 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking to ski Andorra February half term (specifically), as it's on the way to my cousin's place in Spain so we can kill two birds with one stone.
Anyone done more than one resort there?
Which resort is the best of them?
We are intermediate skiers across the family so would want mostly blues and reds.
Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Went to El Tarter maybe 5, 6 times. I wrote a couple of trip reports here. PdlC crazy party town for drunk teens, Soldeu pleasant town, ET little to do in the evening, can’t remember the others lower down but you risk losing the link of the gondola has to shut for wind.
Soldeu and ET fine for you, nice reds at Grau Roig.
If half term coincides with Carnival the slopes will be quite crowded Sat-Tue then empty after.
Switch off your mobile data, only use Wi-Fi in the cafes, or be stung for non EU charges.
I haven’t been to Pal/Arinsal.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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if you are driving there are also French resorts in the Pyrenees.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I have done a TR for 1/2 term at Soldeu, in 2019. There was some queueing, some distinct differences compared to other areas I’ve skied (positive - cheap booze and negative - on slope food, but then I’ve mainly skied in Italy for the last 5 years, and the awful blue run to resort) and I don’t know if there have been any useful lift upgrades in the meantime. It’s in the centre of the Grandvalira ski region, which is the largest in the Pyrenees and is very suitable for blue/red skiers. There are others which may be as good though. Is the 3 hr transfer time from Barcelona? We flew to Toulouse, which is significantly closer but does involve much steeper and higher roads (the highest point is inevitably at the France-Andorra border which is very near Pas de La Casa). Think there are other airports, depending on where you are flying from.
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=3422970&highlight=soldeu#3422970
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Have skied most of Andorra over the years, I learnt there (Pas) - well mates put me on ski's and gave few tips LOL. It's not as cheap as it once was. Last time I went was few years back to Soldeu, but did many years in Pas at Half term, ski schools were some of the best for my young daughter they all spoke great English, and weren't quite as harsh as some of the French and Italian instructors (for our Young daughter - just general schools not private lessons).
With the Grandvalira ski pass you can do virtually the whole region now.
Pas was always the party town, Soldeu a bit quieter.
Padster
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| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr |
3 hour transfer, but Andorra on the way to your cousin's place in Spain? Something doesn't seem to add up.
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The awful blue run to resort was that Italy or Soldeu?
Soldeu seems to be 2.5 hrs from Toulouse.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr |
3 hour transfer, but Andorra on the way to your cousin's place in Spain? Something doesn't seem to add up. |
What doesn't? I live in the UK and Andorra is a dog-leg on the way to my Cousins place in Granada.
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| Quote: |
the awful blue run to resort
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Could that be avoided by downloading in a lift?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
the awful blue run to resort
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Could that be avoided by downloading in a lift? |
Yes. Easily, as it's a gondola.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Just back from Arinsal, good value but early intermediate and above will be bored. Did day trips to Grandvalaria but the highlight was a day trip to Arcalis, it's the hidden gem of Andorra. Good snow were everywhere else was slush and ice, no queues and lovely variety of terrain. Def worth a trip if you have a car.
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| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr |
3 hour transfer, but Andorra on the way to your cousin's place in Spain? Something doesn't seem to add up. |
What doesn't? I live in the UK and Andorra is a dog-leg on the way to my Cousins place in Granada. |
Transfer makes it sound like a plane journey. Detour might be a better phrase, but maybe that's just me.
Still 3 hours is nothing when you think how long tvel time would be for a regular ski trip. Plus do you really want to be driving 20 hours in one go to South Spain? If you were going to do an overnight stop anyway you are not losing any time
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You know it makes sense.
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The joke here is that everything is 3 hrs away. Toulouse, Barcelona, Perpignan...
Anyway, as from this year the pass let you ski at all of the resorts. Unless you get some package deal, the easiest is to buy a GV+ pass online, which only charges you for the days you ski. The more you ski, the cheaper the days become.
