Ax 3 Domaines will have a new 10-person gondola in 2027

Find your Ski Holiday

Stations
Destinations

France

(39 ski resorts)

Les Deux Alpes

Alpe d'Huez

Tignes

View all resorts

Andorra

(3 ski resorts)

Grandvalira

Vallnord Pal-Arinsal

Ordino-Arcalís

Spain

(16 ski resorts)

Boí Taüll

Formigal

Port Ainé

View all resorts

Austria

(8 ski resorts)

Innsbruck

Stubai Glacier

St. Anton - Ski Arlberg

View all resorts

Switzerland

(11 ski resorts)

Zermatt International

Jungfrau Ski Region

Arosa Lenzerheide

View all resorts

Italy

(5 ski resorts)

Dolomiti Superski

Pontedilegno - Tonale (Adamello Ski)

Vialattea (Sestriere - Sauze d'Oulx)

View all resorts

All Ski Resorts

France

(25 destinations)

Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via

Tignes

Briançon

All our destinations

Andorra

(10 destinations)

Pas de la Casa

Andorra la Vella

Arinsal

All our destinations

Spain

(25 destinations)

Pla de l'Ermita

Formigal

Sierra Nevada

All our destinations

Austria

(10 destinations)

Innsbruck

Neustift Im Stubaital

Zell am See

All our destinations

Switzerland

(10 destinations)

Zermatt

Taesch

Grindelwald

All our destinations

Italy

(10 destinations)

Sestriere

Sauze d'Oulx

San Martino di Castrozza

All our destinations

Stations

Destinations

Oops, we didn't find any results matching your search. Try modifying the destination.

Well, it seems that our searcher has lost his way. As soon as he finds his compass he'll be back.

Where do you want to ski?

Homepage

Blog, News & ski tips

Ax 3 Domaines Will Get a New Gondola Following the Merger of the Eight Resorts in Ariège

Published: Oct. 10, 2026

Content

1 Eight resorts in Ariège under a single management structure

2 Where are the 76 million coming from?

3 Ax 3 Domaines, the big winner: a new gondola in 2027

4 A resort for all skill levels, near Andorra

Ax 3 Domaines will replace its oldest gondola with a new 10-person gondola. The renovation is part of a 15-year, 76-million-euro plan through which the French department of Ariège aims to modernize its eight ski resorts, which are now grouped under a single management structure in order to access funding that would have been very difficult for each resort to have individually.

Telecabina que sube del ski area Bonascre al Saquet en Ax 3 Domaines

The gondolas of the chairlift connecting Bonascre to the Saquet ski area in Ax 3 Domaines.

The final step to move the project forward was taken by the Ax-les-Thermes city council, which approved the new capital structure of SAVASEM, the public company tasked with operating the eight ski areas over the next 15 years. Mountain resorts face a common problem throughout the French Pyrenees: banks are cautious about lending money to businesses whose revenue depends on snowfall and the length of each season. Joining forces is the solution the Ariège region has found to offer greater guarantees.

Eight resorts in Ariège under a single management structure

The reorganization began in 2021 and took shape in September 2025 with the creation of the Syndicat des Montagnes de l’Ariège (SMA), the public body that brings together these resorts in the French Pyrenees:

Ax 3 Domaines
Guzet Neige
Les Monts d'Olmes
Plateau de Beille
Ascou-Pailhères
Mijanès-Donezan
Goulier Neige
Le Chioula

The division of roles is clear. The SMA sets the overall development strategy, while SAVASEM handles day-to-day operations and the ski lifts. The concession, awarded in March 2026, distinguishes between two groups: in Ax 3 Domaines, Guzet Neige, Les Monts d’Olmes, and Plateau de Beille, SAVASEM itself will drive investments, while in the four remaining, smaller areas, funding will be provided by the SMA. This ensures unified management without burdening the company with all the needs of the smaller ski areas.

Mapa de las ocho estaciones de esquí del Syndicat des Montagnes de l'Ariège

The eight ski resorts in Ariège now share a single management structure.

Where are the 76 million coming from?

To enable SAVASEM to secure loans on better terms, the local governments will increase its equity capital by 20 million euros:

12 million from the Ariège department.
4 million from the Occitanie region, through the Compagnie des Pyrénées.
4 million from local authorities.

With this transaction, the department will come to control 53% of the company’s capital, after acquiring the shares held by the municipalities of Ascou and Mérens-les-Vals. In the long term, the intention is for the SMA to become the sole public shareholder. The Departmental Council argues that backing projects with the financial strength of the entire territory is what will instill confidence in financial institutions.

Ax 3 Domaines, the big winner: a new gondola in 2027

Ariège’s largest resort will receive the lion’s share of the budget: 46 million euros. The first capital increase is scheduled before the end of 2026 and will make 15 million euros available starting in June 2027 for priority construction projects.

