Route map of Andorra ski resort. Open left menu Pal - Arinsal. Ski areas in Andorra

The largest ski area in the Pyrenees is the Grandvalira ski resort in Andorra. For all visitors, there are 200 km of trails of varying difficulty, 3 equipped snow parks, easy trails for children, many restaurants and cafes throughout the territory.

Also this great resort for those who are just learning to ski, there is an excellent ski school here.

Experienced instructors will help you “get on your feet” and conquer the snowy slopes. You can sign up according to any convenient schedule, both for individual and group classes. The Snow Hotel, which is located at an altitude of over 2000 m and is made entirely of ice, deserves special mention.

Tourists will also have the opportunity to swim in a jacuzzi under open air and try local culinary delights. Thanks to all this diversity, satisfied tourists often leave positive reviews about Grandvalira.

How to get there?

Since Andorra does not have its own airport, the closest airport to the resort is in Lleida (150 km). By booking tours at Grandvalira, you can also fly to Barcelona or Madrid, and from there get to the resort by bus. The nearest railway station is in French city Hospitalet (3 km from the border with Andorra), where there are also regular buses to the ski resort. Buses leave every half hour, ticket price is 1-3 euros.

Trails, slopes and lifts

Today this resort is considered one of the most popular in Southern Europe: 200 km of slopes with a height difference of up to 900 m, 64 high-speed and comfortable ski lifts, three freestyle snow parks, ski equipment rental centers, ski schools and much more. Monitor the status ski slopes and the weather on the slope is possible at home, fortunately the Grandvalira web camera allows this.

There are a total of 110 trails, including:

18 – green;
38 – blue;
32 – red;
22 – black.

There are also 4 separate off-piste trails, a boarder cross course and sports stadiums for competitions. This is approximately the layout of the trails at the Grandvalira resort.

Ski pass (price in euros)

For children under 6 years old, holidays in Grandvalira are free. The season lasts from the first of December until March.

Après-ski

The resort has numerous restaurants, cafes, snack bars, shops and discos especially for tourists. The main attraction is rightfully considered Ice Palace. There are swimming pools here GYM's, tennis and squash playgrounds, saunas, solarium and indoor ice skating rink.
For lovers active rest here you can create your own ski route, ride a motor sleigh or walk in snowshoes. And extreme sports enthusiasts can climb to a height of 2520 meters and conquer the top of the resort. You can also visit the local automobile museum or the historical complex of ancient churches and fortresses built in the 12th and 13th centuries. Find interesting place will help for relaxation tourist map Grandvalira.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of the resort it is worth noting:

an excellent place for skiing for everyone - from beginners to professionals;
special trails for children;
free holiday for children under 6 years old;
ski school and experienced instructors.

Whatever you read, it is better to see everything with your own eyes. We invite you to watch a video review of the resort:

As for the disadvantages, the resort is located quite far from the airports, so you will have to spend a lot of time to get here. In principle, everything else here is at the highest level, so you can have wonderful times at the resort the winter vacation and bring back souvenirs of your vacation in Grandvalira: photos with children on the slopes, souvenirs and a lot of pleasant memories.

Andorra

Andorra La Vella

In a picturesque gorge at an altitude of 1050 m above sea level, surrounded by mountains and coniferous forests, is the capital of the Principality of Andorra. The city will surprise you with the diversity of its culture - modern buildings and ancient temples are located on the banks of a mountain river. For shopping lovers, this is a real haven: exquisite fashion boutiques, commercial centers, small private artisan shops. Most of the shops are located on Meritxell Avenue.

Encamp

Route map

The city, located at an altitude of 1250 m above sea level and 7-10 minutes by bus from the center of Andorra, was created as a result of the merger of five small mountain villages. After the opening of the Funicamp telecable in 1999, it became one of the main ski centers.