If you want the most alpine-like surroundings, Soldeu is definitely the place. If you want to have a hedonistic night-life and feel like you are in some border town in an thriller movie, you could go all the way to Pas de la Casa, but it will be out of the way. You might just be best-off in the boring town of Encamp. There is a Funibus that takes you to the Funicamp gondola, which gives you access to all of GV. It is also easy by car from there to get from there to Arcalis, Pal & Arinsal via the Two Valleys tunnel.
I just hope we get some decent snow before your trip - conditions are dire everywhere in the Pyrenees. It is a month in and I am still hitting stones on anything that is not blue. Bases will definitely need a decent service after this season!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr |
3 hour transfer, but Andorra on the way to your cousin's place in Spain? Something doesn't seem to add up. |
What doesn't? I live in the UK and Andorra is a dog-leg on the way to my Cousins place in Granada. |
Transfer makes it sound like a plane journey. Detour might be a better phrase, but maybe that's just me.
Still 3 hours is nothing when you think how long tvel time would be for a regular ski trip. Plus do you really want to be driving 20 hours in one go to South Spain? If you were going to do an overnight stop anyway you are not losing any time |
I am going by plane, what makes you think Im driving? Really not sure why you seem so obsessed with how I'm getting there.
Thanks for your valuable input to the thread.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Fri 30-12-22 17:56; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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I think Grandvalira is (one of) the best ski areas in Iberia. If you want good skiing go there rather than wait for Serra Nevada near Granada, which is very hit and miss to put it politely.
You will also be able to fill your fuel tank for about 30% less than the other countries.
How many days skiing do you want?
Do you expect to cross Pyrenees by San Sebastián or Barcelona? If the former and you only want a few days, Formigal might be ok for you by that time (even if it didn’t suit us for a week).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Im not driving, I am flying!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Ah ok by plane not driving. Yes it’s 3hr from everywhere as @ysb33r said
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr |
3 hour transfer, but Andorra on the way to your cousin's place in Spain? Something doesn't seem to add up. |
What doesn't? I live in the UK and Andorra is a dog-leg on the way to my Cousins place in Granada. |
Transfer makes it sound like a plane journey. Detour might be a better phrase, but maybe that's just me.
Still 3 hours is nothing when you think how long tvel time would be for a regular ski trip. Plus do you really want to be driving 20 hours in one go to South Spain? If you were going to do an overnight stop anyway you are not losing any time |
I am going by plane, what makes you think Im driving? Really not sure why you seem so obsessed with how I'm getting there.
Thanks for your valuable input to the thread. |
Because if you are not driving it's no longer "on the way" and there is no reason to restrict yourself to Andorra. You are going to need 2 flights regardless so you could go anywhere really. Or just go directly to Granada and ski sierra Nevada and save the hassle/time/cost of 2 flights, it's only 40km from Granada.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@dominichayhoe, The awful blue runs are those into Soldeu and El Tartar, from the top of the village gondolas down into the 2 villages As I said you can avoid them mostly or completely by taking the perfectly pleasant reds, blacks or gondolas down to the villages. I have no idea why everyone was on the blues, which are very narrow and were covered in sloppy man made sugary nastiness and many sprawling or struggling people who would have been having a much nicer experience on any of the multiple alternatives!
Anyway it seemed a decent ski area with cheap on mountain drinks and good ski schools. Not quite the best lifts, a few big queues where there were limited uplift options, worst probably Cubil in Grau Roig as it was only a 4-man and is the only way to everywhere except Pas. Seemed quieter over above Canillo on the days I went that way and, of course, this would be about the busiest week of the year. On mountain food is a bit basic if you use the vouchers but it is cheap until you run out of them so if they are still a thing and you have kids with hollow legs, go for them. If there’s more chance of a romantic lunch with a significant other, I’d try to book sit down meals at restaurants with nice views, there are a few mentioned in my TR. Definitely needed to book evening meals in Soldeu that week if you want to get into any restaurant.
