Family vacations in the snow

An enchanted week in Ax-les-Thermes

This year, Mum and Dad are taking my big sister Inès and me on vacation to Ax-les-Thermes. Inès is 11 and I’ve just turned 6. We came this summer and had so much fun that we wanted to come back this winter!

When we arrive, it’s already dark, but the village lights are shining and there’s snow everywhere, and I can already smell the fresh, pure mountain air.

Our accommodation is really cute, all made of wood, and our room has a view of the mountains. After dropping off our luggage, we take a stroll through the village. We go to thetouristoffice and the lady who greets us gives us lots of ideas for our week, because there’s more to Ax-les-Thermes than skiing!

Getting there

Ax 3 Domaines resort

Ski, snowboard and snakegliss

Today is our first day of skiing at Ax 3 Domaines. We take the Baou gondola up early in the morning and head off to a rental shop. This year, I want to try snowboarding, just like Mom! So this morning, I’m taking a lesson with an instructor and so is my sister, who needs to brush up on her skiing. Theevolutionarea is the perfect place to start, and you can even go tobogganing there. Mom and Dad both go and we meet up for lunch in the salle hors sac. It’s a great place to take a break, with board games, table tennis and even table soccer! The four of us play a bit and then get back out on the slopes. I’ve got to perfect my snow skills if I ever want to do jumps in the snowpark! Inès loves skiing, it’s her favorite winter activity. I made good progress today, even if I did take a few spectacular falls! In the afternoon, we took our time to enjoy a leisurely family run, which included the Gentiane piste, then the Casse, the famous Savis, a 7km blue run, and finally the green Griole piste back down through the fir trees to the bottom of the resort. It’s already the end of the day, and Mum and Dad have a surprise in store for us: a snakegliss descent of the “Bonascre” run! It was great, we went fast and had a lot of fun.

Guided snowshoe walk

Like a trapper

For this day, we decided to do something different. We set off on a guided snowshoe outing in the mountains. Our guide takes us on incredible trails through snow-covered fir trees. It’s great because he knows the Ariège mountains like the back of his hand, and takes us to places where only the luckiest people can get to, off the beaten track. It’s quiet and beautiful. Snowshoeing is a magical experience. We observeanimal tracks in the snow and our guide explains how to recognize them . At the end of the walk, we arrive at a panoramic viewpoint from which we can see the whole valley, and we build an igloo!

Ax-les-Thermes

Relaxation day at the Couloubret baths and skating rink

After several days of intense activity, we decided to relax at the Bains du Couloubret. Ax-les-Thermes is famous for its natural hot springs, and the thermoludic center is great. We spend the morning relaxing in the hot-water pools. The thermal baths are perfect for recuperating after skiing and hiking. There are massage jets, whirlpools and even an outdoor pool with a view of the mountains. In the afternoon, Mum and Inès treat themselves to a massage in thewellnessarea, just the two of them. I’m still too little, but Dad promised we’d come back when I’m older! In the evening, Mum and Dad take us to the nocturne at the ephemeral ice rink in Ax-les-Thermes, where there’s music and light shows – it’s great!

I reserve

Le Chioula

Cross-country skiing and tobogganing

Today we’re trying out cross-country skiing at the Chioula ski resort. We pick up our ski hire and start the day early to take full advantage of the slopes. The area is quite vast, with several itineraries of different levels, so there’s something for everyone. Domaine du Chioula is really charming, with slopes surrounded by snow-covered forests and superb mountain scenery. The snow is fresh, perfect for effortless sliding. I had a bit of trouble at first, especially with the sliding and pushing technique, but I soon got the hang of it. During the day, we came across a group of snowshoehikers who told us about their walk up to the Signal du Chioula: apparently, the almost 360° panorama is superb and you can try to identify the various peaks of the Pyrenees chain thanks to the orientation table- one day we’ll go! It’s the end of the day and we’re a little tired, but happy. Cross-country skiing at Domaine du Chioula was a wonderful experience, perfect for reconnecting with nature and spending time with the family. We feel almost alone in the world, with the snow and forests all around us. We ended the day with a few toboggan runs, which were a lot of fun!

Last day

Our last day has arrived. We spend the morning packing our bags and taking one last stroll through the village. At the start of the week, we had done theAx-les-Thermesdiscovery itinerary and passed by the Axéenne pool, and today we went back to soak our feet in the warm water – it was so nice! We buy a few souvenirs for our friends and family. This vacation in Ax-les-Thermes has been incredible. Between the skiing, snowshoeing, thermal baths and all the activities, we had an unforgettable week. See you soon, Ax-les-Thermes!

Buy a souvenir

Living intensely

Experiences in the Ariège Pyrenees

Ariege's little extras

The Ariege Pyrenees, your oxygen bubble!

Looking for unspoilt nature, the great outdoors and white water?
In winter, ski, snowboard, skating, snowshoeing, sledging, dog sledding, at Ax 3 Domaines, Beille, Ascou and le Chioula, Mijanés and Goulier...

In summer, hiking, mountain biking, paragliding or canyoning...

And all year round, enjoy the benefits of the thermal waters at Ax-les-Thermes, Ussat-les-Bains or the Bains du Couloubret.
And don't miss the Grotte de Niaux and the Parc de la Préhistoire.

Not forgetting the history of our mountains and their heritage, pastoralism and local produce!

Book your next mountain vacation!