Soldeu and El Tarter

Route map

Soldeu and El Tarter are two mountain villages. This is perhaps one of the most picturesque ski areas, located at an altitude of 1800 m above sea level, in the central part of Andorra. The dynamically developing resort offers skiers 193 km of slopes of any level of skiing. The 8.2 km long descent along the pine-tree-surrounded road to Soldeu is very attractive.

Pas De La Casa

Route map

One of the largest and most popular ski resorts in Andorra, Pas de la Casa – Grau Roig, extends to the border with France. According to experienced skiers, the local snow has an amazing feature: at +10 C it remains dry and very slippery. The highest mountain resort of the Pyrenees amazes with the diversity of its ski slopes and constant snow cover throughout the season thanks to a huge number snow cannons. All slopes are equipped with a modern lift system.

La Massana

Route map

This town in the west of the country is located between the Northern Valira and Arinsal rivers, at the intersection of the roads to Arinsal, Ordino, Arcaliz and Andora la Vella. On the territory of La Massana there is highest point Andorra-Coma-Pedrosa You can get there very quickly and conveniently from the capital using the new tunnel that connects Andorra la Vella and La Massana. In the very center of the town there is a new cable car, which in just 5 minutes will take skiers to one of the ski sectors of Vallnord - Pal. In addition, in 10-15 minutes, skiers can travel by ski bus from hotels in La Massana to the ski lifts of Arinsal, Erts and Arcaliz.

Pal Arinsal

Route map

The ski resort includes two centers - Pal and Arinsal, united into a single complex, which is called Pal-Arinsal. You can get from one center to another using a modern high-tech cable car - the Seturia telecable. The Pal-Arinsal resort is located in the western part of Andorra, just 10 kilometers from the capital Andorra La Vella. The main advantages of the ski resort are: developed tourist infrastructure, stability of the snow cover, ideal preparation of the slopes (the Pal resort is the world leader in the number of snow cannons per kilometer of descent).

Andorra has two large ski resorts: Vallnord and Grandvalira. "Vallnord" offers over 90 km of ski slopes, in "Grandvalira" the slopes are over 200 kilometers long. This allows Andorra to be considered the largest ski region in the Pyrenees. This is where we spent most of our time ski holiday.

You can climb the mountains from different places, but mostly tourists use the Funicamp cable car. It connects the town of Encamp, located 10 minutes' drive from the capital of the principality, with the upper slopes of the ski areas. Funicamp is located closer than other ski lifts to the city center.

The Funicamp cable car, with a length of 6 kilometers, is considered one of the longest in Europe. It includes 32 cabins, each of which can accommodate up to 24 people. The cabin offers stunning views of the wild Pyrenees mountains as you ascend. The ride up by carriage takes about 25 minutes.

But don’t think that after each descent you will have to waste time going up again. You go up to the Funicamp once a day, and the ski area starts from here. All routes are shown in the diagram (Click on full size):

The main difference between this resort and the ski slopes of Russia (I compare it with the Elbrus region) is the complete absence of queues. The maximum time you stand in line is 5-10 minutes. The throughput is very high. The tracks are quite wide, and in Pas De La Casa they are no less than a football field wide.

There are a lot of different buildings. Here, for example, are snow igloos:

This is the situation inside. You can sit on the skins, drink hot tea or mulled wine:

There is even an ice hotel where you can spend the night. Everything there is made of ice. And beds and tables and stacks. People sleep on skins in sleeping bags. But the pleasure is not cheap.

There are a lot of lifts and they are different. There are chairlifts for 4 people:

Here are the cabins for 8 people:

For convenience during lifting, skis and boards are located outside the cabin:

Situation near the mountain cafe:

Don't mix up your equipment:

Some ride around in cool costumes. Tiger, bee and ladybug:

These tractors compact snow:

Andorra is considered a very comfortable ski resort with slopes for every taste and color. Therefore, here you can meet many children learning to ski.