The flagship project is the replacement of the six-person gondola that has been in operation since 1986 between the Bonascre ski area, at about 1,400 metres, and the Saquet ski area, at about 2,000 metres. It will be replaced by a ten-seat gondola, with an estimated cost of between 17.5 and 20 million euros, and construction is scheduled for 2027. These are the improvements it will bring:

Greater transport capacity and shorter wait times on peak days.
Relocation of the beginners’ area from Bonascre to Saquet, at a higher altitude.
Improved access in the summer for hikers and mountain bikers.

The rest of the program will be distributed among the other seven ski areas, with projects tailored to each one, to keep the facilities up to date and prepare the mountain offerings for a changing climate and tourists seeking more than just skiing.

A resort for all skill levels, near Andorra

Ax 3 Domaines offers 80 kilometres of skiable terrain spread across 37 runs (9 green, 11 blue, 10 red, and 7 black), according to the Ariège tourism office. Its three ski areas offer distinct atmospheres: Bonascre, nestled among pine forests with gentle slopes, is perfect for beginners, while Saquet and the upper area feature reds, blacks, and freestyle runs. Down below lies Ax-les-Thermes, a charming spa town ideal for après-ski. Additionally, other resorts such as Porté-Puymorens and Grandvalira are just a few kilometres away, making it a great base for exploring multiple ski areas.

While we wait for the new gondola, you can already enjoy the resort this season. Check the opening and closing dates for Ax 3 Domaines, follow the trail conditions, and take a look at the first ski deals in Ax 3 Domaines or weekend holidays, with the Hotel + Lift Pass package already arranged.

See deals at Ax 3 Domaines!

24 years of experience in ski holidays

Over 113.550 reviews in 7 languages

Great prices for Ski Offers in Europe

Flexible Ski Packages

Available 24/7 - 365 days a year

Blog, News & ski tips

Zermatt reopens its glacier on October 14 after being closed for 75 days—a record-breaking period

The Zermatt Glacier will reopen on October 14 after being closed for 75 days—the longest closure in its history of non-winter skiing.

Published: 10/10/2026

Esquiades SKICK OFF in Alpe d'Huez

There's no better way to kick off the ski season: Ski holidays in Alpe d'Huez with tons of snow and après ski party at La Folie Douce with Esquiades.com!

Published: 08/28/2026

Saas-Fee ends its summer ski season after just 15 days on the slopes

The Swiss glacier—the only one still operating after Zermatt closed last week—is suspending its summer ski season until further notice due to high temperatures.

Published: 08/07/2026

More Info

Esquiades.com is an Internet domain is registered by Viajes Para Ti, S.L.U., with CIF B55666952, registered in the Commercial Registry of Tarragona on Page 106 of Volume 1862 of the Companies Section, Leaf T-26395, 1st mark. Company located at Avda de Bellisens 42, Room 127-129, 43204 - Reus (Tarragona), phone number @@phone_en@@ and fax: 0034 977 270 159. Viajes Para Ti, S.L.U., has the necessary permits and licenses for the exercise of own a travel agency activities. The company is registered in the Register of Catalonia Tourism Occupation MD 169 GC-license.

In compliance with the provisions of Section 22.2 of the Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce Act (LSSI), and in alignment with the regulations in force, we hereby inform that ESQUIADES.COM uses cookies while browsing.

Cookies are small files that store information which is installed in your browser, or device. This information is saved for future visits you make to ESQUIADES.COM since they register the user’s activity while navigation (eg, date of last visit, browsing preferences, etc.), this is used to expedite the user navigation.

ESQUIADES.COM uses the following tyes of Cookies:

