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Les Angles

Very cold and snowy. Around a foot of snow has fallen and the snowploughs are out and about. Ours came down at the crack of dawn but has left a slick of ice up the road. Not doubt he'll be back later.
This snowfall does look very favorably for the weekend opening of the station.
If coming up to the mountains take care on the roads and don't forget your chains, and all the other bits you may need.......gloves, hats and something to kneel on.

Thanks Jen. That's useful to know. I would also recommend anyone looking for a guide through the snow or accommodation in Les Angles to take a look a Jen's website with their fabulous converted barn gites.
http://www.pyrenean-trails.com/

I have just returned from a couple of days in Montpelier and found a world totally alien to the world I left behind. You may or may not believe me but we have between 4/5 foot of snow in the garden and the village. The main road up to Fetges was quite good. Things started to get worse on the turnoff at Mont Louis up towards Les Angles and Font Romeu . The road was fairly well covered up through Lla Llagonne and along to the Capcir turnoff to Les Angles.
The roads are treacherous,all the way into the village and the center is like a snow dome. They have worked hard all day to dig out parking spaces and to keep the roads clear but it is a virtually impossible task. The snow is still falling and is at a depth I have never seen before in the ten years I have lived up here.
The station is now open for skiers, but do take great care and leave plenty of space between you and other cars and don't forget to bring all the correct gear.

Bright and sunny , very cold and windy though. People are skiing but it must be a little unpleasant because of the spin drift.
Check on the village site to see which lifts are working .www.lesangles.com
The roads are still not good into the village.

The weather up here in Les Angles has been lovely for the past few days. It is very cold and the particles in the air are freezing to form tiny sparkly bits which float around and look magic.
Tomorrow and the next few days are forecast for sun and the slopes appear to be used very little in the week days. I have only seen a couple of skiers from the house today,so if you want the piste to yourself....come now.

Les Angles
Another lovely sunny day. The village has finally got on top of most of the roads including the side lanes in the old village. Plenty of easy parking. The forecast for the next few days if cold but sunny.

Les Angles Ski Station is open now.

Formigueres Ski Station will be open 30th November

St Pierre del Forcat will open on 5th December

Great weather, great skiing and the slope virtually to yourself.

We didn't get the predicated snow during the night, although it was bitterly cold. I woke at 4am and the bedroom window was completely steamed up, so I looked out and there was no sign that it had snowed, but the cars outside were frozen! I'm stocking up on course salt in case we suddenly have heavy snow with little warning!

Cars are frozen over here but underfoot seems fine, like you I expected to Wake up to a blanket of snow.
fingers crossed it does not arrive today, my daughter is flying into Gerona this evening , only passed her test in January and never driven on snow.

Another sunny day up here. Cold and not much wind down here in the village.
Hope any snow holds off, Opas until your daughter arrives safely. I don't think the hire companies provide snow tyres but it is worth her asking for snow chains or socks just to be on the safe side. The socks are so much easier for "the girls" to put on.Our daughter uses them on her low profile tyres.
I think the snow is due Saturday or Sunday.

Thanks Jenny, but my Jen is to be driving her own car. I will warn her to be aware the roads could be icy in places.

Lovely blue sky.

Good to hear she has her own car. If it stay cold and sunny the roads should stay fairly good. I'm sure she will get home safely. I worry myself silly when my daughter drives down from St Malo. The last bit over the mountains is alway a worry.
Lets hope is stays dry.

Your weather sounds enticing Jenny. Thanks for keeping us updated. We have family coming up your way for a few days skiing at the end of December.

The weather down here just below The Albères is PDG today too. No
wind, wall to wall sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. Superb!

Sue and Paul I am jealous!

Weather in Northampton is no wind, overcast and not particularly warm. What I miss most about P.O. is the sunshine. Most winter days here are overcast. If its sunny its usually quite cold.

Took the outlaws for a walk along Argelès sea front. Felt like a summer's day in the sunshine....loads of people wandering around with big grins on their faces....but not a single café ouvert for a drink on the port.

Kind of understand that they wouldnt want to stay open just for a handful of customers....but such a shame for these sunny days, that everything closes down.

Think you would have found a couple open on Centre Plage. One right in the square at Centre Plage and one just around the corner from there.

