Sam Thomson enjoys a week of skiing in the undiscovered gem of the Pyrenees at Baqueira/Beret

For someone who learnt to ski during the frequently wild winters of northern Scotland, there was something slightly decadent about hitting the slopes in weather more suited to swimwear than sallopettes.

It seemed wrong, somehow, to bask in dazzling sunshine when previous years were spent coping with finger-freezing temperatures and gales so strong they could halt forward momentum even on the steepest gradients.

Skiing in the Scottish mountains was often an endurance test; for the majority of our week-long trip to Baqueira/Beret, it was the skiing equivalent of sipping cocktails by a swimming pool.

Still, after a few hours under crystal clear blue skies, enjoying crisp, robust snow conditions even in the heat, any guilty feelings melted away like icicles in the sun.

Unless you’re Spanish, this picturesque resort in the Aran Valley in the heart of the Pyrenees, just a few kilometres from the French border, is a bit of an undiscovered gem.

It might not be for much longer, however. The 2014-15 season marked 50 years since the ski area was opened and the management and local government have used the anniversary to undertake major investment in a concerted effort to spread the word.

A total of 11 million euros was spent just last year on a new chairlift linking up pistes at Baqueira – the main resort – with those at Beret, greatly increasing the ski area.

This was on top of the 4-6 million euros that have been spent each year over the past decade to upgrade accommodation and ski facilities across the resort. Most of the hotels date from 2004-05 and all were built under strict regulations to blend in with the rustic appeal of the original village.

We stayed in the four-star Montarto hotel, just a five minute walk from the slopes. Although the rooms were rather basic, the friendly staff, excellent food and impressive facilities, such as an indoor pool and well-equipped spa (which cost 15 euros), made for a very pleasant stay.

Currently, about 80 per cent of the 800,000 or so annual ski visits to Baqueira /Beret are made by Spaniards, and if you’re lucky you might share a chairlift with a member of the Spanish royal family. The vast majority of the rest are from France, so it’s no surprise that the resort is spending serious cash to raise its profile internationally.

It certainly deserves to get more visits from the UK. There are few ski resorts that are more convenient to get to from the south of England. EasyJet fly regularly to Toulouse, from where Baqueira/Beret is an unfussy drive of just over two hours.

Once there, skiers of all abilities are well catered for, although it perhaps isn’t the most appropriate place for absolute beginners. This is not to say there aren’t sufficient ski schools (there are hundreds) but there’s not a huge number of green slopes and the difficulty curve gets rather steep once you move onto the blue and red runs.

That said, those who are more confident on their skis will find plenty of challenging pistes, with the scenery gradually becoming more lush and striking as you move below the tree line. Snowboarders (as well as the crazier skier) can catch some air and grind rails at the purpose-built snowpark.

Experienced skiers on the look-out for powder are encouraged to visit around February. However, we travelled in early March and after four days of the aforementioned glorious sunshine there was a decent dump of snow, so the opportunity for adventuring off-piste remains a possibility even later in the season.

As for après ski, there are a decent number of bars and restaurants, all just a few minutes’ walk from the slopes and all offering superb value. Often in the Alps the prices can cause mild heart palpitations but not so in Baqueira/Beret, especially with the current favourable exchange rate.

It is this value for money that perhaps offers the most enticing reason to visit the resort. With its recent decision to abandon its currency cap against the euro, Switzerland has become beyond the financial reach of all but the richest 1 per cent, while the French Alps is not far behind.

Eastern Europe can compete on value but lacks the facilities and the vertical drop of Baqueira/Beret, where a seven-day ski pass costs just under 250 euros for adults and 156 euros for children. It has to be said, however, that the size of the resort doesn’t really justify a full week’s skiing.

Instead, anyone coming over from the South East would be better opting for a long weekend (a three day ski pass is 131 euros for adults and 82 euros for children). Just be sure to visit before everyone finds out about this secret of the Pyrenees – and don’t forget the sunblock..

The facts

- Sam flew with easyJet between London Gatwick and Toulouse–Blagnac Airport in Tel Aviv - easyjet.com.

- He stayed at Hotel Montarto, where rooms start from about 85 euros a night on a room-only basis. For more information, visit www.en.montarto.com n For more information on Baqueira/Beret, visit www.baqueira.es