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Andorra
More than most winter sports
countries, Andorra invites generalizations. Because it's such a small
country, all the resort villages are remarkably similar, having almost
all the same pluses and minuses: low prices (including duty-free goods),
ugly villages, lively bars and clubs, good ski schools, fairly reliable
snow, young clientele, mainly easy, well groomed, and often busy slopes
with plenty of snowmaking facilities and mediocre mountain restaurants,
are all fairly typical of Andorran resorts across the board.
There's an immediate
temptation to compare Andorra to Eastern Europe. Some of the below pluses
and minuses would be appropriate to Borovets and company, too. But Andorra
really is in a different league. It is somewhat more expensive (though
still cheap by Alpine standards), has much better lifts and other resort
infrastructure, much livelier nightlife, attracts a mostly young and lively
clientele rather than families, and has more reliable snow.
In recent years there
has been substantial investment in efficient, modern lifts and this year's
reporters have been extremely complimentary about the new lifts and the
high standard of piste maintenance and grooming.
Boarding
As with most
places that draw a young crowd, boarding has a big following in Andorra.
Most of the resorts now boast fun-parks and half-pipes amongst their facilities,
and many areas are installing more chairs and gondolas. Tuition is excellent,
and there is a lively après-board scene, with good cheap bars and
pumping clubs.
For more information
about specific resorts in Andorra, please
click on one of the links below:
Andorra
La Vella
Arcalis
Pal - Arinsal
Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig
Soldeu - El Tarter
or visit Andorra's Official
Websites by clicking on one of the following links :
Andorra
Arcalis
Pal - Arinsal
Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig
Soldeu - El Tarter
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Trail
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Town map
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click
on images for full-size view
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What's
Great
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What's
Not-So-Great
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+
Cheap packages; duty free prices in resort
+ Excellent choice for beginners and early intermediates,
with resorts that offer good tuition, good piste grooming and mountains
that won't frighten
+ Lots of efficient, modern new lifts
+ Lively nightlife with cheap drinks and generous measures
of spirits
+ Resorts close enough to each other - and some are now linked
- so you can sample at least one other during a week
+
Good combination of altitude and extensive snowmaking with strong
southern sunshine
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-
Most resorts have little in the way of charm, and Soldeu and
Pas de la Casa are sited on the busy main road through the country
- Nightlife tends to revolve around booze and clubs - not
much variety and can get rowdy at night
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Potential for a really impressive linked
lift network is not exploited - no share lift tickets
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There seems to be no end to the construction work
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Content
on this page by permission from
"Where to Ski and Snowboard Worldwide"
©Chris Gill & Dave Watts |
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