ANDORRA - VALLNORD: ARINSAL AND ARCALIS

In Andorra there are mainly two large ski domains, which are actually the sum of several ski resorts that have finished growing up linking facilities to form two large areas: Grandvalira and Vallnord.

Recently I spent a weekend in Andorra la Vella and I enjoyed two sunny days. We were truly lucky because these days were lovely while in the previous weekends the weather was cloudy and snowy. The first day we went to Arinsal and the second one we skied in Arcalís.

Vallnord Arinsal

Reaching Arinsal Ski Resort in Andorra is easy because you can drive to the village of Arinsal and park next to cablecar. With the cablecar in 5 minutes you are in the Arinsal Ski Resort.

For me, a beginner in ski, the drawback of Arinsal is that there are few green slopes and these are a bit narrow to go staggering and turn easily.

Ready to start our ski weekend in Andorra Vallnord

On saturday we skied in Arinsal ski resort, belonging to Andorra Vallnord

As you can see the day in Andorra Vallnord Arinsal was lovely

Panoramix restaurant in Arinsal ski resort in Andorra

 Fantastic view from Panoramix restaurant in Arinsal ski resort in Andorra

Inside the restaurant of Arinsal ski resort in Andorra Vallnord

Vallnord Arcalís

In the ski resort of Arcalís I found a fantastic green slope for me wide a moderate slope. Here there is Megaverda slope too, a really long green slope.

However, to reach the area of beginners in Arcalís we have to take a free shuttle bus (every fifteen minutes) from the parking.

Another drawback is that Arcalís is not accessible by cable car, so you have to drive 15 km from La Massana.

On sunday we went to Arcalís ski resort and it was a lovely day too

Arcalís ski resort in Andorra Vallnord

A break in the restaurant of Arcalís in Andorra Vallnord

A last picture before going to the restaurant of Arcalís ski resort in Andorra

Other ski resorts in Andorra where you can ski or enjoy a snowshoes activity are:

• Grandvalira (Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig) (www.grandvalira.com)
• Vallnord (Pal - Arinsal - Arcalis) (www.vallnord.com)
• Naturlandia (www.naturlandia.ad)

You can find more pictures of Andorra clicking on the following links:

• Andorra and La Seu d'Urgell
• Andorra Grandvalira Grau Roi Ski Resort
• Andorra Vallnord Arinsal and Pal Ski Resorts

Finally, if you liked these landscapes, clicking on the next links you will find links to other fantastic places in the Pyrenees of Catalonia and France, like:

- Catalonia:

• Aigüestortes National Park and La Vall de Boí
• Aigüestortes and Llac de Sant Maurici National Park
• Vall de Núria and  Santuari de Núria
• Castellar de N'Hug and Fonts del Llobregat
• Vall de Camprodon
• Camprodon, Ripoll and Setcases
• Medieval village of Beget
• Olot and Vall de'n Bas
• Port del Comte
• Puigcerdà

- France:

• Medieval village of Collioure
• Carcassonne
• Canal du Midi and Pays Cathare
• Gorges de la Fou and Coustouges
• Villefranche de Conflent

ANDORRA: GRANDVALIRA GRAU ROIG

Recently we spent a fantastic day in Grandvalira Grau Roig ski resort in Andorra. We enjoyed a guided forest trail with snowshoes and a mushing activity under a lovely day.

Snowshoes is ideal for individuals and groups, with or without a guide, and does not require you to be very physically fit since the difficulty level depends on the route chosen and the pace. It is ideal for non-skiers who would like to discover nature, enjoy the snow and the mountains without risks, or for skiers who would maybe like to try new experiences.

One of the ski slopes in Grandvalira - Grau Roig, a large ski resort in Andorra

A snowy mountain near the Grau Roig ski resort in Andorra

Before beginning the snowshoes activity we went for a walk to enjoy these fantastic landscapes of Andorra

Snowy landscape in Grau Roig ski resort in Andorra

The woods of Grandvalira - Grau Roig ski resort are the perfect backdrop for a snow motorbike race

Me and the sun reflected in sunglasses

Snowshoes

I strongly recommend discovering Grandvalira with this unusual activity, walking round the snowy paths and icy lakes on showshoes, following the easy stage paths and itineraries, accompanied at all times by one of our guides. Besides, equipment is available for hire.

