Where to Ski And Snowboard - Spanish resort plans new lift

Spanish resort plans new lift

3rd June 2010, by Chris Gill

Baquiera-Beret, Spain

Baquiera-Beret is investing in a new lift for next winter that will reconnect two parts of the ski area.

The Spanish resort will spend 6.5 million euros installing a six-seat chairlift at Orri Aran, between the Beret and Baquiera sectors. This development follows the removal of the old lift a couple of seasons ago, when pistes were also reorganised to accommodate its loss – though the way from Beret to Baquiera was more tricky as a result.

The new lift will run along a similar line to the old one, up from the Orri base area towards Cap de Baquiera. This will improve access to some of the better black runs in the area. The chair will be named Jorge Jordana after the resort’s founder and promoter for the ski area. He was Baquiera-Beret’s president for over 30 years, until he died in 1999.

Baquiera-Beret is one of Spain’s largest resorts, located in the Val d’Aran region of the Pyrenees and with over 100km pistes to explore. It has always been a popular haunt with the country’s royalty, but fallen a little out of favour with British visitors in recent years; the area is not particularly charming and there are still lots of old lifts. But the resort opened a swanky new terrain park earlier in 2010, and along with other Spanish areas is seeking to improve investment in its lifts and runs. With lower prices in the Pyrenees generally, interest is returning.