Pas de la Casa Ski Resort

Prefer snowboarding to skiing? Pas has plenty to recommend it to riders too and it’s particularly popular with novice or reasonably new enthusiasts. Here’s the lowdown on Pas hotspots for riders:

• In the entire Grandvalira ski area, there are three terrain parks, two boardercross tracks, four off-piste trails you access via the piste groomer tow service, and one half-pipe. Pas is lift-linked to Grau Roig on the other side of the mountain, thus offering a huge network of intermediate runs, several beginner slopes and a handful of challenging black runs.

• Because most snowboarders here tend to be starting out in the sport, fresh powder tends to lie undisturbed for days, which is great news if you’re a more experienced rider who loves off-piste action.

• There are some good freeriding areas around Grau Roig, including several super powder fields around the top of the main black run. Furthermore, Pas has a good freestyle area for beginners, there’s a decent freestyle run at Grau Roig and the halfpipe is in the main park in nearby El Tarter.

• Pas is perfect for beginner boarders, with nice novice areas within walking distance of the village which allow you to build your confidence quickly before moving on to slightly trickier runs.

To summarise, Pas is a good pick for novice and intermediate riders, but it’s also suitable for advanced riders looking for a long weekend with lots of unspoilt off-piste powder.

With a resort height of 2050m and a highest lift at 2640m, Pas de la Casa is the highest resort in the Pyrenees and snow conditions tend to be terrific. Here are a few facts about historical snowfall in Pas:

• The first week of February is usually the snowiest of the season in Pas, with 3.6 days of snowfall in total and 32cm of snowfall. The average snow depth at the top of the ski area in February is 156cm and 99cm at the bottom.

• In November/December, there are usually a couple of days of snowfall per week, with light winds and little chance of lifts being closed. In December, the average snow depth is 38cm at the sop of the ski area and 19cm at the bottom.

• In the wider area there are 1008 snow cannons, providing cover for 78km of runs if necessary.

For high-altitude, snow-reliable ski holidays, Pas delivers during most of the season and on those rare occasions when mother nature underdelivers, there’s sufficient snow-making capacity to make sure nothing can spoil the party.

Do you take your partying as seriously as your skiing and snowboarding?

If you’re nodding your head, you’ll love the apres-ski ambience in Pas, because this Pyrenees pleasure zone can compete with anywhere in the world when it comes to letting your hair down.

Here are a few not-to-be-missed nightspots in Pas de la Casa:

• Fancy Balearic beats and mouth-watering Mediterranean cuisine? Don’t miss Costa Rodona on the slopes at the bottom of the resort, where you can ease back on the sun-kissed terrace on a comfy hammock or sofa and soak up preternaturally beautiful Pyrenees views to a sublime soundtrack from hotshot inhouse DJs.

• Underground Bar & Grill is located behind the main lift in Pas de la Casa and it’s probably the best place to go for wholesome, satisfying food washed down with fresh beer. Carnivores are satisfied with burgers, ribs, chicken and steaks grilled on an open fire in authentic BBQ style and there’s big screen sports screening major rugby and football fixtures throughout the season.

• The only place which might beat Underground Bar & Grill for rib enthusiasts is Milwaukee Bar on Career Bearn, which hosts a famous Rib Shack evening that’s always packed, plus with more big screens than you can shake your ski stick at it’s always a bustling venue for major sports events. When you want to relax with mates in an amicable atmos, this is a top pick.

• Paddy’s Bar is a bit of an institution in Pas and it hosts live music every night, screens most top footy fixtures and serves sumptuous bar food. If you’re after an authentic pub experience with lashings of Celtic craic, this brilliant bar near the TFS4 Solana lift is the place to be!

• Want to dine and dance the night away in a venue that looks like a leftover set from a retro-futuristic space opera? Coll Blanc is situated right at the top of the TSD6 lift and this flying saucer shaped venue serves fine food during the day and bouncing club nights in the evening, where DJs on the decks get everyone throwing outrageous shapes on the terrace and beyond.

• Another awesome place to boogie away until the wee small hours is Billbord nightclub close to the slopes near the TSF4 Solana lift, on Career Bearn. This is one of the biggest and best organised clubs in pas and hosts superb club nights like Hed Kandi, with a mixed crowd including full-on ravers who rarely leave the dancefloor and glam guests who never venture far from the champagne-fuelled VIP area.

• For a session with a certain je ne sais quoi, don’t miss the Ice Igloo bar, which is part of the hotel carved from solid ice here every season. Surprisingly, you’ll be cosy inside, and sipping a warming vin chaud while admiring the stunning ice carvings is always an amazing experience.

• As the name suggests, The Red Lion is a typical British-style boozer that’s always packed when there’s a big sports match on and with super-cheap beer, spirits and mixers available during happy hour from 8pm-10pm Sunday to Friday, patrons are usually very well refreshed.