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Travel to Baqueira Beret with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Baqueira - Beret is a purpose-built resort and is surrounded by Romanesque churches and exquisite mountain lakes. Although a favourite ski destination for the likes of the Spanish Royal Family, Baqueira is fairly reasonably priced and has commendable shops, facilities and services.

There are 57 runs over 93kms of wide open slopes that are mainly geared to intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders; while Escornacrabes slope is for thrill-seekers. Nineteen chairlifts, seven surface lifts and four conveyors have an hourly uplift capacity of over 45,000 people per hour and provide access to the slopes. There is also some excellent off-piste and an array of snow cannons guarantees good conditions.

The ski season at Baqueira - Beret runs from December to April and the cheapest rates can be had in mid-December and towards the end of April. The most convenient means of getting here is to fly to Barcelona and hire a car, or take a train from the airport to Lerida and bus from there.

Skiing in Baqueira Beret

Baqueira - Beret is the largest and one of the most popular ski and snowboard resorts in Spain, and attracts serious skiers to its wonderful location in the beautiful Arán Valley. There are 93kms of fantastic downhill runs here, as well as good off-piste trails.

Baqueira – Beret’s 93kms of terrain are divided into four runs for beginners, 27 for intermediates, 21 for advanced level snowboarders and skiers, and five expert slopes. There is also some challenging off-piste for thrill-seekers as well as a seven-kilometre cross-country route. Thirty ski lifts provide access for over 45,000 people per hour.

Other winter activities and facilities at Baqueira – Beret ski resort include: ice-skating; heli-skiing; mountain guide excursions and paragliding. You’ll also find a range of indoor facilities, such as a fitness centre, squash, sauna and bowling. There are some superb eateries here and the après-ski is lively, with several bars and discos. Nearby Vielha offers additional facilities.

The December to April ski season at Baqueira - Beret ski resort has its best conditions in February, and cheaper weeks are before the Christmas holidays and towards the end of the season. Most people fly to Barcelona and take a combination train/bus transfer via Lerida, or hire a car.

Apres-ski in Baqueira Beret

Ice-skating and swimming are among the other non-skiing activities at Baqueira - Beret and there are over 3,500 beds in hotels, chalets and pensions to choose from. Baqueira is also well known for its fine dining and there are some quality cafés and restaurants serving up some traditional Spanish and French fare, while the resorts’ bars and discos ensure a lively après-ski. Three kindergartens and a play area are available for the kids.

Away from the slopes, the nearby town of Vielha offers additional facilities and an indoor sports centre, while cosmopolitan Barcelona lies to the southeast and is famed for its fascinating architecture, nightlife, pristine beaches and laid-back atmosphere. Alternatively, Toulouse (France) is a spectacular old town, with splendid mansions, magnificent churches and lots of cafés and restaurants.

Transportation in Baqueira Beret

Located 290kms northwest of Barcelona and 180kms southwest of Toulouse in the middle of the Pyrenees, Baqueira – Beret ski resort is best reached by flying to Barcelona and hiring a car. International rail travel is fairly straightforward from the UK, while self-drive is fairly arduous.

By car, Baqueira - Beret is 860kms from Paris and 290kms from Barcelona. The route from the UK is easy, although long. From Calais, the best route uses tolled autoroutes and goes via Paris, Orleans, Limoges, Toulouse and Montréjeau. From there, take the N-125 and N-230 south to Vielha, from where the C-142 goes to the resort (1,150kms; 12 to 13 hours).

If you’re coming from London by train, you’ll need to take the Eurostar service from Waterloo station to Paris (gare du Nord). Take the metro to gare de Lyon, from where high-speed TGV trains go to Barcelona, via Montpellier. There is also a standard train from Paris’ Austerlitz station to Barcelona. Trains from Barcelona only go as far as Llerida (south of Baqueira), from where you’ll need to take a bus.

Barcelona’s El Prat de Llobregat Airport is the gateway to Baqueira - Beret and receives flights the world over, including those of the budget airline, Easyjet, from the UK. Trains go from the airport to Llerida, from where buses go to the resort. Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is an alternative and trains go from the city, via Montréjeau, to Bagnères-de-Luchon, from where buses go to Baqueira - Beret.

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