Photo: © Vallnord.com
Arinsal-Pal, like the rest of Andorra, is a great place to learn to ski. The skiing begins with a gondola ride from the centre of town up to the mid-mountain station at 1950m. The lifts from here take you towards the 2569m Pic Negre and open up some smooth beginner pistes back down to 1950m. Most of the skiing is on wide open slopes, many of them tree-lined.
There are five green (beginner) runs in the Arinsal-Pal area, and the resort has improved the Prat de la Coma novice area. To the right of the mid-station are three beginner drag-lifts with a large nursery area. The Arinsal beginners’ area gets quite crowded, so the quicker novices can get off the nursery slopes the better for them. The next stage is the L’Escola, followed by the slightly more taxing El Cortal piste.
Beginners will love the excellent ski schools with their many English-speaking staff. Arinsal ski school (+376 737 029) was said to be “excellent, and I would definitely return for some more individual lessons – a bargain if you fancy more intense teaching than in a group” according to a reporter. Similarly, Pal ski school (+376 737 008) has lots of experience in teaching foreign skiers. Arcalis (+376 739 600) is the third school, although the resort is aimed more at good intermediates and upwards rather than complete beginners.
For the little ones
The kindergarten cares for children from 12 months (who can already walk) to four years of age at the foot of the nursery slopes at Arinsal and at Els Planells in Pal. Snowpark ski kindergarten is from four years at Pal (both +376 737 014). Ordino-Arcalis has a Jardin d’Enfants (+376 739 600). Lunch isn’t included for children at kindergarten, so parents will need to organize it separately.
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