First off, in order to ski this mountain, you will have to check out Andorra. And that is an adventure in itself. Just picture rolling mountains with tiny towns perched right on the side. It makes Switzerland look like the prairies in caparison. Andorrans currently have the longest life expectancies in the world. And that might be because there is a ski lift originating from pretty much every town that will take you to the top of the Eastern Pyrenees. This small landlocked nation is literally bear-hugged by France and Spain. Andorra keeps it alive by being a tax haven and a tourist playground. And while the mountains may not be the steepest or the biggest you have ever skied, there’s no way you won’t have a unique ski vacation in the magical feeling mountains of Andorra.
There are a LOT of runs here. The views from the peaks are spectacular and skiing right down into the valley is a treat. The snow sticks around and the spring skiing is perfection. They leave everything open so that you can literally ski the very last piece of a snow on a big brown hill in 25 degree weather in May. There are also a lot of terraces and cute restaurants. If you don’t feel like Spanish ham for lunch, you can easily ski down in to France for a croque-monsieur at un petit café Francais.
Lots of Brits make the après ski not quite what you would hope for in a country bordering Spain. When we went searching for a great après bar, all we found were pubs playing a British footie game. No offence to football, but après should be après and revolve around Euro techno and not the telly.
Late night, you can dance till dawn with Spanish friends mainly from Barcelona, as well as all the rest of the skiers looking for a party. Check out the Piccadilly Pub in Soldeu. It was full of Spaniards, who always keep the party going, and many international friends, eager to keep up with the pace setters. It has a great ski bar feel and a very friendly staff and crowd.
Andorra is also famous for its spas. Many of the hotels have them and you can pay a flat rate to frolic in the pools and steam rooms. If you stay at the Sport Hotel Hermitage in Soldeu you will find the Disney Land of spas. Giant pools with cascading waterfalls entertain you and an array of interesting water treatments like the freezing-bucket-of-ice-on-your-head shower or the glowing aromatherapy room either relax or stimulate you. Take your pick between the Swedish sauna, the Finnish sauna, the hot hot sauna or the “too many hairy dudes in here sauna”. They have them all. But bring your own flip-flops or you’ll have to buy some.
To get to Andorra, fly to Barcelona and drive about 2 and a half hours. A little out of the way indeed, but the drive into Andorra is awesome. And if you want something tax free, this is the place to get it.
Stats:
Elevation: 8661 ft.
Vertical Drop: 3051 ft.
Lifts: 66
Skiable terrain: 4389 Acers
Average Snowfall: 216”
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