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Latest Reviewed Products |
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| Reviews: 12 |
| North Yorkshire |
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  4 of 5 16/02/2004 @ 15:06:38 |
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| 1 member has given this review a rating of 5 of 5 |
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| Revision #1 (Last edited: 16/02/2004 @ 17:18:38) |
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| Price Paid |
| £175 |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Airtours |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
Guess this review's going to be of most interest to newbies - save for a few spins at Castleford I sure was when I went. But I'm a quick learner and got round a lot of the area... First up, conditions - v v sunny. Although the place is covered in snow cannons, lack of decent cover made it at times a little on the icy side. OK for the experienced, a nightmare for a learner trying to go down a red early in the day!
Slopes - loads of em - around 90km available with the right pass. Nice blues and reds for the inexperienced, maybe lacking a bit for more experienced riders. It's basically three resorts linked together so there's lots to explore.
The town... Essex on ice is probably a fair description, but it's such fantastic value for money you'll forgive it most things, especially if you're apres-ski intersets include cigs, booze, clothes or kit - the other role of Pas is to provide a tax-free shopping mecca to the neighbouring French, a role it clearly takes v v seriously, tho how many hi-fi shops survive in one place is beyond me.
The nightlife...Wild! Bar prices are pretty commaparable with the UK, tho beer comes in half litre glasses, happy hours go on for ever and free shots are always the order of the day. Plush is not a word you'll use to describe any of it. However, KYU (Underground) is a stunning example of how a sparse venue can become one of the best party places I've ever visited through brilliant staff, a genius dj (anyone for "The A Team" theme?), free shots at every opportunity and a totally up for it crowd.
The reps... All seem to work in Ibiza over summer - 'nuff said??!
If you're a posh home counties familly looking for style and sophisitication you ain't gonna like it... But if you love the snow, know how to party and don't have your head up your ass then get yer bags packed and get on over! |
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| Strengths |
Big area with lots of runs
Loads of instructors available
Dirt cheap - don't buy anything before you arrive (unless you're a Burton devotee - there ain't much of it)
Lots of snow cannons
Great english scene (with added bemused but ammused spaniards and froggies)
Incredibly friendly
No attitude |
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| Weaknesses |
Got V icy at times (but ain't that god's fault?)
Too many learners snaking down the mountains, especially at the end of the day as groups return from neighbouring valleys
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 3 of 5 14/01/2004 @ 22:08:38 |
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| Price Paid |
| £341 HB |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Inghams |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
| Hmmm... what can I say. Pas is not by any stretch of the imagination the prettiest resort in the world!! In fact, if I were truthful, it's downright hideous!! However, that's not to say it's without merit. The boarding area (especially now that it's linked with Soldeu) is pretty good and snow cover is generally reliable. Hotels range from decent to horrible. This is not a place for families. If you're after a holiday as a group of young people looking to board all day and booze all night for not too much money this is the place for you. Free shots left, right and centre!!! Be warned, it does get fairly crowded and the lift queues at the base of the mountain can at times get enormous!! Lastly, I'm not sure what why but there seemed to be dogs everywhere!?! This means dog poo in the snow at the base of the mountain. If you're gonna catch an edge and stack it, don't do it at the bottom!!! |
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| Strengths |
Good boarding terrain
Good snow cover with fairly extensive snowmaking
Fairly cheap, especially if you want to bring back fags and spirits!! |
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| Weaknesses |
It's hideous to look at!!
Dog poo everywhere!?! |
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
| Yllas, Finland; Lake Louise & Sunshine Village, Canada |
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| Reviews: 15 |
| UK - Scotland |
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 3.5 of 5 21/11/2003 @ 16:30:43 |
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| Revision #1 (Last edited: 03/03/2004 @ 11:56:04) |
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| Price Paid |
| £300?? |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Inghams? |
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| Times Visited |
| 2-5 Times |
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| Review Detail |
I have been to Pas three times in total. Twice for boarding and once as part of a summer trip round Europe, and I'm a big fan of the place.
