This tiny country Andorra, a leftover from the glory days of the Catholic Church and nobility, has survived for centuries as an independent state wedged between two of Europe’s largest powers. This is the country that has been the home of the Catalan language over the centuries when it was suppressed by Spain and France. Today it still uses Catalan as its official language, but with French and Spanish spoken liberally in every valley.

For years, beneath jagged mountain peaks and between narrow passes Andorra has thrived as a smuggling and shopping mecca. This is the original duty-free store. The entire country is a duty-free store. Thousands of Europeans come here to purchase much less expensive cigarettes, cigars, whiskeys, jewelry and virtually every luxury that is faced with high taxes in their homelands. Andorra, faced with a new unified European Community, has been forced to begin to find alternative economic activities to smuggling.

Many years ago andorrans also realized that they had an abundance of snow. In the 1930s they were some of the first developers of ski areas in Europe. However, these resorts remained relatively small and were not interconnected because of small-country politics. Recently, some of the log-jam regarding linking of resorts has broken free. A group of lifts serving the Valls de Canillo, the original Andorran ski resort, have linked up. In 2003, Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig and Soldeu El Tarter merged and more interconnections are on the way.

Today Grandvalira can compete with virtually any ski area in Europe. Millions have been invested in new hotels, gondolas, high speed lifts, grooming machines and facilities to make Andorra a true world-class destination.

It is still dependent on much group tourism. However, in a revolutionary move, the country is developing areas of the valleys that will not cater to group tourism and that have semi-private ski areas and private upscale restaurants. It is a daring move, but should play well with the upscale skiers from around the world and from Barcelona and Toulouse that flock to here on weekends and holidays.

Andorra already has a reputation for world-class, upscale shopping. Now, it is adding the element of extensive snowmaking, rustic restaurants, topnotch lodging and modern lifts.

At the risk of generalizing, Canillo and El Tarter are visited by more Spanish skiers; Soldeu is packed with British skiers; and Pas de la Casa/Grau Roig has more of a French flair.

This section focuses on the Valls de Canillo where we spent most of our time. We have included a short section on the other major ski and snowboard areas closest to Andorra la Vella, Vallnord. These areas offer another interconnected collection of trails with a slightly different experience.

Grandvalira Marketing Office
Gondola Canillo’s Building, 2nd floor
5500 Canillo
Reservations head office Telephone: +376 801 064 (reservas@grandvalira.com)

Oficina de Turisme Valls de Canillo, Avenida San Joan de Caselles, Canillo, Principat d’Andorra.
Country code: 00376
Telephone (376) 851002.
Fax (376) 851139.
Email: vdc@andorra.ad.
Internet: www.vdc.ad

Ski Andorra offices are at Av. Tarronga 58–70 Edifici les Columnes, Despatx 14 Andorra la Vella, Principat d’Andorra.
Telephone (376) 864389.
Fax (376) 865910.
Email: skiandorra@skiandorra.ad.
Internet: www.ski.andorra.com.

Andorra Tourist Delegation
United Kingdom
Andorra Tourist Delegation
63, Westover Road
London SW18 2RF
Phone: +44 (0181) 874 4806 

Note: All prices are in Euros unless otherwise noted.