Andorra is the largest ski destination in the Pyrenees, which is remarkable for a country of 468 square kilometres. Two systems share almost all the terrain, and choosing between them shapes the whole trip.
Grandvalira
Grandvalira links around 210 kilometres of pistes across sectors that behave quite differently. Pas de la Casa, on the French border, sits highest and holds snow longest, and it is where the nightlife concentrates. Grau Roig, in the bowl next door, is quieter and more sheltered when the wind gets up. Soldeu and El Tarter face south, have the best ski school reputation and the widest intermediate cruising; Soldeu has hosted World Cup finals, so the race pistes are genuine. Encamp is not a ski village as such but has a long gondola that lifts you straight into the system, which makes it a cheaper base.
Pal Arinsal
Pal Arinsal — the former Vallnord — is smaller, around 60 kilometres, wooded and calmer. It suits families and anyone who finds Grandvalira's scale tiring. Pal is the prettier half, with runs through pine forest; Arinsal is steeper and connects by cable car. In summer this same mountain turns into one of the best-known bike parks in the Pyrenees.
Snow, season and passes
The season normally runs from early December to mid-April. Andorra invests heavily in snowmaking and the upper sectors are dependable, but the south-facing lower slopes soften quickly in March. If you want reliable conditions and lower prices, aim for January; February and the Spanish and French school holidays are the busiest weeks by a wide margin.
Passes cost noticeably less than in the Alps, and multi-day tickets bring the daily rate down further. Equipment hire is cheap and widely available — many visitors deliberately rent here rather than travel with skis, since there is no airport and everything arrives by road.
Getting there
There are no trains and no airport. Most people fly to Barcelona (about three hours by road) or Toulouse (roughly three and a half), then take a scheduled coach or a transfer. In winter check conditions on the Envalira pass, the highest road in the Pyrenees at 2,408 metres; there is a tunnel that avoids the summit and is worth the toll in bad weather. Snow tyres or chains are a legal requirement when signed.