Xalet-Refugi UEC La Molina

The Xalet-Refugi UEC La Molina, commonly known as "El Xalet," is a mountain hostel and refuge owned by the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya (UEC). It sits at an altitude of 1,492 metres in the Sitjar neighbourhood of La Molina, within the municipality of Alp in the Baixa Cerdanya comarca of Catalonia, Spain. The property is located about 2 km from the La Molina ski resort and 7 km from the La Masella ski resort, placing it at the heart of a major Pyrenean winter-sports area. It was inaugurated on 12 March 1952 to serve mountaineers and skiers visiting La Molina for snow sports. The facility consists of two distinct buildings. The Xalet is a four-storey hostel-style building with 62 places in total, including ten rooms with and without private bathrooms, a dining room, a living room with television, a children's corner, a multi-purpose classroom/room, a reading room, a bouldering room and bar service. The Refugi is an annex mountain-refuge building of two floors, one of them underground, with 40 places in total, three communal rooms, toilets and showers, and a living-dining room with access to an equipped kitchen, a fireplace and a wood stove. Both buildings are staffed year-round. Since February 2004, Laura and Marçal have been the guardians (wardens) of the refuge and the hostel. Access to the Xalet-Refugi is varied. By private vehicle, it can be reached via the paved N-260 road through the Collada de Tosses, or via the C-16 through the Cadí Tunnel. By train, the R3 line (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat – Puigcerdà) of the Rodalies de Catalunya network stops at La Molina station, about a 10-minute walk from the Xalet. By bus, the interurban Girona – Llívia line operated by TEISA stops at La Molina. Walking access depends on the starting point. The Xalet-Refugi is part of a broader network of mountain refuges in the area, alongside the Refugi del CEC and the Xalet-Refugi Pere Carné. Its history is closely tied to the practice of skiing and to the trajectory of the UEC's Ski Section, which from 1931 pushed for the creation of a refuge at La Molina. The current establishment traces its institutional lineage through the Refugi de la Serradora (1931), a provisional post-Civil War refuge (1942–1943), and "La Cabana" (1952), which became UEC property in 1967 and was substantially rebuilt and reopened on 21 September 1980. Today it operates as a membership-oriented mountain hospitality brand under the UEC umbrella, serving both the winter sports market and year-round mountain tourism.

The history of the Xalet-Refugi UEC La Molina is closely linked to the practice of skiing and to the trajectory of the Ski Section of the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya (UEC), which from 1931 promoted the creation of a refuge at La Molina. These skiers and excursionists rehabilitated what had been an old sawmill and were able to inaugurate the Refugi de la Serradora on 26 December 1931. That refuge had a kitchen, dining room, entrance hall, ski storage and three dormitories for 30 people, and it became a meeting point for lovers of skiing and mountain culture. At the end of 1935 it was renovated and expanded to a capacity of 40 people. However, a year later a fire completely destroyed it and turned it into ruins. The old sawmill, which had been a refuge of the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya, later became the Hotel Sitjar (1940), owned by the Rosal family and managed by the Planes family; it subsequently became the Escola Virgen de las Nieves (1959) run by the priests of Pare Manyanet, and finally became the Alberg de la Mare de Déu de les Neus (1982), owned by the Generalitat de Catalunya. It was not until the 1942–1943 season, once the Spanish Civil War had ended, that a new provisional refuge with 36 bunk beds was inaugurated. The constitution by UEC members of the Sociedad de Albergues de Montaña S.A. (ALMONSA) in 1950 made it possible for the Casa Vella building, leased by Mr Antoni Rosal, to be fitted out as a hostel and inaugurated on 16 March 1952 under the name "La Cabana". Later, in 1954, "La Cabana" was expanded with an annex building fitted out as a mountain refuge. Finally, in 1967, "La Cabana" became the property of the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya. That same year the Xalet was renovated and expanded to 90 places, removing the mansard of the attic floor and building a new floor. On 21 September 1980, the refuge of La Molina was re-inaugurated after an almost total reconstruction. Since February 2004, Laura and Marçal have been the guardians of the refuge and the hostel. The facility today comprises the Xalet, a four-storey hostel building with 62 places, and the Refugi, a two-storey annex mountain refuge with 40 places. Both buildings are staffed year-round and serve skiers, mountaineers and groups visiting the La Molina and La Masella ski areas.

• 2004

  Laura and Marçal become guardians of the refuge and hostel in February.

• 1982

  The former sawmill site becomes the Alberg de la Mare de Déu de les Neus, owned by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

• 1980

  Refuge of La Molina re-inaugurated on 21 September after almost total reconstruction.

• 1967

  "La Cabana" becomes property of the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya; the Xalet is renovated and expanded to 90 places.

• 1959

  The former sawmill site becomes Escola Virgen de las Nieves.

• 1954

  "La Cabana" expanded with an annex building fitted out as a mountain refuge.

• 1952

  "La Cabana" hostel inaugurated on 16 March in the leased Casa Vella building.

• 1950

  UEC members constitute the Sociedad de Albergues de Montaña S.A. (ALMONSA).

• 1942

  A new provisional refuge with 36 bunk beds is inaugurated for the 1942–1943 season.

• 1940

  The old sawmill becomes Hotel Sitjar, owned by the Rosal family.

• 1936

  Fire completely destroys the Refugi de la Serradora.

• 1935

  Refugi de la Serradora renovated and expanded to 40 places.

• 1931

  Refugi de la Serradora inaugurated on 26 December after UEC skiers rehabilitated an old sawmill.

A UEC-owned mountain hostel and refuge at La Molina, combining hostel-style comfort with traditional mountain-refuge facilities for skiers, hikers and groups.

• Xalet hostel accommodation

  Four-storey hostel building with 62 places, ten rooms with and without private bathrooms, dining room, living room with TV, children's corner, multi-purpose room, reading room, bouldering room and bar service.

• Refugi mountain refuge accommodation

  Two-storey annex mountain refuge with 40 places, three communal rooms, toilets and showers, living-dining room with equipped kitchen, fireplace and wood stove.

1. 1Xalet-Refugi UEC La Molinawikidata.org
2. 2Xalet-Refugi UEC La Molinaca.wikipedia.org
3. 3Xalet-Refugi UEC La Molina official websitexaletuec.com