Andorra Blog

October through to might mean looking forward to Christmas for the vast majority of the population, but it’s an important time for skiers, as the 2011 season draws nearer.

And for those considering ski holidays Andorra is a great destination, with first class slopes and an infrastructure to match.

There are different areas to ski in Andorra, and they are:

Arinsal and Pal - now a single resort linked by cable car. One ski pass allows skiers to venture onto either set of slopes. In effect, wherever you are staying at the resort, you can ski from your backyard right onto the slopes. Snowboarders will also feel quite comfortable whether they are beginners or experienced.

Pas de la Casa is also close by but tends to be more crowded. However, it does offer very good value if that is the major criteria in selecting a resort.

With its numerous cafes, restaurants, happy hours and discos, Pas de la Casa tends to attract the livelier young adult crowd. Travel offers often feature the resort for a cheap ski holiday, and there are regular buses to and from the capital la Vella for those who want to do some duty free shopping during their trip.

Perhaps the best known resort is Soldeu. It has a mix of accommodation but has the best hotel for skiers, the Sports Hermitage, and first class ski slopes. An excellent mix.

It’s also perfectly possible to have a twin centre trip, with both Andorra and French ski holidays. Some areas good in France include:

Nestled atop a magnificent glacier on Mt. Bellecote is the world-class ski area of La Plagne. Surrounded by the majestic Vanoise Massif Mountains in the Graian Alps, La Plagne resort beckons the avid skier. It is spread over an altitude of 1250 to 3250 meters. The result is a variety of terrains and altitudes appealing to beginners and French ski holiday experts alike.

The resort was built in 1961 with the hope of attracting tourism dollars. It was largely conceived in the interest of four small mountain villages. The fledgling towns were dying and hoped to capitalize on the gorgeous natural beauty of the area and appeal to people who like a French ski holiday.

Today’s La Plagne is comprised of many different and distinctive villages. All are linked to one another by ski lifts and trails for those who prefer cross-country skiing. The villages continue to expand, giving it a competitive edge when it comes to tourism revenue.

Even the non-skier will find something to love about La Plagne. Non-skiers may choose from over 50 pubs and restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining. After dark visitors can hit one of the resort’s many night clubs for an evening of dancing and partying. Numerous daytime activities entertain and engage those who choose not to ski as well. Winter sport activities include ice skating, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

La Grave is a commune in southeastern France and the location of La Meije. Three summits comprise La Meije with the highest summit being 3,984 m. Mountain climbers and rock climbers challenge themselves to reach the highest summit of La Meije. The very first successful climb was by Emmanuel Boileau de Castelneu and Pierre Gaspard and his son on August 16, 1877. Glacier climbing or ice climbing is a very popular sport in La Grave as well. One hundred to 300 metre climbing routes offer a variety of difficulty.

Much of the La Grave la Meije ski area is glacier and considered dangerous. Guided skiing is recommended. Extreme skiers find a great deal of fascination and appeal in La Grave la Meije due to the enormous vertical drops and extreme ski conditions. The largest vertical descent can be extended to 2,300 m when skiers go past the resort to the road.

Located in the Belleville Valley, Les Menuires resort hosted the 1992 Winter Olympics. It is part of the largest ski area in the world, Les Trois Valleys.

The Three Valleys are comprised of several resorts that host millions of skiers per year - Thomson Ski for example include it in their brochures. Les Menuires has 62 ski trails, advanced and beginner slopes and 39 lifts. The resort’s 48 restaurants offer foods ranging from fast food to fine cuisine.

To see independent comments from those who have visited these areas follow them on myspace

The Andorra ski resort of Soldeu is one of the top ski resorts when it comes to value for money, recent research shows.

The village is hoping that more people will visit for their 2010 ski holidays including those who often take French ski holidays

After experiencing a drop of 13 per cent in visitors last year, the ski holidays industry will be hoping that 2009/10 will see a pick up as skiers start booking again.

Fortune is on their side at least - early snow saw some of the Colorado resorts open in early October - the earliest for 40 years - and In Europe the Pyrenees had high snowfall in early November - benefitting both French ski holidays and Andorra.

But while the weather may be on the industry’s side, the long, deep recession in both Europe and Northern America casts doubts over their 2010 aspirations.

For many people ski holidays are a luxury item, while the family summer vacation is seen as much more of an essential item for expenditure, and while economies are coming out of recession many people have concerns about their own job security or the state of their business, and might hold back this year until they are confident of the future.

This is particularly relevant for the skiing industry - the recession was caused by a banking crisis and a disproportionate number of people who took skiing holidays in recent years worked in the banking and finance industries - often spending between four and eight thousand Euros on the trip and spending freely while in the resorts during their French ski holidays, in Andorra, Switzerland, Colorado and Canada.