Cookie	Cookie type	Expiry
guardar_agrupador	Used to distinguish users for statistical purposes.	1 month
id_agrupador	Used to distinguish users for statistical purposes.	1 month
all_skiers	Used to determine whether everyone included in the booking skis or whether someone does not.	1 hour
usuari	Cookie required to keep the user's session active once they have logged in.	1 day
SkiID	Cookie required to keep the user's session active once they have logged in.	1 day
loguejat	Cookie required to keep the user's session active once they have logged in.	1 day
user_remember	Cookie required to keep the user's session active once they have logged in.	1 day
cookies-accept	Records whether the user has accepted the Esquiades Cookie Policy.	2 years
PHPSESSID	Used by the PHP programming language to allow SESSION variables to be stored on the web server. This cookie is essential for the website to function.	Session
user-last-searches	Used to save the user's most recent searches.	3 days
user_web_id	Cookie required to identify the user's active session.	2 years
user_web_token	Cookie required to keep the user's session active once they have logged in.	2 years
interaction_7	Used to distinguish user interactions for statistical purposes.	7 days
interaction_30	Used to distinguish user interactions for statistical purposes.	30 days
metasearcherId	Used to identify the platform the user has arrived from, in order to gather statistical data and improve the service.	3 days
metasearcher	Used to identify the specific hotel within the metasearch engine, in order to gather statistical data that helps improve the service.	3 days
metasearcher-ads	Used to identify that the user has reached the website through a paid advertisement, helping to analyse the performance of advertising campaigns.	3 days
hide-client-country	Used to remember that the user has closed the language suggestion banner, so that the message is not displayed again.	3 months
hide_banner_app	Used to remember that the user has closed the banner suggesting they download the mobile app, so that the notice is not displayed again while browsing.	3 months
hide_newsletter_lightbox	Used to remember that the user has closed the newsletter subscription pop-up, so that it is not displayed again while browsing the website.	1 month
searcher_id	Used to analyse searches made on the website, in order to obtain statistics that help improve the service.	5 minutes
DEFAULT_LANGUAGE	Stores the user's default language.	3 months
crossellingOnboardingSeen	Used to remember that the welcome message has already been displayed when arriving from another website in the group, so that it does not appear again.	1 year
promo_code_unlocked	Used to display the promotional code field to users who have arrived through an activation link.	30 days
promo_code_banner	Used to display the notice confirming that the promotional code has been activated, once per session.	Session

Third party cookies

Certain third parties, such as Google, may process personal data collected through cookies and similar technologies in order to personalize content and advertising. For more details on how Google uses data, please visit their Business Data Responsibility page.