Special snow park with jumps for snowboarders:

Everything was great except the weather. The famous “sunny” Andorra passed us by. There were, of course, sunny days, but in most cases I had to ride like this:

And like this:

On the first day, some tracks were closed earlier due to bad weather:

Frozen lake:

Somehow we found blue sky to take a photo:

View of the hotels at the foot of the mountain:

Transfer station:

At each such station there is a route map:

In general, the route navigation is at the highest level. Everything is signed. It's impossible to get lost:

There are snow cannons located along almost all slopes.

They hardly worked with us - there was a lot of snow even without their work:

One of the cloudy days. It’s morning, there are few people on the ski lifts, the sun is just rising.

The trails are well-traveled:

Some views from the mountain trails:

It's time to take a selfie:

in 2003/2004 several resorts in Andorra merged and created two ski areas. They include several complexes with a single ski pass (skipass - electronic pass). The GrandValira resort in Andorra is the most famous resort The Pyrenees mountain ranges are one such complex. The second largest resort in Andorra is the resort

The Grandvalira ski resort includes 6 resorts: Encamp, Canillo, El Tarter, Soldeo, Grau Roig, Pas de la Casa Casa).

There are 63 lifts in Grandvalira, and 108 slopes of different difficulty levels are open for skiing.

The total length of Grandvalira trails is 100 km
Cross-country ski trails – 12 km
Number of lifts - 31
Total tracks - 55
Green routes - 8
Blue trails - 11
Red trails - 23
Black tracks - 13
Snowboarding - fan park/half pipe, boardercross

And we will tell you about all of them now.

Grandvalira route map

Encamp

The town of Encamp is located 7 km from the capital of Andorra (Andorra la Vella). Encamp does not have its own ski slopes, so you won’t be able to ski down to the city. But from the town you can reach the top of Collada D’Enradort (2447 m) in just 20 minutes. On the modern Funicamp lift (cable car, 32 cabins for 24 people each).

I've been to this peak more than once. The views are beautiful. Halfway, the cabins make a stop in the Vall deis Cortals sector, where there is a school for beginner skiers. From the top of Collada D'Enradort you can easily reach the neighboring slopes of Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig with their blue and red slopes.

Encamp is the closest to the Andorran capital, so you will have the choice of either living in Encamp or Andorra la Vella. In the capital, of course, there is a little more choice of housing, but in Encamp you can find everything you like. Many skiers prefer to stay here, a 5-minute walk from the ski lift.

Hotels in Encamp >>

On the territory of Encamp there is a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a dance hall, and two tennis courts. For lovers of parties and discos, there is an excellent choice of entertainment.

From Encamp you can get to neighboring towns by mini-train, which passes through the city and Funicamp station, and goes further to the Grandvalira ski area. It runs 7 days a week until the end of the ski season, opening hours are from 8.30 to 18.00.

Runs inside Encamp free bus, which takes vacationers from their hotels to the funicular.

Canillo

The next ski resort is the village of Canillo. This central city parish (community) of the same name. It is located in the northeastern part of the country.

There is a lift going up from the city. His first stop is El Forn. There is a restaurant, a ski school and kindergarten, where you can leave your child while you ride).

Hoist-tug

The next point is Pic de la Porteia (Portella, 2465 m). One black one (steep descents for experienced ones) and two blue trails(medium difficulty).

Then a stop where the black trails begin. This is the peak of Encampadana pic D’Encampadana (2491 m).

From Encampadana you can take the ski lift to the Tossal de la Lossada slope. These are the picturesque slopes of Soldeo and El Tarter.

Canillo has a large selection of accommodation, branded sports equipment stores, bars and restaurants.

Hotels in Canillo >>

To get to Canilno, take the bus that runs every day from 7.00 to 22.00 from the capital of Andorra la Vella to Soldeu. The ticket will cost €3. By car the journey will take about 20 minutes.

For Grandvalira ski pass holders, free travel on the skibus bus, which takes tourists to Canillo from Andorra la Vella and Pas de la Casa every 20 minutes.