And the lack of free spending Brits compared to recent years will be noticeable, and keenly felt in the upmarket Aspen and Swiss ski holidays resorts, as London and New York’s economies were impacted most by the financial crises sparked off by the failures of investment banks.

Normal spend level tourists from Britain will be thinner on the ground too not just because of their economy, but many of the European ski resorts are in the Eurozone, and Sterling has crashed against the Euro, with the cost of Italian, Andorra and French ski holidays costing more for British skiers once they are in their resorts, unless they opt for an all inclusive package from comapnes who offer them.

So if there is optimism, where are the people coming from who will be taking ski holidays this year?

In Europe’s case it will be from countries who have the Euro, and who won’t be impacted by currency fluctuations.

And that will be mainly Germany, whose economy has grown in the last two quarters, and is firmly out of recession, while France might see a good number of people taking domestic ski holidays in France.

For Andorra, their economy is one that doesn’t rely purely on skiing, although tourism is an important aspect. As a tax haven a good number of people are employed in the finance and banking industries, and as the Andorra banks are independent the recession was felt less there than many other areas.

Property in Andorra hasn’t dropped as much as other European countries either as it not only has a local market but also sees people taking Andorra residency, who look at the houses and Andorra apartments for sale.

Time will tell if the optimism in the ski holidays industry is misplaced, or if 2010 proves to be a turning point.

More information about Andorra is available with yourandorra.com - they also have a blog with some travel articles available.

Keen skiers looking forward to their annual holiday are more than likely busy poring over information on the numerous ski resort destinations available to them this Christmas time. Some of them just want confirmation that the resort they loved last year is still the best place to go. Others like to change things up every year, experiencing new ski challenges and collecting new stories to relate to their friends back home. Either way, the choices are abundant and depend mostly on what the skier is comfortable with, whether it is a familiar resort or new ground.

If the annual ski holiday includes beginners, Andorra, nestled in the Pyrenees, is a great choice. The interconnected resorts of Arinsal, Pal and Arcalis offer something for everyone. All three cater to beginner skiers and provide kindergarten facilities for the youngest family members not quite ready to don skis and take the plunge down the bunny slopes.

Arinsal and Pal are actually now a single resort linked by cable car. One ski pass allows skiers to venture onto either set of slopes. In effect, wherever you are staying at the resort, you can ski from your backyard right onto the slopes. Snowboarders will also feel quite comfortable whether they are beginners or experienced. Arcalis is about 20 kilometers by car from Pal and Arinsal but close enough to be considered part of the three-resort area. A fourth resort, Pas de la Casa, is also close by but tends to be much more crowded. However, it does offer very good value if that is the major criteria in selecting a resort. With its numerous cafes, restaurants, happy hours and discos, Pas de la Casa tends to attract livelier young adult crowd. Andorra is a well known tax haven too and areas like La Massana and Arinsal attract those looking for an Andorra property and residency.

For strictly family vacations Kaprun resort in Austria is a good bet. With its beginner to expert slopes, myriad accommodations to fit every budget, restaurants and cafes, checking into Kaprun is the start of a great family holiday. Hotels and restaurants are noted for their child friendliness. Besides the skiing vacationers can snowboard, snowshoe, swim, play tennis and squash, ice skate, bowl and take a sleigh ride. Of the 59 runs, 31 are for beginners, and nine are expert runs.

Shops abound for those who want to take a break from other activities. You can even arrange to tour the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. One of the most welcome features is the short hop from the airport to the resort. Nothing is more tedious for vacationers than to get off a plane and have to face a several hour ride to the resort. Not so in Kaprun.

With global warming and the environment a world wide concern, many skiers are beginning to make going green a criteria for their choice of ski vacationers. If that is a concern, Les Arcs in France should be on your list of ski destinations, and is one of the best places for a French ski holiday

Take the Eurostar to Bourg-St-Maurice. From there it is a short hop to Les Arcs. The management is actively committed to maintaining preservation of the environment. At the same time the facilities are first rate, including accommodations for the youngest family members. Les Arcs has been awarded Famille plus Montagne certification. Four star living quarters are the norm, and the restaurants and shops are among the best in the French Alps.

If the apres ski experience is what makes your holiday, then you may want to check out the Italian resort of Livigno or Austria’s Bad Gastien. Livigno is just across the border from St. Moritz in the Italian Alps and through some quirk in geography enjoys tax free status. It offers excellent skiing because of its altitude. With 81 bars, restaurants and nightclubs, the apres ski possibilities are almost endless. Restaurants feature French, Italian, U.S. and traditional cuisine as well as the ubiquitous fast food. In other words, something for everyone’s taste. Bad Gastien is actually one of the grand spa resorts that just happens to be located in the midst of one of Austria’s largest ski holidays areas. The skiing is excellent, and the apres ski scene is more sophisticated than many deluxe resorts with its famous thermal spa and lively nightlife.