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr |
3 hour transfer, but Andorra on the way to your cousin's place in Spain? Something doesn't seem to add up. |
What doesn't? I live in the UK and Andorra is a dog-leg on the way to my Cousins place in Granada. |
Transfer makes it sound like a plane journey. Detour might be a better phrase, but maybe that's just me.
Still 3 hours is nothing when you think how long tvel time would be for a regular ski trip. Plus do you really want to be driving 20 hours in one go to South Spain? If you were going to do an overnight stop anyway you are not losing any time |
I am going by plane, what makes you think Im driving? Really not sure why you seem so obsessed with how I'm getting there.
Thanks for your valuable input to the thread. |
Because if you are not driving it's no longer "on the way" and there is no reason to restrict yourself to Andorra. You are going to need 2 flights regardless so you could go anywhere really. Or just go directly to Granada and ski sierra Nevada and save the hassle/time/cost of 2 flights, it's only 40km from Granada. |
OK Thanks.
Well we are also going skiing with friends who are experienced skiers. Does Sierra Nevada have a range of slopes and how snow-sure is it?
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Don't be put off by the transfer time. Andorra is well worth it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I had a terrific week in PdlC late March, would definitely go back. The transfer on a coach is a bit of a PITA though.
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| That's very helpful thanks. Just noticed it a 3 hour transfer time. grrr |
3 hour transfer, but Andorra on the way to your cousin's place in Spain? Something doesn't seem to add up. |
What doesn't? I live in the UK and Andorra is a dog-leg on the way to my Cousins place in Granada. |
Transfer makes it sound like a plane journey. Detour might be a better phrase, but maybe that's just me.
Still 3 hours is nothing when you think how long tvel time would be for a regular ski trip. Plus do you really want to be driving 20 hours in one go to South Spain? If you were going to do an overnight stop anyway you are not losing any time |
I am going by plane, what makes you think Im driving? Really not sure why you seem so obsessed with how I'm getting there.
Thanks for your valuable input to the thread. |
Because if you are not driving it's no longer "on the way" and there is no reason to restrict yourself to Andorra. You are going to need 2 flights regardless so you could go anywhere really. Or just go directly to Granada and ski sierra Nevada and save the hassle/time/cost of 2 flights, it's only 40km from Granada. |
I'm guessing he's looking to fly to Barcelona from the UK, do the 3hr transfer up to Andorra, ski a day or two, back to Barcelona, then there's an onward direct service about 3 times a day from BCN to Granada with Vueling.
There isn't really anywhere else with an onward direct flight to Granada with any serious skiing within sensible distance. Only London, Paris and internal spanish flights into Granada.
As you say, it does sound like a lot of hassle, depending on how many days they want to ski, when the Sierra Nevada will be (almost) on the doorstep if they go directly to Granada.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I replied on the other thread. If you really want good skiing, guaranteed, for a week, it is only Andorra. If you want a few days on snow, to remind yourself of turns and to let the kids learn, Sierra Nevada is fine.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Andorra, like anywhere else, is fine if you get the snow and it is fairly reliable.
IMHO Pas is an absolute s**t hole! I know plenty will be along to tell me I'm wrong but to me it's Blackpool on snow, without the class. Horrible place, step over the pools of puke from the night before to get to the (caotic) pistes. More collisions seen in a week here than I've ever seen in a season.
The other villages El Tartre etc are a much better bet...
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| ysb33r wrote: |
The joke here is that everything is 3 hrs away. Toulouse, Barcelona, Perpignan...
Anyway, as from this year the pass let you ski at all of the resorts. Unless you get some package deal, the easiest is to buy a GV+ pass online, which only charges you for the days you ski. The more you ski, the cheaper the days become.
