Pal-Arinsal Piste Map and Overview
Located in the north west of Andorra, within the parish of Ordino, Pal-Arinsal offers 63km of slopes across the two resorts connected via a telecabine. Although it boasts a solid snowpark with a dedicated t-bar, Pal-Arinsal is known to be a family focused resort.
It is also the resort of choice for locals looking to get some ski touring in. On some weekdays, you might even ask yourself if there are more people with skins on than without!
On a powder day, the terrain is better to ride in Pal, given its steeper slopes and trees. However Arinsal should have less crowds and more tourists, meaning more untracked snow on the sidecountry!
Ski area size = 63 km / 39 miles
Base elevation = 1,550 m / 5,085 ft
Peak elevation = 2,537 m / 8,323 ft
Difficulty:
🟩 15% Green
🟦 38% Blue
🟥 38% Red
⬛ 9% Black
Local knowledge
Local knowledge for Pal-Arinsal has been provided by friend of the site: Felix. Check out his shots of Pal-Arinsal below!
Felix has spent over two Winter seasons in Andorra and knows each resort well.
Felix also runs an interesting newsletter covering many aspects of life, history and the digital revolution – check it out: https://felixyanez.substack.com/ .
Things to do in Pal-Arinsal
1) Winter activities 🏂 ⛷️
Pal-Arinsal offers a bunch of winter activities including skiing and snowboarding – hit the slopes!
2) Shopping
Andorra is known for its duty-free shopping. Visitors can explore the shops in La Massana, Arinsal, and nearby Andorra la Vella, where they can find all sorts. Electronics, clothing, perfumes, the capital Andorra la Vella has it all within the Illa shopping center.
3) Soak up some history and culture
Pal is home to Sant Climent de Pal, an 800yr old Romanesque church. There are similar churches to be found in La Cortinada (15 minute drive from Pal-Arinsal) and Canillo (25 minute drive)
How much is a season pass for Pal-Arinsal?
Pal-Arinsal is included in the The Grandvalira Season Pass – which is generallly available for €815 for those who book before June 30th. Standard prices for the for 23/24 were €900 (with insurance).
This pass gives you acces not only to the entire Grandvalira ski area, but also to Pal-Arinsal and Ordino Arcalis.
On top of that, the Grandvalira company has multiple partnerships with other resorts, including the Ikon Pass and Les Deux Alps.
Does Pal-Arinsal have a snowpark?
Yes! For over 10 years the shapers of Pal-Arinsal have built a really tidy snowpark, with a mix of smaller and then larger kickers, boxes, rails but no pipe. It has a private t-bar so you can maximise the laps you’re clocking in!
Is Pal-Arinsal good for remote workers?
While there is not a remote working community within the parish of Ordino, it does receive a young international group of seasonaires who host the more touristy and family side of ski holidays. This is most visible in Arinsal, and not so much Pal given its smaller size.
What is the best bar in Pal-Arinsal to meet people?
Surf in Arinsal is a great option; with apres ski and a fantastic menu (Argentinian focused, like a good chunk of Andorra). Another option is to go 5 minutes down the hill to Donpi for a few beers and tapas. You can drive, or get the telecabine down from Pal straight into La Massana, or the most over-zealous of visitors could even walk. If you’re looking for a bigger apres-ski experience, El Tarter is better suited for this; given it is home to The Boss, L’Abarset and Nemo.
Best way to get to Pal-Arinsal
The best option for any Andorran ski town is to have your own car. It gives you flexibility, you can ski different resorts thanks to the Grandvalira pass that covers every resort in the country now, and you can benefit from Andorra’s cheap petrol prices! You can fly into Barcelona airport and get a direct bus to Pas de la Casa or Andorra la Vella. You can also arrange to be dropped off at whatever location you want in Andorra by minibus for a small extra fee. For whatever reason, Andorra has a strong culture of hitch-hiking and those who stand on the side of the road with their thumbs out should get lucky within 15 minutes.