Grandvalira Resorts Andorra represents the largest and most modern ski area in the Pyrenees and one of the largest in Europe with a total of 303 km of slopes.

This season Grandvalira Resorts Andorra has invested €17.5 million in total, divided between

• 12.5 million in Grandvalira,
• 2.5 million in Pal Arinsal and
• 2.5 million in Ordino Arcalís.

The union of all the ski resorts in Andorra (Ordino Arcalís, Pal Arinsal and Grandvalira) give life to a universe of versatile and complete experiences where you can live intensely the practice of snow sports in Andorra and that makes it possible to enjoy an environment natural privileged every day of the year with a single ski pass. At Grandvalira Resorts Andorra you will find the longest ski season in the Pyrenees and a summer full of activities, sports and nature.

The ski resort Pal Arinsal has always been characterized as a station familywith a particularly attractive offer for those who practice sports, skiing in winter, and cycling or discovering trails running in summer.

But there is also room for those families who want to enjoy time together thanks to the offer gastronomic first level, either day or night, as well as the many activities for children and adults.

But the concept of a family station goes far beyond the families themselves. At Pal Arinsal all families are welcome, whether it is because they share a last name, because they share a passion or because friends also form a family. For this reason, Pal Arinsal is not only the season to come as a family, but it is also the season where to make family.

Sustainability

Pal Arinsal is a mountain resort fully committed to sustainability. Any strategic decision, be it operational, marketing, financial or human resources, is taken taking into account the economic, social and environmental Sustainable Development Policy implemented in the station.

Plansell de la Tosa solar park

The Planell de la Tosa solar park, located next to the Pic del Cubil (2,364 m) in Pal, is currently the largest in andorra with an area of ​​22,000 m2. The facility involved an investment of 2.2 million euros by the Nord Andorrà electricity company from Massanenca and enables the production of approximately 37% of the electricity consumption of the Pal Arinsal station in a normal year.

The facility, which has 5,320 units of solar panels With an installed capacity of 2 megawatts (MW), it can reach an annual production of 2,400,000 kilowatts (kwh) which corresponds approximately to the needs of 1,000 homes in Andorra.

In the commissioning during the past season, there were days when the solar park more electricity than the station needed to offer its services to customers.

This solar park, together with the 200 panels already installed in 2017 in the arrival building of the La Massana cable car, bring at 40% coverage of electrical needs from the station using a renewable source such as solar energy.

On slopes and facilities

Homologation of the Corpalanca track

With the aim of improving the experience of the skiers who compete, work has been done to obtain competition approval from the FAE for the red slope in the Pal sector, the Corpalanca.

Improvement of the snow system

Currently, it already offers 70% of snow covered slopes, at a rate of 1,140 m3 per hour: in Pal, with 600 m3 per hour, and in Arinsal, with 540 m3 per hour. On the Marrades runway, 8 new lines of low-pressure cannons were assembled to replace the existing line. This change is made to produce snow in more marginal temperatures. In turn, in the Pal sector, the air production system is renewed, replacing 4 old compressors with a new one and the installation of 10 HP high-pressure cannons. These compressors will make it possible to compensate for the loss of air.

Improvement of water collection

The capture of water in rivers allows to take advantage of the water for the supply of resources for the production of crop snow. Currently, it is done from water rafts (one in Arinsal and two in Pal) or from rivers. One of the improvements is the renovation of the pollós river water intake, located in Arinsal. A new water intake is also added in the Comallemple river to improve it and ensure ecological flows.

Use of drones to control the cm of snow

The new drones will also provide information on cm. of snow, to know if it is necessary to work more in the area and to optimize the time. Likewise, they will serve to help the team of trackers in moments of avalanche. In this way, the station gains, in turn, in efficiency, control and safety.

New snow groomers

Two new snow groomers have been purchased, one for Pal and the other for the Arinsal sector. Pal’s is a Pistenbully 600 Standard and Arinsal’s is a Pistenbully 600 Park Bully special for Snowparks. Both have lower fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.

More safety for the customer on the track

• In the lower part of the Beç slope and the Avets slope, a 140 m long net will be installed.
• In the lower part of the Transversal slope and the Besurt II slope, a red one 105 m long.
• At the crossroads of the Transversal track and the Besurt II track, a 50 m long red track.

More automatic vending machines

This season, in the center of La Massana, a new machine will be added that will be located in the tourist office, complementary to the one already available in the Plaza del Quart (Telecabina de la Massana). This system allows you to avoid queuing and save time when coming to ski in Pal Arinsal.

Gastronomy

This season, Pal Arinsal is especially strengthening its gastronomic offer in order to offer its visitors a complete experience at the resort. Specifically, the great innovations this year are in the Arinsal sector, with three important additions.

new restaurants

El niu: good fast food

One of the most emblematic restaurants in Arinsal, the old Obèlix bar, returns with major renovations, a new name and a new concept. Located at the crossroads of the Port Vell and Bony slopes, this season the station recovers this space of authenticity with an author’s seal and the motto fast good food. In a warm environment with exotic touches, the new Niu invites you to share moments with a flavor of origin where the most authentic part and contact with the artisan are sought.

Terroir: Kitchen coffee

The restaurant located on the terrace of the Comallemple building, one of the largest spaces in the station, has been completely renovated and is now a self-service restaurant with a menu featuring homemade pizzas and pastas. Customers will be able to place their order in the restaurant, pick up their “electronic prompt” and once the order is ready, they will arrive at the order pick-up area.

Piccolo: Italian food

The joy that the new Piccolo transmits is revealed with its look&feel full of colors and fun. A space designed so that those families, friends and couples who want to make the most of the ski hours can make a technical stop to enjoy a high mountain menu with quick take-away service. However, the comfort, the spaces, the surprise, the materials and the transformed vision of the concept, will invite those who want to stay a while longer and see things with another look.

big events

One more year, Arinsal will host one of the most important sporting events in the country, the Mountain Ski World Cup Comapedrosa Andorra, which this year reaches its 12th edition and will take place from January 19 to 22. The Massanense sector will host two already traditional tests, the Individual Race (January 21) and the Vertical Race (January 22).

The single racewhich includes 3 different routes (senior men, senior women & U20 men and U20 women), it is a spectacular high-mountain race starting from and from Xalet Igloo, in the Arinsal sector.

The vertical race, is carried out entirely on the ski slope, which allows athletes to give 100% without any interference during the progression. The race has two routes, one with a start at 1,580 meters (for seniors, men and women, and for U20 men) and another with a start at 1,880 meters (U18 men and women). In both cases the arrival is at an elevation of 2,300 meters, next to the Xalet Igloo.

To this race is added the modality OPEN open to all ski mountaineering practitioners and also valid for the PARK PIOLETS Andorra Ski Mountaineering Cup on the same route that the World Cup runners will take.