It's where I first learnt to board, and for beginners, I would highly recomend it; for me, the tuition was good, the snow was good, the prices were cheap, and it was a brilliant week.
I probably wouldn't want to go back now was I think I would get bored with the limited terrain, but then again I'm sure if you knew where to go, you could find some decent powder in the backcountry. Also, I believe they have finally linked Pas with one of the other areas of Andorra (after years of talking about it), so the total skiable area maybe much bigger now than when I first went (1997 and 1998).
The slopes are generally wide and not super steep, what I refer to as "motorway runs". There are some blacks, and a few tree runs in Grau Roig. An intermediate can cover the terrain in Pas/Grau in a few days, and most likely get a little bored within a week. When I went the so called fun park was nothing but an icey very poorly maintained small pipe, and a couple of humps.. but this is likely to be better these days. You have to make your own fun, find interesting jumps and drops to keep yourself entertained.
The bars and clubs are plentiful, cheap, but cheesy, then again most bars in ski resorts are cheesy, but not normally cheap, so Pas wins in that respect. Many bars give you a free shot just for walking though the door, and we got talking with some waiters who are serving us, and they took us out on the town and paid for our drinks, so I'd have to say the locals are friendly.
Beware with some of the accomodation, we stayed in the Sandi V appartments, which were fine, but the second time we stayed in some appartments (the name escapes me now) which were right above a club that started at about 3am and the noise came straight through, which was annoying to say the least.
Overall, I'd recomend Pas for those on a tight budget, or those who are beginners or early intermediates. Saying that, with the new links to Soldeu?, the extra terrain could keep you entertained for well over a week.
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| Strengths |
Cheap booze, fags, electrical goods
Fun lively place
Excellent value, good for beginners/intermediates. |
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| Weaknesses |
Small limited terrain
The town isn't exactly eye candy, lacks "Alpine Charm"
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
| Whislter, Val Thorens, Innsbruck, Mt Hutt (NZ), Coronet Peak (NZ), Les Arcs, |
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| 3 of 5 22/09/2003 @ 14:54:20 |
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| Price Paid |
| £260 |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Neilson |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
| My first snowboard holiday ( Mar 2003) . Pas is good for learning as there is lots wide open of blues and reds. There are some good tree runs in Grau Roig poma tow area. Very limited 'off piste' and powder runs. An advanved boarder would probably get bored after a couple of days. The lifts system was mainly efficient, but got busy in Grau Roig valley area and was full of French skiers trying to push in. There was dogs everywhere, which made good snow ball aiming practice.
I dont think I would go back to this resort, despite it being cheap, its probably best for beginners. |
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| Strengths |
| Never queued for long for lift.
Not many Pomas/drags.
Some cheap gear if you shop around.
Cheap booze in supermarkets.
Flugels in KYU.
Most bar staff where friendly and up for a laugh ( plus loadsa free drinks ) |
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| Weaknesses |
| Accom was crap.
Too many French.
Too many skiers.
Not enough fellow boarders.
Town is shabby and dog poo is everywhere.
Not enough females. |
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| 3.5 of 5 28/07/2003 @ 14:30:02 |
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| Price Paid |
| £150 |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Airtours |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
Great place for Begginer/Intermediate, i took intermediate lessons whilst there and we did some great off piste in fresh powder, first time for me on a half pipe and boarder x. Did most of the runs, green-black, most of the black runs would be red in France though. The town is Essex on snow, full of car stereo shops and slleezy pubs, not a highlight.
Record snow '02-'03 season |
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| Strengths |
Very open areas, piste to off piste no problem, good through tree romps.
Boarder x and half pipe, lots of nice easy runs.
Cheap as chips. |
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| Weaknesses |
Crappy town
Bottom of piste is locals dog walking (crapping) area
Black runs may prove no challange fro intermediate-advanced riders |
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
Tignes (Bigger better)
Val D (bigger better and more expensive)
Whistler (Seventh Heaven) |
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