PAS DE LA CASA  (GRANDVALIRA)

Resort Overview
One of snowsports’ best-value resorts: with duty-free prices and seamless links into a big-mileage ski area. Something for everyone in a lively, fun environment.

Introduction
Pas de la Casa, often referred to simply as ‘Pas’, was Andorra’s pioneer ski station: founded in 1957, it was the first to install mechanical ski lifts and automatic snowmaking equipment. The town is now Andorra’s largest resort and one of the most popular in the Pyrenees. The pistes flow almost to the town centre, and the ski area is linked via neighbouring Grau Roig into Soldeu-El Tarter, together forming the bulk of the impressive Grandvalira domain, one of Europe’s largest linked ski areas. The pistes also cross onto the French territory next to the town, served by a 6-seater detachable chairlift, in the next phase of expansion to create a cross-border sector called the Porte des Neiges.

Character
If you enter Andorra via the French border, then Pas de la Casa will be your first impression of the Principality. Unfortunately, although the surrounding mountains are as beautiful as in the rest of the Pyrenees, the same cannot be said of this aspect of the resort. Like many border towns around the world, Pas de la Casa has a sprawling frontier townscape of austere buildings and is crammed with neon-lit duty-free supermarkets, low-cost jewellers, cut-price consumer goods retailers and free-pour bars. Of course, that might be exactly what you’re looking for!

The town has a more welcoming appearance when viewed from the pistes, and even a certain charm in the cluster of restaurants and cafés with terraces facing the slopes from the street nearest the main base area (Avinguda d’Encamp).

Skiing, Shopping, Partying…
Pas de la Casa town is integrally complete as a ski station and resort, offering direct access to a huge ski domain and plenty of facilities and off-slope attractions. It’s definitely one of Europe’s liveliest destinations, with a wide selection of bars and clubs pandering to the predominantly young English-speaking tourist market, but overall with a more Gallic ambiance than any of Andorra’s other resorts. Although brash, the resort also has a number of upmarket boutiques and a handful of good quality restaurants too.

Andorras duty-free status helps make this possibly Europe’s best resort for purchasing snowsports equipment and clothing. There’s a huge selection of retail outlets and rental businesses all vying for trade, keeping prices as low as possible.