Our nearly two-hour snowshoes route began in this slope

Ready with the snowshoes. The large size of the snowshoes lets you walk on the soft snow with ease and they have spikes to avoid slipping on compacted snow

In addition to snowshoes, you only should wear appropriate mountaineering footwear in order to keep the feet warm

Mushing

Mushing is an ideal activity for dog lovers and those who enjoy spectacular scenery in unique surroundings: dog sledding through the snow covered forests of Grandvalira. The sleds are all two-seaters and are driven by a guide.

Sled and dogs running through the snow covered forests of Grandvalira in Andorra

The dogs I liked the most

Two of the dogs and the sled in GrandValira ski resort in Andorra

Sitting on the sled. Shame that this experience was too short, just five minutes, but it was really worth

A last picture in Grandvalira Grau Roig with the sled and the dogs

In Andorra you can enjoy a snowshoes activity in the following ski resorts:

• Grandvalira (www.grandvalira.com)
• Naturlandia (www.naturlandia.ad)
• Vallnord (www.vallnord.com)

Finally, if you liked these landscapes, clicking on the next links you will find links to other fantastic places in the Pyrenees of Andorra, France and Catalonia, like:


- Andorra:

• Andorra and La Seu d'Urgell
• Andorra Vallnord Arinsal and Pal Ski Resort
• Andorra Vallnord Arinsal and Arcalís

- France:

• Carcassonne
• Canal du Midi and Pays Cathare
• Gorges de la Fou and Coustouges
• Villefranche de Conflent

- Catalonia:

• Aigüestortes National Park and La Vall de Boí
• Aigüestortes and Llac de Sant Maurici National Park
• Vall de Núria and  Santuari de Núria
• Castellar de N'Hug and Fonts del Llobregat
• Vall de Camprodon
• Camprodon, Ripoll and Setcases
• Medieval village of Beget
• Olot and Vall de'n Bas
• Port del Comte
• Puigcerdà

ANDORRA: VALLNORD PAL ARINSAL SKI RESORT

In Andorra there are mainly two large ski domains, which are actually the sum of several ski resorts that have finished growing up linking facilities to form two large areas: Grandvalira and Vallnord.

Recently I spent a weekend in Andorra la Vella and I enjoyed two sunny and really cold days. The first day we went to Arinsal and the second one we skied in Pal.

Vallnord Arinsal

Ready for skiing in Arinsal, one of the ski resorts of Vallnord in Andorra

Snow-capped mountains of the Pyrenees from Arinsal ski resort in Andorra

Vallnord Pal

It was a sunny day but really cold in Pal Ski Resort in Andorra

 

Green slope of Pal ski resort in Andorra

Pal ski resort in Andorra


Ready for skiing after having lunch in Pal Ski Resort in Andorra

Overview of Pal Ski Resort in Andorra between the mountains of the Pyrenees

Other ski resorts in Andorra where you can ski or enjoy a snowshoes activity are:

• Grandvalira (Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig) (www.grandvalira.com)
• Vallnord (Pal - Arinsal - Arcalis) (www.vallnord.com)
• Naturlandia (www.naturlandia.ad)

Finally, if you liked these landscapes, clicking on the next links you will find links to other fantastic places in the Pyrenees of Andorra, France and Catalonia, like:

- France:

• Medieval village of Collioure
• Carcassonne
• Canal du Midi and Pays Cathare
• Gorges de la Fou and Coustouges
• Villefranche de Conflent

Catalonia:

• Aigüestortes National Park and La Vall de Boí
• Aigüestortes and Llac de Sant Maurici National Park
• Vall de Núria and  Santuari de Núria
• Castellar de N'Hug and Fonts del Llobregat
• Vall de Camprodon
• Camprodon, Ripoll and Setcases
• Medieval village of Beget
• Olot and Vall de'n Bas
• Port del Comte
• Puigcerdà

- Andorra:

• Andorra and La Seu d'Urgell
• Andorra Grandvalira Grau Roi Ski Resort

PYRENEES: ANDORRA AND LA SEU D'URGELL

The second weekend of may we went to Andorra to spend two peaceful days in this small country located in the heart of the Pyrenees. I had never been in Andorra so I felt like walking along its shopping street (these street is similar to the Main Street in Gibraltar) enjoying a natural environment and visiting its capital, Andorra la Vella. But before arriving at Andorra, we had lunch in La Seu d'Urgell.

