Ax-Les-Thermes

The ski resort of Ax Les Thermes is situated in the Haute-Ariège area of the Ariège department in the Pyrénées region. The lift served area extends from 1400 metres to 2400 metres. There are 75 km of lift served runs. The resort features a snowpark. There has been €12 million of investment in the ski area 2006 including artificial snow making in the Campells sector and the opening of Campeillot black and Trois Jasses green brining the total lift served runs to around 90km. A new six seater high speed chair has been installed on the Saquet and there is a new blue "Saquet" run. A four speed chair has added to the lift capacity.

Ax les Thermes is a real and authentic Pyrnenean town with all the shops you would expect. If you are looking for backcountry gear you should visit the excellent Telemark Pyrenees run by Neil Hardy. It is not just Telemark kit, you can find walking boots, touring and downhill skis.

Twenty kilometres southeast of Tarascon, and still on the river, the spa town of Ax Les Thermes is completely walled in by mountains and its principal value is as a base for exploring the surrounding peaks and as a staging post on the way to Andorra or on down the N20 to Font-Romeu and, ultimately, Perpignan and the Mediterranean.

The town itself is small and agreeable enough, but there's little to see once you've wandered a couple of streets in the quarter to the right of the N20, which forms the main street, avenue Delcassé. Rue de l'École and rue de la Boucarie retain a few medieval buildings, and above place du Breilh, the church of St-Vincent is of architectural interest for its Romanesque tower. Just across the road you can dangle your feet for free in the Bassin des Ladres, a pool of hot sulphurous water which is all that remains of the hospital founded in 1260 by St Louis for soldiers wounded in the Crusades.