If you are looking for the perfect ski weekend, don’t overlook Lillehammer in Norway. The site of a Winter Olympic, Lillehammer is a short hop from the airport. The hotels are first rate and off slope activities include sleigh rides, tobogganing and ice skating.

Where’s some of the best skiing in Europe, apart from Andorra and the Pyrenees?

According to the British skiing fraternity who ski there more than anywhere else - it’s the French Alps.

The Alpine Mountain Range is often referred to as the ‘Alps’ and stretches across much of Europe. The Alps are often divided into two categories - Eastern Alps and Western Alps. The Western Alps include the mountains located in Italy, France and Switzerland.

Skiing in the French Alps is an adventure like no other. Royalty, celebrities and people from all walks of life can be found at various times skiing in the French Alps. The highest mountain in the Alps is Mont Blanc at 4808 meters.

La Plagne

Nestled atop a magnificent glacier on Mount Bellecote is the world class skiing area of La Plagne.

Surrounded by the majestic Vanoise Massif Mountains in the Graian Alps, La Plagne resort beckons the avid skier. It is spread over an altitude of 1250 to 3250 metres. The result is a variety of terrains and altitudes appealing to beginners and experts alike.

The ski area was built in 1961 with the hope of attracting tourism money. It was largely conceived in the interest of four small mountain villages. The fledgling towns were dying and hoped to capitalise on the gorgeous natural beauty of the area. Today’s La Plagne is comprised of many different and distinctive villages. All are linked to one another by ski lifts and trails for those who prefer cross-country skiing. The villages continue to expand, giving it a competitive edge for ski holidays when it comes to tourism revenue.

Even the non-skier will find something to love about La Plagne. Non-skiers may choose from over 50 pubs and restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining. After dark visitors can hit one of the resort’s many night clubs for an evening of dancing and partying. Numerous daytime activities entertain and engage those who choose not to ski as well. Winter-sport activities include ice skating, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

Les Menuires

Located in Belleville Valley, the Les Menuires ski holidays resort hosted the 1992 Winter Olympics and is part of the largest ski area in the world, Les Trois Valleys. The Three Valleys are comprised of several resorts that host millions of skiers per year. Les Menuires boasts 62 ski trails, advanced and beginner ski slopes and 39 ski lifts. The resort’s 48 restaurants offer foods ranging from fast food to fine cuisin and is an excellent location for a  French ski holiday

La Grave la Meije

La Grave is a commune in southeastern France and the location of La Meije. Three summits comprise La Meije with the highest summit being 3,984 m. Mountain climbers and rock climbers challenge themselves to reach the highest summit of La Meije. The very first successful climb was by Emmanuel Boileau de Castelneu and Pierre Gaspard and his son on August 16, 1877. Glacier climbing or ice climbing is a very popular sport in La Grave as well. One hundred to 300 metre climbing routes offer a variety of difficulty.

Much of the La Grave la Meije ski area is glacier and considered dangerous. Guided skiing is recommended. Extreme skiers find a great deal of fascination and appeal in La Grave la Meije due to the enormous vertical drops and extreme ski conditions - not for those having a first ski holiday maybe!

A wide range of ski resorts in the US and in Canada are available for the skiing fraternity - but for skiing it’s really quality that counts, and North America scores high on this count too.

According to a recent poll, the top 10 ski resorts in the world are: Aspen, Colorado; Cortina, Italy; Mont-Tremblant, Ontario; Stowe, Vermont; Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France; Banff, Canada; Vail, Colorado; Zermatt, Switzerland; Kitzbuhel, Austria; and Whistler, British Columbia - North America and Europe dominate the list of favourites.

Such a wide array of top-notch ski destinations is difficult to compete with. Reaching a position on the top-10 list is a feat in itself. Skiers from around the globe gave their input on these highly sought-after destinations. Six of the 10 are located in North America.

Aspen, Colorado has always been well-known as a top ski spot for the rich and famous. As new resorts open world-wide, Aspen remains one of the most visited resorts in the United States. It offers a variety of runs ranging in difficulty from beginner to expert. Hundreds of acres of terrain offer something for everyone.

Mont-Tremblant, Quebec opened in 1939 and was the second resort to open in North America. It was the first resort to open in Canada. Mont-Tremblant is only an hour away from Montreal, making it a great daytime or weekend getaway for anyone looking to escape the nine-to-five. One of the most charming aspects of a Mon-Tremblant ski holiday is the fact that the streets in the village have a pedestrian-only layout. Visitors can park their vehicle for the entire duration of their ski holidays if they wish.

