Orientales trip.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/a-tour-of-the-pyrenees-endless-trails-photo-report.html

Frequently asked questions about your mountain biking holiday....

Hi.

There are often questions about your holiday. In this section we hope that we can answer a few. If you have others please don't hesitate to get in touch.

We ask all clients who require a pickup/ transfer to fly into Barcelona (BCN) airport. If you are self driving or planning to rent a car or coming by train I will cover this later. 

We only pickup and transfer from Barcelona (BCN) as it is the closest international hub to us. This means that the majority of clients can get flights from their home departure airport to Barcelona with the minimum of hassle. There are other airports in the vicinity but we cannot organise pickups on a Saturday from multiple airports as this is logistically impossible, so we ask all clients who require a transfer to arrive at Barcelona (BCN). 

For week long reservations we only offer transfers on a Saturday as for the rest of the week the vehicles are generally in use for daily riding transfers. You are at liberty to arrive and depart from Barcelona before or after the day of your transfer and we will happily pick you up /drop you at an airport hotel (but not a city hotel!) on the Saturday. 

We will discuss any Long weekend or Short week group reservations requirements and try to be as accommodating as possible, but this may not always be possible.

Hire car- You can generally rent cars from any arrival airport to drive up to us. Remember that your car needs to be big enough for you, your luggage and your bikebox. If you are renting in Spain be sure to advise the rental agency that you will be going into France as this may have insurance implications.

Train- You can catch the train direct from the UK to Perpignan where you will need to organise a transfer up the mountain. You can catch the train from Barcelona to Puigcerda, from where you will need to arrange a transfer with us (30mins) as a taxi from here will be a little difficult. From Toulouse you can get the train to La Tour de Carol/ Entveig where again you will need to organise a transfer to us (30mins).

Transfer company- You are free to organise a transfer from any airport direct to us with a transfer company, but be aware that this is not as simple as in other regions and you must inform them you are travelling with bikes.

Our region is often referred to as the "Sunniest in France" and not without reason. We can expect over 300 days of sunshine a year, but it can rain! it can also get cold in Spring and Autumn. We suggest that during the week leading up to your trip you check the forecast using the links on our website. This will help you plan your kit packing. If you are still not sure then give us a shout. 

Spring and Autumn trips can expect cool mornings then daytime temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees centigrade. Summer trips can expect daytime temperatures in the high 20's or mid 30's. 

In general we recommend that you have a few changes of riding shorts and short sleeved tops. A long sleeved top can be useful both in the case of cooler weather or mornings and as a protective layer from the sun if you are prone to sunburn. Again in Spring and Autumn the weather can be cool in the mornings and evenings, so think about something as a warm layer for those times.

Do not forget your waterproof jacket for on the trails, this is a "MUST" bring safety item.

For evenings, non ride wear bring your standard summer casual wear. In Spring / Autumn you can add a jumper or lightweight insulated jacket. Swimmers for the hottub.

We ask clients to bring some indooor footwear to keep the dirt outside. Slippers, flipflops, crocks, whatever floats your boat.

Riding clothes as above.

Unless we state otherwise your normal trail riding helmet. You must wear your helmet at all times on the bike, it is a requirement of our insurance. A full face helmet is too hot on the climbs and most of the time on the descents as well. For those of you that feel more comfortable in a full face helmet the new generation of helmets with removable chinguards work very well.

We cannot stop you having a crash but padding yourself up as if you are in a bikepark will probably lead to you getting heatstroke, so we recommend that you ride with at least kneepads on the descents (elbowpads can be very usefull too) which you remove for the climbs. Remember you are riding on "natural" trails, so back it off a bit and enjoy the ride.

Glasses will stop dust, branches and other unmentionables getting flicked into your eyes.

Suncream is really useful. In general you willl be riding in a much harsher sunlight than you are used to (a mix of the altitude and the lack of polution), so suncream can stop your holiday being spoilt by a case of sunburn!

For your bike remember to bring spare brake pads and a spare mech hanger as these parts are often unique to your bike and impossible to get at short notice here. Some tubes are essential and even a spare tyre for your wheel size is a good idea.

Make sure your bike has a decent set of toughened sidewall trail tyres. This is not the place to be riding lightweight tyres. We also recommend that you run tubeless as in some areas thorns can ruin your day on tubes.

