Vallnord Pal Arinsal

Vallnord (now sold as Pal-Arinsal) is the smaller of Andorra's two ski areas, on the western side of the country close to the Spanish border. Two linked sectors, Pal in tree-lined bowls, Arinsal on more open ground, total 63 km and are aimed at families and beginners more than the party crowd who head to Pas de la Casa on the Grandvalira side. Vallnord also hosts mountain biking World Cup rounds in summer, so the lifts and slopes are up to modern spec. Base villages are strung along a valley of duty-free electronics shops and Spanish restaurants, cheap, cheerful, and family-workable.