Provider	Cookie	Cookie type	Use it	Expiration
Google	1P_JAR	Advertising cookie containing a unique randomly generated value to distinguish browsers and devices. Used to measure ad performance and provide product recommendations based on statistical data.	Google Adwords	1 month
Google	ANID	Advertising cookie with a unique randomly generated value to distinguish browsers and devices. Used for measuring ad performance and providing product recommendations.	Google Adwords	1 year
Google	CONSENT	Advertising cookie containing a unique randomly generated value to distinguish browsers and devices. Used for measuring ad performance and providing product recommendations.	Google Adwords	1 year
Google	APISID	Used by Google to store user preferences and information when displaying pages with Google Maps.	Google Maps	2 years
Google	HSID	Used by Google to store user preferences and information when displaying pages with Google Maps.	Google Maps	2 years
Google	NID	Used to display geographic locations on Google Maps.	Google Maps	6 months
Google	OGPC	Supports visualization of geographic locations using Google Maps.	Google Maps	2 months
Google	SAPISID	Used by Google to store user preferences and information when displaying pages with Google Maps.	Google Maps	2 years
Google	SID	Used by Google to store user preferences and information when displaying pages with Google Maps.	Google Maps	2 years
Google	SSID	Used by Google to store user preferences and information when displaying pages with Google Maps.	Google Maps	2 years
Google	SIDCC	Provides services and extracts anonymous browsing information.	Google	3 months
Google	_ga	Distinguish users for statistical purposes.	Google Analytics	2 years
Google	_gid	Distinguish users for statistical purposes.	Google Analytics	24 hours
Google	_gat	Used to limit the percentage of requests through Google Tag Manager.	Google Analytics	1 minute
CloudFlare	__cfduid	Identifies trusted web traffic.	CloudFlare	1 year
Facebook	fbsr_*	Helps identify users who log in with their Facebook account.	Login with Facebook	1 year
Google	ACCOUNT_CHOOSER	Authentication cookies that remember the Google account previously used to log in and maintain sessions.	Google Accounts	2 years
Google	AEC	Security cookie ensuring that requests during a session are made by the user, not other sites.	Google	6 months
DoubleClick (Google)	DSID	Advertising purpose. Helps identify the user on non-Google sites and remember if you agreed to receive interest-based ads.	Google DoubleClick	10 days
Google	DV	Used for advertising and analytics purposes, linking user activity across devices.	Google	24 hours
DoubleClick (Google)	IDE	Advertising purpose. Used to improve and display relevant ads.	Google DoubleClick	1 year
Google	LSID	Authentication cookies that remember the Google account previously used to log in and maintain sessions.	Google Accounts	2 years
Google	OTZ	Used for advertising and analytics purposes, linking user activity across devices.	Google Analytics	1 month
Amazon Ads	ad-id	Advertising cookies that deliver relevant ads, measure performance, and manage privacy preferences.	Amazon Advertising	6 months
Amazon Ads	ad-privacy	Advertising cookies that deliver relevant ads, measure performance, and manage privacy preferences.	Amazon Advertising	2 years
DoubleClick (Google)	ar_debug	Cookie used to debug and optimize ad delivery.	Google DoubleClick	1 month
Facebook	datr	Security and advertising cookies that identify browsers, improve platform integrity, and deliver targeted ads.	Facebook	1 year
Twitter	guest_id	Used for user identification, ad personalization, and content recommendations.	Twitter	2 years
Twitter	guest_id_ads	Used for user identification, ad personalization, and content recommendations.	Twitter	2 years
Twitter	guest_id_marketing	Used for user identification, ad personalization, and content recommendations.	Twitter	2 years
Tiktok	_ttp	Tracking and analytics cookies used to measure ad performance, track behavior, and authenticate users.	TikTok Analytics	3 months
Tiktok	tt_chain_token	Tracking and analytics cookies used to measure ad performance, track behavior, and authenticate users.	TikTok	5 months
Tiktok	ttwid	Tracking and analytics cookies used to measure ad performance, track behavior, and authenticate users.	TikTok	11 months
Twitter (t.co)	muc_ads	Used for user identification, ad personalization, and content recommendations.	Twitter	2 years
Twitter	personalization_id	Used for user identification, ad personalization, and content recommendations.	Twitter	2 years
Facebook	sb	Security and advertising cookies that identify browsers, improve platform integrity, and deliver targeted ads.	Facebook	1 year
CloudFlare (t.co)	__cf_bm	Security cookie that manages traffic and filters malicious bots.	Cloudflare	30 minutes
Amazon CloudFront	CloudFront-Key-Pair-Id	Used to control access to restricted content and verify authenticity.	Amazon CloudFront	Varies by configuration
Amazon CloudFront	CloudFront-Policy	Used to control access to restricted content and verify authenticity.	Amazon CloudFront	Varies by configuration
Amazon CloudFront	CloudFront-Signature	Used to control access to restricted content and verify authenticity.	Amazon CloudFront	Varies by configuration
Google	SMSV	Used to link device usage and website visits to the user's Google account.	Google	309 days
Google	SOCS	Used to store the user's status regarding their cookie choices.	Google	13 months
Google	__Host-1PLSID	Used for user login via Google account.	Google	2 years
Google	__Host-3PLSID	Used for user login via Google account.	Google	2 years
Google	__Host-GAPS	Used for user login via Google account.	Google	2 years
Google Ads	Secure-1PAPISID	Used to create a visitor's interest profile and display relevant Google ads.	Google Ads	2 years
Google Ads	__Secure-1PSID	Used to display relevant and personalized Google ads.	Google Ads	2 years
Google Ads	Secure-1PSIDCC	Used to create a user profile and show relevant and personalized Google Ads.	Google Ads	1 year
Google	__Secure-1PSIDTS	Stores an encrypted timestamp to maintain user sessions and preserve user preferences.	Google	1 year
Google Ads	__Secure-3PAPISID	Used to create a visitor interest profile and display relevant Google ads.	Google Ads	2 years
Google Ads	Secure-3PSID	Used to display relevant and personalized Google ads.	Google Ads	2 years
Google Ads	Secure-3PSIDCC	Used to create a user profile and display relevant and personalized Google Ads.	Google Ads	1 year
Google	__Secure-3PSIDTS	Stores an encrypted timestamp to maintain user sessions and preserve user preferences.	Google	1 year
Facebook	_fbp	Security and advertising cookies that identify browsers, improve platform integrity, and deliver targeted ads.	Facebook	3 months
Google Analytics	_ga_F6BSWQWY45	Assigns a unique identifier to distinguish users.	Google Analytics	2 years
Google Analytics	_ga_S66E9HVXEC	Assigns a unique identifier to distinguish users.	Google Analytics	2 years
Google AdSense	_gcl_au	Stores and tracks ad conversions.	Google AdSense	3 months
TikTok	_tt_enable_cookie	Tracking and analytics cookies used to measure ad performance, track behavior, and authenticate users.	TikTok	13 months
Own website	cookies-accept	Records the user’s acceptance of cookies.	Own website	Varies according to configuration
TikTok	odin_tt	Tracking and analytics cookies used to measure ad performance, track behavior, and authenticate users.	TikTok	13 months
SendinBlue	sib_cuid	Identifies website visitors for marketing purposes.	SendinBlue	13 months
TikTok	user_web_id	Tracking and analytics cookies used to measure ad performance, track behavior, and authenticate users.	TikTok	13 months
TikTok	user_web_token	Tracking and analytics cookies used to measure ad performance, track behavior, and authenticate users.	TikTok	13 months

How to refuse the following browser’s cookies:
Google Chrome.
Internet Explorer.
Microsoft Edge.
Mozilla Firefox.
Safari.
Opera.