You will be most comfortable riding a typical trail/enduro bike. That means a fully suspended bike in the 140mm to 170mm travel range depending on your wheelsize. We strongly recommend the use of a dropper seatpost as this dramatically increases your safety in the mountains due to the ability to raise and drop your saddle where nescessary without stopping.

All of our holidays are demanding! This is not cycling for softies.... The fitter you are the more you will enjoy your trip. The weather, altitude and trails can accentuate your fatigue, so we strongly suggest that you prepare yourself for your trip. You will be riding for at least 5 days and on some trips 6 days without a day off. You need to be comfortable doing this.

For each trip there is a description of the trip and trails. We once had some clients suggest that a 30km day was going to be only half a day!! They didn't want to do anything extra that evening.... Do not underestimate the terrain.

As a famous coach once said to me "Anyone can pedal but it takes skill to RIDE". This is mountainbiking, in real mountains and not in a groomed park area. To get the most out of your trip you should be comfortable riding on natural singletrack, in a natural environment. If you only ride in areas that are manmade (trail centers or bikepark) you will struggle here, so get out and practice and you will enjoy your holiday much more. 

You also need to know your limits. There is no shame in not riding a small piece of trail as you do not feel comfortable doing it. If we have the time we can help you in these situations, but if we are on the move and time is short knowing your limits can stop you having an accident somewhere where you really didn't want one. 

Introduction

Altitude Adventure is based in the ski station of St Pierre dels Forcats (altitude 1550m), just across the valley from Font Romeu, in the Neiges Catalanes ski area, one of France’s well-kept secrets. With over 300km of pistes, 8 snowparks, a variety of off-piste to suite all abilities and 288km of cross country skiing this area has everything you need for a great ski holiday.

We provide comfortable and spacious accommodation for a classic chalet style holiday in the French Pyrenees. With a lack of large hotels and commercial tour operators the area is superb for those looking for a different style of ski holiday. Outside of French school holidays the whole area is amazingly quiet giving fantastic un-crowded skiing.

The Neiges Catalanes lift pass covers all the 9 resorts in the Cerdagne and Capcir valleys, or individual resort lift passes can be purchased daily. Equipment hire can be arranged locally.

Check out the resort map to get a feel for the lie of the land and see more photos. Have a read of the additional information for our winter holidays.

Espace Cambre D’Aze

Home resort to the “Mouli” the 4 person chair is only 300m away. Between the villages of St Pierre dels Forcats and Eyne rises the Cambre D’Aze mountain. This area holds piste skiing that (although not the biggest) is widely regarded as the best in the area. The area has 25 pistes with 2 blacks, 7 reds, 4 blues and 12 greens. Off-piste is mainly in the trees and requires a reasonable level of competence. See their website.

Font Romeu, Pyrenees 2000

Font Romeu is the most famous town in this area. Bright lights, big city it isn’t, but it retains more charm than your average alpine resort whilst providing all the amenities that you need. The ski area is linked to the resort of Pyrenees 2000 and gives meaning to the phrase “intermediates playground” with 8 blacks, 8 reds, 9 blues, 9 greens and a snowpark. See their website.

Les Angles

This is a great ski area with plenty to keep all standards of skiers and boarders interested. The station features good shopping and amenities in the village whilst the pistes are well developed and cared for. There are 2 blacks, 16 reds, 5 blues, 6 greens and a huge snow park. The off -piste in the trees is challenging whilst never being far from a piste. See their website.

Formigueres

A really nice little station a couple of minutes above the village giving good intermediate skiing and boarding, with fantastic off-piste in the trees on the upper section. Formigueres features 1 black, 6 reds, 8 blues, 4 greens and a small snowpark. See their website.

Puyvalador

At the head of the Capcir valley above the village of Rieutort sits this station. See their website.

La Quillane

A small station with a couple of pistes and a snow park. On the opposite side of the road is the small airport which is one of the sites for snow-kiting. See their website.

Porte Puymorens

The furthest station from us covered by the area pass, Porte is on the French side of the pass to Pass De La Casa in Andorra. A good variety of pistes are on offer in a spectacular setting at the head of the valley. It offers 3 blacks, 4 reds, 5 blues, 5 greens and a good size snow park. See their website.

Spain and Andorra

Not included in the Neiges Catalanes pass are the Spanish resorts of La Molina and Massella and the Andoran resorts in the Pass De La Casa area but which are all in day trip distance (with a small fuel charge) if you run out of things to do!!

Video

Here come the girls! Ella and Shawna (9 and 7yrs) show how it should be done in the trees. (published 24th Nov 2009)