Soldeo-El Tarter

After Canillo there are two small villages 3 km from each other - Soldeo and El Trat. They are connected by a common network of lifts. Thanks to this, the Andorran slopes and pistes merged into one large space.

This resort is best suited for beginner and intermediate skiers. It is famous for its schools for beginner skiers and its snowboard school.

For beginners, the Espiolets slope with wide, gentle slopes with rollouts onto a plateau is suitable. On their slopes there is a freestyle park, a half-pipe for snowboarders, and a Bababoom Circus track for the little ones.

For adrenaline junkies, there are black pistes with virgin snow and icy steep slopes.

I saw how small children of 5-6 years old studied at the ski school. They came down the mountain in a way that I will never repeat. This is what it means to be taught a risky sport from childhood. The kids weren't afraid of the track at all.

In total at the resort:
Number of tracks - 52
The total length of the tracks is 92 km
Green (for beginners) - 10
Blue (intermediate) - 19
Red (difficult) - 13
Black (high difficulty) - 10
Trails for snowboarding, slalom, freestyle and cross-country skiing - 2 km

In Soldeu there is a specialist shop for skiers and snowboarders - Esports Calbo (next to the gondola lift). There is a large selection of clothes, equipment and gifts.

In summer Soldeo turns into favorite place recreation for golfers and lovers of trekking, cycling and hiking.

El Tarter is suitable for families with children and couples who prefer a relaxing holiday. There is a kindergarten, wellness center and bowling alley at the Nordic Hotel.

Here you can go ice skating, dog sledding or go exploring the bars of Soldeu, which are almost non-existent in El Tarter.

There are no problems with housing in the villages of Soldeo and El Tarter. There are good quality hotels with a wide range of services, there are also budget hotels, guest houses and B&Bs.

Hotels in the area of Soldeo - El Trat>>

From Andorra la Vella to Soldeo-El Tarter there is a service every hour. regular bus, fare is about 3 EUR.

By car from the capital of the country, take the CG1 road towards Soldeo, Pas de la Casa and France. National bus routes pass through Soldeo, continuing on to Pas de la Casa and the French border. Unfortunately, there are no taxis in Soldeo; the nearest service is in the capital.

Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig

The last two resorts in Grandvalira - Pas de la Casa and Grau Rouge - are the highest resorts in the Pyrenees. They, like Soldeo-El Trat, are combined into one zone, which consists of two valleys. The resort offers tourists a huge variety of ski slopes.

In the upper part of the Pas de la Casa valley, the slopes are intended for experienced skiers. Going lower, the slopes become flatter and are intended for intermediate skiers. At the bottom of the slopes of Pas de la Casa there is a slalom track and a night ski track.

For lovers of skiing in forested areas, there are trails in the Grau Roig valley. Fans of downhill skiing will find a large selection of well-established and wide trails in the area of the second and third Grau Roig valleys. Thanks to well-designed trails, speed skating is not dangerous.

For snowboarders there is a Half-Pipe zone (40 m). Group lessons are offered for beginner snowboarders.

At an altitude of 2600 meters there is a Coll Blanc restaurant with panoramic windows. It offers stunning views of the French and Andorran Pyrenees.

The village of Pas de la Casa is always crowded, noisy and fun. There are a lot of shops with winter clothes and sports equipment. Large selection of restaurants, bars, discos. For families with children there are kindergartens. While you ride, your child will be looked after by professionals. In addition, there are aerobics and martial arts centers, dance halls, swimming pools, tennis courts, and mini-football. In the center of the city there is a skating rink on the square.

There are more than 50 hotels of different star ratings and services in Pas de la Casa. During hot seasons it is difficult to find a free room. So consider booking in advance.

