Val d'Aran:
The house sits in a small village called Mont at an altitude of c1250m. It is reached by driving up a narrow mountain road - with a number of hairpin bends. The village is south facing and has magnificent views of the mountains all year long. The main village, Vielha, is 5 minutes by car and is the 'capital' of the Val d'Aran - the name given to this region. The Val d'Aran is located at the western end of the Catalan Pyrenees and borders France. The Aranese have their own identity (and language) but also speak Catalan, Castillan (Spanish), French and a smattering of English.
The food/gastronomy in the valley is renowned throughout Spain and there is a multitude of restaurants and bars selling excellent cuisine - the tapas in the majority of bars are excellent. There are also a number of 'refuges' where you can get traditional food/meals served in out of the way places - mainly cooked on grills - a number do not have electricity.
In Vielha there is large sports centre.
Outdoor Activities:
The Aran valley is surrounded by peaks, some of them 3,000 metres above sea level, with over 200 lakes. Some, such as the Mar or the Tort de Riu, are among the largest in the Spanish Pyrenees. Their extensive forests contain pines, firs and beeches. It is excellent for walking, climbing and cycling. In 2007 the Tour de France went though the valley. There are plenty of marked walks and cycle routes (Mountain Biking) for the serious walkers/cyclists and for tourists like me!
In addition there are a number of firms that organise whitewater rafting, kayaking alongside some of the more adventurous sports such as tubing and canyoning.
At the sports centre in Vielha there is an ice rink and indoor swimming pool. There are outdoor pools in a number of the local villages.
Ski:
The ski area at Baquiera- Beret is a hidden jewel. As yet virtually unknown to the UK skier - there is only one small UK advertised chalet - the resort is frequented by the french and the spanish. Almost all uplift is by chairlift/gondola with only one T-bar and 2 draglifts. Excellent snow - and sun- record.
The ski section in the Telegraph reported on the area as 'Slopes fit for a King' and the spanish royal family are regular visitors to the slopes.
There are 108km of pisted slopes, 69 slopes (5 green, 33 blue,25 red and 6 black) with 33 lifts. There is a 7 km cross country ski-circuit and 549 artificial snow making machines. Max altitude 2500m. See www.baquiera.es for full information.
There are a huge amount of restaurants and bars in the villages in baquiera and in the surrounding villages. Apres-ski is more around food and bars than discotheques (though there are some for those who look).
Other Activities:
whitewater rafting
