My wife and I are avid skiers and snowboarders and we make one major winter trip of a week or more (along with several shorter trips) each year. Last winter I noticed that airfares from San Diego to Barcelona/Madrid got down to approximately $350 rt. This is about the same amount one pays to get into some of the smaller remote Colorado mountain towns, such as Telluride or Steamboat Springs. Of course, my travel wary brain clicked in and I realized that we could be skiing the Pyrenees for about the same cost as the Rockies. Granted, the quality of the skiing may not be the same but then again the cultural difference makes it that much more alluring.

So, my preliminary idea is to fly into Barcelona and enjoy a couple of days there. Then head north to the Pyrenees getting in a few days of skiing in Andorra. Then on over to Bilbao for a day or two. And finally down to Madrid or over to Toulouse where we will spend a couple of days before we depart back to the States.

I'm thinking late February or early March for this trip. I'm interested to hear from anyone who has traveled in these areas during the winter, perhaps skied the Pyrenees, and, finally, general information regarding travel here.

Yes, I am aware that the Alps would be a better destination for the skiing (and we will eventually make it there). But for this trip's purposes we are much more keen on Spain.

Thanks in advance,

John Rule San Diego, CA