Star sights of these two days:

- La Seu d'Urgell

• La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral
• Sant Miquel Church
• Segre Olympic Park

- Andorra La Vella

• Meritxell Avenue, the shopping street
• Sant Andreu chapel
• walk along the Passeig del Rec del Solà
• La Casa de la Vall
• Caldea

A pleasant walk along the Passeig del Rec del Solà (Andorra La Vella)

Saturday, 15th may

La Seu d'Urgell

Before arriving at Andorra we visited La Seu d'Urgell, a small town which was quite important in the past. Here is me with the bell tower of Sant Miquel church

There was nobody else in this square, so this mirror let us take a picture of us

The apse of the church of Sant Miquel in La Seu d'Urgell, located next to the cathedral

At the rear of the La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral, there was a peaceful park

The apse of the La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral from this park, where we spent some minutes

The most outstanding sports installation in L’Alt Urgell is the Segre Olympic Park, where enthusiasts can practice canoeing, rafting and hydro-speed

This man-made canal is the axis of a pleasant park perfect to spend a sunny morning

In the Segre Olympic Park took place the sport of canoe slalom during the successful Olympic Games of Barcelona in 1992

Besides this park is located in a beautiful natural environment

And the day wasn't hot at all, so we felt really at ease walking along this canal in the Segre Olympic Park

Andorra

The river Grand Valira flows beside Caldea, a well-known spa resort of Andorra

We went into Caldea for a minute to have a look and thanks to this mirror we could take a picture of our short visit to Caldea

Night view of Andorra La Vella from our room of Panorama Hotel

Sunday, 16th may

Andorra

We spent all the previous evening doing shopping along this street, the shopping street of Andorra La Vella. At that moment we were going to the tourist office when this popular race surprised us

Meritxell avenue in Andorra La Vella, where it crosse the Grand Valira river. Most of the buildings of this streets arr banks or shopping centers

In this church, the Sant Andreu chapel, we began a pleasant walk along the Passeig del Rec del Solà

This cobbled path is really well integrated in its natural environment

And beside this path there is a small canal where the meltwater flew next to us delighting our ears with its relaxing sound

This peaceful environment under this lovely day was perfect to take some pictures

As you can see,  we did a little practice with the Canon 450D DSLR 

From this path we could admire great panoramic views of Andorra La Vella with its slate roofs

The landscape of Andorra we could enjoy from this point was really beautiful with the mountains of the Pyrenees surrounding Andorra La Vella

View of the church of Sant Esteve in the old quarter of Andorra La Vella

The new parliament of Andorra is in the old quarter of Andorra, next to the Sant Esteve church and the Casa de la Vall, where the parliament is currently

We were lucky because we could visit La Casa de la Vall, where the parliament of Andorra is currently. This picture was taken few minutes before the visit

Unfortunately it wasn't allowed to take pictures inside this building. It was a pity because this building is quite beautiful

The main street of Andorra La Vella, Meritxell avenue, is a well-known shopping street always quite crowded

Finally, if you liked these landscapes, clicking on the next links you will find links to other fantastic places in the Pyrenees of Andorra, Catalonia and France like:

- Andorra:

• Andorra Grandvalira Grau Roig Ski Resort
• Andorra Vallnord Arinsal and Pal Ski Resort
• Andorra Vallnord Arinsal and Arcalís

- Catalonia:

• Aigüestortes National Park and La Vall de Boí
• Aigüestortes and Llac de Sant Maurici National Park
• Vall de Núria
• Castellar de N'Hug and Fonts del Llobregat
• Vall de Camprodon
• Camprodon, Ripoll and Setcases
• Medieval village of Beget
• Olot and Vall de'n Bas
• Santa Pau
• Port del Comte
• Puigcerdà

- France:

• Medieval village of Collioure
• Carcassonne
• Canal du Midi and Pays Cathare
• Gorges de la Fou and Coustouges
• Villefranche de Conflent