One of the most picturesque resorts in the United States is Stowe ski resort in Vermont. Stowe ranks number seven on the top-10 list. It boasts the longest vertical drop in the area. Conveniently located in Vermont, Stowe offers two ski areas; Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. Spruce Peak backs up to Smugglers’ Notch’s terrain and features a unique lift-link to both resorts.

Banff, or Lake Louise, in Alberta Canada ranks number five on the top-10 list. The mountains around Lake Louise are some of the most scenic mountains in the world. The three different ski areas, Mystic Ridge, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise are roughly 31 miles apart. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise was also recently voted a must-stay resort in a popular men’s magazine.

Another great Colorado based resort is Vail. Vail offers about 5,300 acres of terrain ranging from beginner to expert. It is also home to the fastest high-speed detachable quads on one mountain. Skiing, along with museums, art galleries, dog sledding, hockey and other attractions make Vail an excellent family ski location. There is always something for everyone to do.

Whistler Blackcomb, another North American resort, is ranked number one on the top-10 list. According to the poll, Whistler Blackcomb provides the best skiing in North America. It also provides the biggest vertical drop of any slope in North America. This revelation comes as no surprise to skiers who have enjoyed Whistler’s beauty and slopes for years. Crystal Lodge and Summit Lodge and Spa were voted must-stay resorts in the Lake Louise area.

The top-10 report states that Whistler has everything it takes to make a legendary resort. The resort offers over 100 restaurants to suit all tastes, cafes, international stores and rentals. Over the last 10 years, Whistler has been nominated for ‘World’s Greatest Ski Resort’ and has held the title for ‘Best North American Ski Resort’ by North Americans. It has been deemed the favorite international destination by Japanese skiers.

The popularity and the quality of the ski resorts are borne out by the number of Europeans who fly to the US and Canada each year for a week or two’s ski vacation.

A little known competition that began between a handful of ski resorts has made its way to North America’s ski resorts. Resort owners and their marketing teams have created a bit of competition among the world’s ski resorts. The first competition of the year is quickly becoming one to see who is ready to open first.

Resort employees focus on quality work and snowmaking as a priority. The first ski area openings always generate a lot of buzz around the winter sport loving community.

Which North American ski resort was the first to open for the 2008-2009 ski season? Arapahoe Basin and Loveland, both in Colorado, had been in close competition for several weeks. Each resort was preparing to open their doors before the other.

And the North American Winner Is…

On October 15, 2008 both resorts opened on the same date and time. Early in the week Arapahoe Basin stated they would open on October 15 at 9 a.m. Mountain time. Loveland was also prepared to open and stated they would continue the race and open 30 minutes earlier at 8:30 a.m. Mountain time. Both resorts decided to call it a tie and open at the same time.

Several nights provided perfect below-freezing temperatures to start the snowmakers and a good base for the rest of the winter. “We’re all very excited. We’re champing at the bit,” said spokeswoman Leigh Hierholzer.

Just days before the competition ended, Loveland’s marketing and communications manager, Kathryn Johnson said, “We’re getting close. We have been making snow for two weeks now, but right now we don’t have our 18-inch base.”

Representatives of each resort admitted having a specific strategy and driving past the other to see progress. Kimberly Trembearth, marketing and interactive coordinator for Arapahoe Basin, said, “We might drive over the pass and have a look at what (Loveland) is doing.” John Sellers, director of marketing for Loveland, shared a similar poker strategy, “I may drive over (Loveland) pass instead of taking the Eisenhower tunnel home… just to see what sort of activity A-Basin is up to.”

John Sellers agreed with the statement by Kimberly Trembearth, “It just comes down to temperature, We can’t control mother nature. We open when we can and only when we can offer the best conditions for boarders and skiers. If we happen to be first, all the better.” Neither ski area was willing to sacrifice the experience of their first skiers of the season by opening prematurely.

Other Colorado resorts that depend primarily on pre-booked ski holidays traffic have set opening dates. Dates are as follows:

* Aspen: November 22

* Breckenridge: November 9

* Copper Mountain: November 2

* Steamboat: November 21

* Telluride: November 22

* Vail: November 16

* Winter Park: November 14

Other Areas Promoting the Race to Open

Several resorts in Nevada, Canada and the East Coast are planning to open at various times in October. The races to open are highly anticipated and always considered a friendly competition. Each resort focuses on the ability to lay a good base of snow before calling success. Of course higher-elevation resorts often finish first.

Early season snow in the Alps could give some French ski holiday resorts an advantage over their counterparts. Resorts located high in the Alps and Pyrenees Mountains are making plans to open earlier than normal, but it has not been determined if they will open in October or early November. The ski resort race to open competition has been an invigorating opening for the 2008-2009 ski season in North America.