Puigcerdà Sights And Slopes

Just above the Pl. Barcelona (follow the C. Pons Gash) the lake and the Parc Schierbeck offer a bit of calm respite, as swans glide over reflections of the snow-covered mountains. Cercle Aventura offers a formidable list of outdoor activities in the summer and winter. (☎902 17 05 93; www.cercleaventure.com. Open daily ­9am-­2pm and ­4-8pm. Canyoneering €45-55. Rock climbing €65. Paintball €30. Canoe Rental €30. Snowshoe rental €10. Bike rental €10 half-day, €16 full day.) Ski in your country of choice (Spain, France, or Andorra) at one of 19 ski areas within a 50km radius. The closest on the Spanish side is Alp 2500, a conglomerate of La Molina (☎972 89 20 31, ski school 978 89 21 57; www.lamolina.cat) and nearby Masella (☎972 14 40 00; www.masella.com), which offers the longest run in the eastern Pyrenees. For cross-country skiing, a close site is Guils-Fontanera (☎972 19 70 47; www.guils.com/esqui). Also try Lles (☎973 29 30 49) or Aránsa (☎973 29 30 51). In the spring and summer, the Puigcerdà area is also popular for biking; the tourist office has a map detailing several routes. The town of Llívia, a Spanish enclave surrounded by France, can make for a pleasant pastoral afternoon excursion. Some travelers also stop by Rìgolisa on the way back for a view of the wheat fields at sunset. Sports Iris, Av. de França, 16, rents bikes and skis. (☎972 88 23 98. Open ­9:30am-­2pm, ­4pm-­8pm daily. Bike rental €15 half day, €20 full day.) For horseback riding, call Hípica Sant Marc (C. de Sant Marc; ☎972 88 00 07). Try piloting or ballooning at Globus de Pirineu (☎972 14 08 52; www.globospi.com) or Cerdanya Globus (☎609 83 29 74; www.osonaglobus.com). Other adventure sports such as 4X4 and motorbike rental can be arranged with La Molina or Alp 2500 Viatges (☎972 89 20 29) and at Turing Cerdanya, Escoles Pies 19 (☎972 88 06 02; www.turingcerdanya.com).