Hotels in the area of Pas de la Casa - Grau Rouge>>

The only disadvantage of the Pas de la Casa - Grau Rouge resort is its remoteness from the center of civilization. This is the farthest resort in Andorra and it takes longer to get to it than to all other resorts in Andorra. But in 2002, a tunnel was built from Pas de la Casa to Pau Groig, which significantly improved and accelerated communication between the Pas de la Casa and Soldeu ski areas.

Ski pass prices 2019/2020

Grandvalira	adult	average (12-17 years)	children's (6-11 years old)
One Day Pass
Morning Pass 9.00-12.00	€ 30
Half day from 13.00	€ 38.50	€ 33.50	€ 28.50
Full day	€ 52	€ 46.50	€ 35.50
Adult (65-69 years old)	€ 31
Multi Pass
2 days	€ 97.40	€ 89	€ 65.60
3 days	€ 146.10	€ 133.50	€ 98.40
4 days	€ 194.80	€ 178	€ 131.20
5 days	€ 233	€ 209.50	€ 156.50
6 days	€ 279.60	€ 251.40	€ 187.80
7 days or more (per day)	€ 46.60	€ 41.90	€ 31.30

For those who are vacationing in Spain or France and want to go to Andorra for a couple of days to ride on the slopes, then when purchasing a ski pass, here you can take out sports insurance for as many days as you need.

More detailed information Find out about ski pass prices on the official website Grandvalira

Operation of ski lifts in Grandvalira

Opening of the slopes from 9.00 to 17.00 (except Funicamp 8.45)
Snowy evening park Sunset Rark Peretol (Tuesday-Sunday) open from 15.00 to 21.00
Closing of lifts required for return to different resorts:

TSF Colibri Encamp – 16.45
TSF Els Clots Canillo – 16.45
TSF Solanelles Soldeo – 16.30
TSD Pla de la Perdes Soldeo – 16.45
TSD Cudil Grau Rouge - 16.30
TSD Pla de la Perdes Grau Rouge - 17.00

Sincerely,

(2 ratings, average: 4,50 out of 5)

One of the brightest and most memorable holidays for many people is a ski holiday. IN European countries There are many places where you can actively and profitably relax, and one of the most striking places for a ski holiday is the resorts of Andorra.

The first step is to find out for yourself what you want to take away from the trip. A considerable part of holidaymakers come to Andorra for shopping with big discounts, the season of which is in spring, summer or autumn. But for people who are going to spend time with skis or snowboards, the ideal period is from October to April.

The weather in this resort is perfect for leisurely skiing and exciting extreme descents along steep slopes.

Andorra is located on the Iberian slopes and has no access to the sea, which is why it is quite warm in summer, and in winter the temperature does not drop below zero degrees. Nevertheless, precipitation is common here in winter, but, fortunately for vacationers, most of it falls at night. Wet snow rolls well and does not interfere with skiing on any sports paraphernalia.

Ski areas in Andorra

Undoubtedly most of tourists come to this country for an unforgettable active holiday. Therefore, this area is intensively developed here.

Grandvalira

The largest and most famous resort area is Grandvalira. The length of the entire route is about 10 kilometers, and the elevation changes start from 800 meters.

Trails and slopes in Grandvalira

It was no coincidence that Grandvalira got a place in the top twenty - here excellent tracks, pleasant service, in some villages there is an option for night skiing, and even untrained skiers are welcome here - there are several ski schools in this area.

Outdoor restaurant at Grandvalira ski resort

The region includes six villages: Pas de la Casa, Grau Roche, Soldeu, El Tarter, Canillo and .

Pas de la Casa is the largest and busiest regions in the entire region. The village is located at an altitude of two thousand meters, but high cable car can lift to a height of 2650 meters.

There is a village a little higher Grau Roche, being the highest in the entire region - 2120 meters above sea level. Unlike the calm Pas, here in the wooded area there is dangerous routes, which will appeal to both beginners and real extreme sports enthusiasts.

One of best tracks can be found in the village Soldeu. Affordable prices, good ski schools and easy ski tracks will please the beginner, but even the professional will not be bored.