If you want the most alpine-like surroundings, Soldeu is definitely the place. If you want to have a hedonistic night-life and feel like you are in some border town in an thriller movie, you could go all the way to Pas de la Casa, but it will be out of the way. You might just be best-off in the boring town of Encamp. There is a Funibus that takes you to the Funicamp gondola, which gives you access to all of GV. It is also easy by car from there to get from there to Arcalis, Pal & Arinsal via the Two Valleys tunnel.
I just hope we get some decent snow before your trip - conditions are dire everywhere in the Pyrenees. It is a month in and I am still hitting stones on anything that is not blue. Bases will definitely need a decent service after this season! |
How dare you call my home town boring? I mean, I never recommend anyone actually stay here but that’s not the point! 
Hopefully tonight’s smattering of snow will hide those stones for a day or two at least.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| dominichayhoe wrote: |
Looking to ski Andorra February half term (specifically), as it's on the way to my cousin's place in Spain so we can kill two birds with one stone.
Anyone done more than one resort there?
Which resort is the best of them?
We are intermediate skiers across the family so would want mostly blues and reds.
Thanks. |
After going to the mega French resorts for a few years over Feb half term, Andorra during this time was relatively quiet in comparison with no long queues (generally 15 mins or less, at the very rare worst 30 mins) for the lifts. Stayed at El Tartar - yes it is quiet, but easy to upload in the morning (cable car is by the car park and therefore more popular, but there is also a chair lift which is quieter with lockers conveniently close by). There's a lively bar directly after skiing close to the chair lift. Apres at Soldeu better but not crazy.
This is a much underrated ski area which we found great (party of 17 with beginners through to experts) for variety, relatively cheaper and for those that wanted schooling. Because it's mainly seen as a beginners resort, red and black runs tend to be under utilised. Runs around Canillo much quieter with more kamikaze skiers the closer you get to Pas. Favourite blue and red runs - Rossinyol blue (Canillo), Isard red (El Tartar). Esquirol run back to El Tartar wasn't bad although there were bodies everywhere for the last 50 - 100 metres at the end of the day. Maybe do this morning / early afternoon and you'll mainly only have to contend with ski schools. The 2 blues to Soldeu were also okay - same advice on timings as above. If the red skiers are after an easy black, check out Granota at Grau.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| dominichayhoe wrote: |
| Does Sierra Nevada have a range of slopes and how snow-sure is it? |
I think you said you’re skiing with some experienced people? I think Sierra Nevada is a great little resort, but for anything more than a day or two for intermediates and above, it’s very limited. For a 1-2 day ski break it’s a brilliant place. Much more than that and no, I’d be getting bored doing the same runs over and over and over. Definitely worth a visit when you’re down staying in Granada though, even if only for a day trip.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As already mentioned, do not under any circumstances stay in Pas
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have skied in Grand Valira many times. It is made up of Pas De Le Casa, Grau Roig, Soldeu, El Tarter and Canillo. Over the other side of Andorra you have Pal-Arinsal.
Personally we prefer Grand Valira (bigger/more slopes) and try and rent a cabin in Canillo or stay in Andorra Le Vella. As mentioned above, PdlC is Blackpool on snow without the charm of Blackpool (!). Party central on the French border. We normally avoid it by taking the tunnel if coming if from Toulouse. The other resorts are fine.
I like Andorra, plenty of pistes for all levels and have never had any challenges or concerns with the blues back down to the village (either in Soldeu or ElTarter). The nice thing with Soldeu is that the parking is underground in the base of the gondola (although you do have to pay). El-Tarter and Grau Roig are (or were) free.
I quite like doing the Canillo-Pas and back again dash across the top of the mountain from one side to the other Good fun and never too crowded up there (in my experience) - plus you get to see the bond villain-esq layer about mid-way.
Obviously this year, so far, conditions everywhere in Europe are bad - hopefully be February it should be decent though.
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@Orange200, I can confidently report that there is no beige snow, or any snow in Encamp. Up in the ski area though the beige has been turned white. For a day at least.
@YetiManMark, parking is still free in El Tarter and Grau Roig.
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