Ski, snow and mountain sports in Cerdanya winter season

Mountain resorts an engine of opportunities for Cerdanya

Winter is the ideal time to enjoy snow sports in Cerdanya. This privileged region of the Catalan Pyrenees has great facilities for practicing these sports.

Skiing, Cerdanya's great economic engine

Without a doubt, the Cerdanya region is a ski area par excellence. Within a radius of 30 kilometers, it has more than a dozen Alpine, Nordic and Mountain Ski Resorts, which are an economic engine for the Pyrenees region, creating wealth and jobs, which generate an enormously positive impact for the region:

-Generators of both direct and indirect employment, both in the region itself and in neighboring areas.

-A pole of attraction for various economic activities in the territory (sports, leisure, tourism, restaurants, commerce, services, ...)

-People establish in the territory avoiding depopulation.

-A fundamental element for the maintenance of communication infrastructures between the mountain territories and the capitals.

-Generators of future opportunities and prosperity in the areas where they are located.

According to the "Llibre Blanc de les Estacions de Muntanya de Catalunya" of the Generalitat de Catalunya, published in 2020, the practice of skiing, in any of its modalities, generates an economic activity in Catalonia of more than €374 million, which is equivalent to an average of €59 million for each Catalan ski resort. Of this activity, the most benefited sector is the restaurant industry, which receives almost 60%, followed by transportation with just over 15%, also 15% for shopping and 10% for other activities.

And to finish with the figures, we must highlight the great multiplier effect that snow sports generate in the economy of the territories. For each euro gained, €5.3 is produced and up to a total of €9.1 for each euro spent.

Different options for skiing in Cerdanya: Alpine, Nordic or Mountain

In the region find two Alpine ski resorts (Masella and La Molina), and three Nordic ski resorts (Guils Fontanera, Lles de Cerdanya and Aransa).

La Molina and Masella, the most frequented

These are the two ski resorts with the highest influx of skiers in Cerdanya. Its location next to each other has made it possible to develop the Alp 2500 project, a 145 km ski tracks area. The two resorts are linked by the Cadí-Moixeró gondola lift, via La Molina and, also, by the Jumbo Tosa chairlift and the Tosa ski lift, on Masella’s side.

But each resort has its peculiarities that make it unique and different.

La Molina, a ski resort for the whole family

The first thing that stands out in this resort is its family character. Everyone can ski at La Molina because it has slopes with different degrees of difficulty and high-level facilities for skiing adapted for the disabled. In total, it has 68 slopes, totaling 71 kilometers of skiable area. In turn, the slopes occupy the eastern and northern slopes of the Tosa d'Alp mountain (2.537 meters) and the eastern, western and northern slopes of the Puigllançada mountain (2,409 meters).

It is one of the best-connected ski resorts both by road and by train and has all the complementary services for the skiing sport: from restaurants and cafeterias to shops selling and renting sports equipment, but without downplaying the importance of skiing, and for those who do not want to practice it, there are other activities, such as snowshoes, sleds or snowmobiles. As if all this were not enough, in the Nido del Águila area there is a mountain shelter where you can spend the night.

Masella, pure modernity

Masella ski resort is also located on the Tosa d'Alp mountain on the north slope. In turn, the ski area is divided into two parts: Coma Oriola or western area and Coma Pregona or eastern area. But the great differentiation of Masella is its modernity. From the processing of all its services, its online store to avoid crowds, to the modern snow generation systems, with more production in less time, saving energy. Masella has positioned itself as one of the most modern resorts in the Pyrenees.

With 74 skiable km and 578 snow cannons, Masella ensures a very high quality snow for skiing, both day and night. With its 13 illuminated slopes, the resort has become "The capital of night skiing in the Pyrenees". In addition, once the ski day is over, it has an attractive après-ski offer at the foot of the slopes, where you can taste mountain cuisine.

Nordic skiing: three options in Cerdanya

For the practice of Nordic skiing in Cerdanya we can choose between Guils Fontanera, Lles de Cerdanya or Aransa.

Guils Fontanera has 45 kilometers of slopes with different levels, different landscapes of black pines, meadows and clearings as well as magnificent views of Cerdanya valley.

For its part, Aransa ski resort is also wonderful for the Nordic modality. In its case, it has seven circuits, like Pollineras or Piedras Blancas. And it also allows you to enjoy wooded landscapes and clearings. Likewise, it offers different activities for individuals as well as for groups or families, some of them with snowshoes.

Finally, Lles de Cerdanya, equally dedicated to Nordic and Mountain ski, has several signposted trails with different degrees of difficulty that can even be done at night. It also has a mountain refuge and offers petfriendly activities.

In conclusion, the ski industry in the Cerdanya region is a great engine for the local economy. In addition, its proximity to a large city like Barcelona makes this region a perfect destination for having a vacation house and being able to enjoy the sport of skiing every weekend.