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THE PYRENEES
Happy to be overshadowed by the more glamorous Alps, the Pyrenees are home to some of the wildest mountain areas of Europe. Just a smattering of small family-orientated ski resorts make this an excellent area for avoiding the crowds, whether on snowshoes or cross-country skis. Being further south than the Alps, the Pyrenees have an excellent sunshine record.
Where we go Our base for many years has been the spa town of Bagneres de Luchon, right in the heart of the Pyrenees and just a few kilometres from the Spanish border. More recently we have travelled further east and have discovered the excellent cross-country ski areas close to Ax-les-Thermes, another spa town to the south-east of Toulouse. PYRENEES
daytime temperature oC
16
Toulouse
10
14 12 6
FRANCE
Bagneres de Luchon Ax-les-Thermes
N
5
5
D
J
F
M
A
M
hours of daylight
10 9 9 11 12 13 14
Pico Aneto
Aigues-Tortes
ANDORRA
SPAIN
THE ALPS AND CENTRAL EUROPE
INNSBRUCK
daytime temperature oC
20 16 11 8 4 2 N D 1 J F M A M
Chamonix
GERMANY FRANCE
Zurich
Tannheim
Munich
Seefeld Plateau
Pertisau
AUSTRIA
Innsbruck
SWITZERLAND
Kandersteg
Tyrol
Trins Villabassa
Dobbiaco/Versciaco
Spreading from France through Switzerland to Austria and Italy, the Alps are Europe's finest mountain range. Whilst downhill skiing has dominated many areas, there are still quiet valleys where ski lifts are few and far between and the major winter pastimes are cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
When to Ski or Snowshoe Cross-country skiing generally takes place in the valley bottoms, where the best snow conditions are in the months of December, January and February. From March to early April we need to venture to the higher slopes for good snow, consequently our main cross-country season is from Christmas to the end of February, and the rest of the winter is more suitable for snowshoeing.
Geneva
Mont Blanc
Bernese Oberland
Cortina Dolomites Asiago
Bled
Ljubljana
hours of daylight
9 8 8 10 12 13 15
SLOVENIA
Milan Venice
ITALY
SOUTHERN NORWAY
The mountain areas of southern Norway are a playground for all types of winter sports. The most popular is cross-country skiing, and the high plateaux are perfect for touring in deep powdery snow, which lasts from December to April. Our mountain bases are three to four hours away from Oslo's main airport, Gardermoen, but it's well worth the drive, as we will take you right to the edge of the wilderness. Many of our featured hotels are remote 'High Mountain hotels' with excellent access to remote terrain - consequently the nightlife is limited.
Temperatures & daylight hours At about the same latitude as Shetland, but over 400 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Norway does of course have cold winters, and temperatures around or below freezing lead to excellent snow conditions. Even in midwinter there are still more than enough daylight hours to enjoy our activities, and daytime temperatures rarely fall below -10°C. SOUTHERN NORWAY
daytime temperature oC
Rondane N.P. Jotunheim N.P.
Rondablikk
8 5 3 3 F M A 6 9
14
NORWAY
Sogne Stromfjord
Finse Bergen Geilo Synnseter Kamben Hovda
Sjusoen Lillehammer
N
D
J
M
Gu
hours of daylight
7 6 7 9 11 14 17
db ran ds da l
Hardangervidda
Oslo
Stavanger Rjukan Kvitavatn
To book call 0845 330 6007 or visit www.exodus.co.uk
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