Off Piste Skiing

We’ve got all you need to indulge in fantastic off piste skiing in the Pyrenees, including a brand new Pyrenees Ski Safari programme for 2008.

 

- Choose from a week's skiing (with BASI instruction and guiding) or just a straight guided week with a UIAGM mountain guide
- A great new Pyrenees Ski Safari using five ski areas
- Heliskiing in Gressoney and Monta Rosa in the Alps
   
 


We’ve often been asked to recommend off-piste skiing courses to people who want to improve their ski technique. But a good course is hard to find, so this year we are offering two courses to fulfil that purpose ourselves. Although these weeks are designed to help people to improve their off piste skiing so that they can enjoy their ski touring, more you might want to come along just for the sake of the off piste skiing itself - after all, it's a lot of fun!

On the other hand, if you are at a stage with your skiing where you just want to 'get on with it' we are offering two separate weeks with no formal tuition where you spend all six days in the company of your UAIGM guide following the best off piste itineraries that the ski areas have to offer. On most weeks there is the option to go heliskiing for a day.

“Brilliant week ! Thanks so much for all the organising and hard work.”
- David Booth

Off Piste Skiing Courses in the Pyrenees and Alps

21st February 2009, Pyrenees Ski Safari
This week is based in the French Haute Pyrenees. We ski from Luz Ardiden, Cauterets, Barèges, La Mongie, St Lary Soulan and Gavarnie. There are some fantastic descents and few tracks. This holiday is all about exploring the Pyrenees and during the week there are two or three formal ski tuition sessions. You will need to use skins on two days to climb for about one hour. Find out more at Pyrenees Ski Safari .

7th March 2009, Gressoney - Alagna
Our course takes place in the exciting Monte Rosa Ski area at the head of the Aosta valley in the Italian Alps. You spend a week in a friendly hotel in the lovely ancient village of Gressoney St Jean and we use a minibus and local public buses to access all the different ski areas in the valley. You ski for one day with a ski instructor and enjoy five days off piste skiing with a UIAGM mountain guide. Find out more at Alps Off Piste Ski Safari .


 


Ski trips and more throughout Europe and beyond
Don’t let our name fool you: as well as Pyrenees trips, we can take you to the Alps, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Tatra Mountains and even further. In France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Poland, Slovenia…even Mongolia.

Downhill skiing, alpine skiing, off piste, telemark skiing, ski tours, ski touring snowshoeing, trekking, mountaineering, expedition training, motorcycle tours, expedition training, walking, activity holidays, canyoning, mountain biking, white water rafting, road touring, cultural tours and study – chances are we have just what you’re looking for. We can also arrange all accommodation, from a hotel or B&B to a self-catering apartment or gite.

Can’t see what you’re after? We’d be happy to arrange a bespoke trip for you.

 

Pyrenean Mountain Tours
2 Rectory Cottages, Rectory Lane, Wolverton,Hants, RG26 5RS, UK
tel and fax: (0044)(0)1635 297209, web: www.pyrenees.co.uk
(Pyrenean Mountain Tours is a trading name of European Mountain Holidays Ltd.)

 
Preparing for off piste skiing

Fitness and Skiing Standard for our Off Piste Courses.
 These skiing courses are aimed at good alpine skiers who are confident skiing at a good pace in all conditions on a red piste using parallel turns. You should also be confident about skiing down a black piste (although not necessarily stylishly) and ideally you will have already ventured off piste now and again..

Skiing Standard for our Guided Off Piste Weeks
These skiing courses are aimed at good alpine skiers with previous off-piste skiing experience who are confident in all snow (with the exception of breakable crust) and can ski at a good pace. Fitness is important on these weeks as we expect to ski pretty hard all day six days in a row. There is no formal tuition but your guide will give tips when that seems helpful.

Questions about these trips ? Email Jessica for help.

 Mountain Guides and Leaders
These two courses will be led and taught by UIAGM guides and BASI ski instructors as described in the itineraries for each trip.