I understand the problem. Most years evreything closes and then it snowed last week and everyonewas away. This year Le Bar Eden Roc has stayed open for weekends and is therefore open now in the week as they have realised that folks are here and skiing. Most of the other places have opened now as well. A week ago you would have struggled to get a cup of coffee.

Les Angles

The weather is nasty. We have low cloud which means poor visibility both on the roads and on the mountains. It is snowing steadily and is covering the roads. The main roads should be OK but if anyone is thinking of coming up here for a bit of a ski.......don't bother I have just put my head outside and the wind is picking up and the temperature is freezing...... not nice at all.

Les Angles
Bright and sunny again today. The weather forecast is for more of the same for the foreseeable future. The roads are clear and dry. I drove up to Pas de la Casa yesterday and it was fantastic. The roads are superb with very little snow laying in the fields in the valley going through Saillagouse down to Bourg Madame. The snow starts around Porta Puymorens and up to the Col. Breathtaking is not the word and it is fantastic to see the snow over the height of the car. I think they must cut through it as the walls of snow are solid and the road is dry. The scenery is stunning so even if you are not a skier it's worth a trip up, personally I have never seen as much snow.

Wall to wall sun, clear sky. Quite cold as heavy frost over night.
If driving take care in the spots under the trees where the sun hasn't melted the ice.
Piste is prefect.

It is another glorious day, I went out at 9 am and thought the car just had dew on it, it was iced over. The temp was minus 2 but certainly didnot feel like it.
I went to weedkill a clients garden as the forecast is good for the next few days( no wind or rain) the temp at 10 am said 13 degrees, blue sky and suuny, there was a micro light enjoying the calm too....

A day to be out and about.

Hey Opas you are lucky to be able to see the weeds. Mine are still under the snow. Have got to admit though the weather is lovely, sunny and warm.Busy in the station yesterday and today but tomorrow should be nice and quiet.

Yesterday in our back garden in direct sun the temperature was 32c. Bloomin chilly in the shade though but then it is December.

Les Angles:
This is getting boring and I do apologise.

It is warm, sunny and the best bit that there is no wind.

Even though it is Saturday the station is quite quiet so great if you just want a quiet ski.

St Pierre is open this weekend and then opens fully next weekend. There is s super new snack bar at the top of the main chair lift......give it a try, don't just wizz past to get down the hill, sit down and have a cuppa.Angela will look after you and she also speaks passable English [small joke]

Can you just go up in the chairlift and use the snack bar and then come back down by chairlift. I ask because I have friends who have 2 grandchildren they bring over to ski at St Pierre in February but the grandparents are non skiers themselves.

Hi Dylan, I have used the chair lift with groups of snow-shoers so I presume that there should be no problem but in the school holidays you would be advised to contact them first to check as they do get large numbers of skiers. They show a "pieton" rate of €8 per person.
Regards
Mike Rhodes

Just about to head off towards Argelès on my bike, complete with dog. T shirt and thin bike jacket, and already sweating like a pig. Have hubby picking me up on arrival - not for me (honest!) but for the dog, or it would be too much for his delicate little paws, but how lucky are we to be able to do this kind of thing less than two weeks before Christmas? Wishing a lovely, sunny weekend to everyone here and sending sunshiney thoughts to all who arent.

Still brilliant sunshine up here, I have all my windows open and it is warm. Weirdly, Mike is still trying to clear solid snow, about three foot deep out of the courtyard. Wish I could cycle to Argeles....good on yer Kate.

Thanks for your reply Jenny. I couldnt cycle anywhere, not long back from the Shanghai buffet volonte in Argeles and so stuffed!!

I went up the chairlift once to have lunch but lost my nerve about going down on it as it was so high up. My husband went over to a French chap with a skidoo and said, "J'ai un probleme avec mon femme." The skidoo driver said that he had problems with his wife as well but he was kind enough to let me jump on the back of the skidoo, hold him round the waist and take me to the egg lift. I went down that way without looking down, after a large cognac in the bar at the top of the egglift.

PS I used to ski but have lost my nerve. Still enjoy going up to Les Angles when my husband skies. Spent a Christmas up there in a hotel a few years ago. Loved the Santas' candlelit descent of the mountain and the children singing Mon Cher Papa Noel.

So wish I had a like button for that story Rose.