ECONOMICS SKIING IN CATALONIA: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE ELEVENOPPORTUNITIES FOR ALPINESKIING AND THE SAME AGAIN FOR NORDIC SKIING. FIRSTQUALITY SNOW, GOOD HOTEL FACILITIES, A VARIED GEOGRAPHY, EXCELLENT COMMUNICATIONS, ALL THE BACK-UP SERVICES YOU NEED AND AN ENVIABLE CUISINE. ENRlC OLLER I CARBO JOURNALIST lpine skiing is still not a very well- available and the back-up services has rences. Al1 in all, then, Catalonia offers known sport in Catalonia, al- also taken place. It must not be forgotten something for everyone. though skiers alone occupy a to- that only 20 Oh of a skier's expenses are With the intention of offering replies to tal of ten thousand hotel places every directly linked to the ski-station itself. the complex tourist demand, the La Tuca winter. For Catalan businessmen in this Be that as it may, this sport moves ten runs were built, five hundred metres sector, a good winter season can mean a thousand million pesetas a year (87 mil- from the capital of the Val1 d'Aran, Vie- gross turnover of more than one and a lion US dollars) in Catalonia. We have lla. These installations now include a per- half thousand million pesetas (12.5 mil- to bear in mind that the installations of a manent competition stadium and are con- lion US dollars). This volume of trade ski-station cost over one thousand million sidered amongst the best and most mo- has to be set against a far from insignifi- pesetas and it is calculated that it takes dern in Catalonia. cant investment. In Catalonia, over the fifteen years to retrieve the capital invest- In the region of the central Pyrenees, Ba- last two seasons, the ski resorts have ment. queira Beret is a monumental sports substantially improved their installations. But Catalonia is traditionally a mountain complex with facilities for .both alpine For example, one thousand three hun- country; it has a varied geography, a and nordic skiing. It has 29 medium diffi- dred million pesetas (11.5 million US pleasant climate and is particularly rich in culty runs, 6 more for beginners and four dollars) have been spent on extending places where one can take part in winter for the more expert. Altogether there are infrastructures, four hundred million sports. Perhaps for this reason also, the 150 hectares (app. 375 acres) of marked (3.5 million US dollars) more on pro- authorities have taken care to develop runs and mechanical transport capable of viding artificial snow and another fifty communications. This favours the distri- moving more than 13,500 people an million on insurance and publicity. bution of those who are keen on winter hour. An increase in the hotel accomodation sports according to their needs and prefe- Right in the middle of the Pallars Sobirh ECONOMICS region, the Llesui ski-station stand~out varying routes and 88 different runs. its visitors to enjoy an exceptional view because of its low prices. Here, the cli- The pioneer station in the Spanish state is that stretches from the bay of Roses to mate often makes it possible to ski right also in Catalonia, close to the town of the headland of the Cap de Creus. up to the end of April. Alp, in the Cerdanya region. It is La Mo- For Nordic skiing -that does not need Near the town of Rialb, Port Ainé has lina, which has more than a hundred and the help of mechanical ski-lifts- any- dkveloped in the knowledge that it is one fifty thousand visitors a year. It has 81 where in Catalonia is suitable, so long as of the youngest winter installations in Ca- machines which provide artificial snow there is enough snow. But routes have talonia. It is also in the Pallars Sobirh and for the more than 17 hectares (43 acres) been established in areas with appro- is characterized by its modern ski-lift which can be skied on. It also has three priate installations. From east to west equipment. standard jumps and six competition runs. and north to south, these are: Núria (Ri- Super Espot is near the Vall dels Esta- In the heart of the Berguedh region there polles), La Molina (Cerdanya), Lles nyets, close to the national park of Sant is the Rasos de Peguera centre. It is one (Cerdanya), Arhnser (Cerdanya), Sant Maurici. With its runs facing northeast, of the closest to Barcelona -only 150 ki- Joan de 1'Erm (Alt Urgell), Rasos de Pe- surrounded by lush forests, the setting is lometres-, one of the most reasonably guera (Berguedh), Port del Comte (Sol- unbeatable and the snow is always good priced and is particularly recommended sones), Tuixén (Alt Urgell) , Isil (Pallars quality. for beginners. Sobira), Beret (Vall d'Aran) and Salardú In the Solsones, in the eastern Pyrenees, Núria belongs to the eastern Pyrenees. (Vall d'Aran). Port del Comte has its installations within Close to Ribes de Freser, it is two thou- Catalonia, then, is the part of the state the town limits of La Pedra i la Coma, sand metres above sea-level. It was one which has most ski-runs to offer. Eleven near the source of the river Cardoner. of the first runs in Catalonia and, because possibilities for Alpine skiing and the The mechanical transport network can of its situation, it is very peaceful and same again for nordic skiing. First quali- take 10,000 people an hour. ideal for nordic skiing. ty snow, good hotel facilities, a varied On the northern slopes of the Tos- More of a family resort, Vallter-2000 is geography, excellent communications, sa d'Alp massif, at the eastern end set in the cirque of Morens-U11 de Ter, in al1 the back-up services you need of the Cadí range, there is La Massella. the Ripolles region and the easternmost and an enviable cuisine. A Mediterra- 80 % of its courses are through pine and part of the Pyrenees. Its privileged geo- nean cocktail of common sense and win- fir trees. Altogether, 70 kilometres of graphical situation makes it possible for ter fun. ¤ WT!I rt.. - .