Three kilometers from Soldeu there is a cozy settlement El Tarter. On average height you will find the most necessary things when traveling with children, so that neither parents nor the child will be bored.

Ski pass prices make up 44 euros per day V high season And 39 euros in low season.

Scheme of trails at the Grandvalira resort (click to enlarge the picture):

After a day of exploring, you can relax in local spas, restaurants, bars or clubs. For those who like to conserve energy, a fitness club, skating rink and swimming pool are also open in the evenings.

Vallnord

Five kilometers from Andorra la Vella, the capital of Andorra, the wonderful Vallnord ski area opens. Neither a beginner, nor a professional, nor the whole family will be bored here. The variety of active recreation options is large enough to enjoy your vacation to the fullest.

In addition to skiing, you can try yourself in snowboarding, orienteering or snow biking. In addition, there are also good restaurants, and fun nightlife.

The region consists of two resorts: Arinsal-Pal and Arcalis-Ordino.

Arinsal-Pal Known for having one of the largest international skiing stadiums in Europe, professionals can try their hand at many winter sports here. Families will also enjoy this village as the ski runs are divided into different difficulty levels.

For lovers of off-piste skiing you can't find best place in Andorra than Ordino Arcalis. A large number of the sediment creates unique natural paths. But don’t be disappointed ahead of time - there are also regular trails for amateurs.

Scheme of trails at the Vallnord resort (click to enlarge the picture):

Ski pass prices amounts to 39 euros per day in high season and 35 euros to low.

Hotels near ski lifts in Andorra la Vella

Of course, before you pack for a trip, you need to find suitable accommodation, and below are four interesting options.

Hotel Pitiusa

This hotel is located in the quiet center of Andorra. Vallnord is just a 30-minute drive away and there is a supermarket and shopping mall Avenida Meritxell. Free Wi-Fi is available from anywhere in the hotel.

Each room has:

satellite television
telephone
air conditioner
heater
bathroom with toilet
mirror

There is a cafe on the ground floor; breakfast is included in the total bill.

Prices:

Price per night in Interior room from 58 euros.
A double room costs 64 euros per night.
A triple room will cost about 82 euros per night.
Family option costs 94 euros per day.

Hotel Camp del Serrat

The Camp del Serrat Hotel smells of the traditional spirit of the country. It is important to know that Lake Engolasters is just a ten-minute walk away, and nearby you can see Madriu - the object World Heritage UNESCO. The Grandvalira area opens up in just twenty minutes' drive. In addition, there are farms and equestrian clubs nearby.

The hotel itself has 16 rooms equipped with the necessary amenities. Wi-Fi is included free of charge. Each room is heated.

In the common room, guests have access to a billiard room, board games, and a TV. There is also a restaurant on site with breakfast included.

Prices:

A double room will cost 60 euros per night
Triple room costs 80 euros per night
Quadruple room available for 100 euros per night

Hotel Pyrenees

This hotel is located in historical center capital of Andorra, so art lovers will not be bored - at main street you can visit the theater, museums, cinemas, admire the Parliament building. It will be useful information that the ski resorts are only seven kilometers away, and thermal spring about 15 minutes walk.

The hotel itself has a restaurant with affordable prices, parking, and free high-speed Internet. Interestingly, the Pyrenees Hotel has open pool, which is rare for hotels in Andorra.

Prices:

A double room per night will cost from 54 to 68 euros
A triple room costs 86 euros per night
A room with a window onto the patio will cost 40 euros
Economy class room costs from 43 to 61 euros per night

Hotel Les 7 Claus

Hotel Les 7 Claus is distinguished by its original architecture. It is located in a quiet area, but within a couple of minutes walk the Escaldes shopping center opens. The ski areas are not so far away - 8 kilometers from the hotel. For those wishing to relax body and soul, the renowned Caldea healing spa is just 200 meters away.