Pal Arinsal

Pal Arinsal is a ski resort in the Principality of Andorra with 63 km of slopes. Pal Arinsal, located in the valley of La Massana at 1230 m, is divided into two sectors: Pal and Arinsal.

Both sectors are connected by road but also by the slopes, thanks to a modern cable car that links the Coll de la botella de Pal with the Pic Alt de la Capa (2,572 m). Its most representative peaks, such as the Pic Negre (2,569 m), the Pic de Comapedrosa (2,942 m) in the Arinsal sector and the Pic del Cubil (2,364 m) in the Pal sector, will give you the pleasure of being in the heart of the Pyrenees.

Its slopes, atmosphere and services make the Pal Arinsal ski resort an excellent option for enjoying skiing and snow with family or friends in winter, without forgetting that in summer it offers 60 km of mountain bike circuits.

Since 2022, the ski resorts of Pal Arinsal and Ordino Arcalis have been part of Grandvalira Resorts. The group offers a ski pass for skiing in all the resorts of Andorra, but also has the Nord Pass ski pass to access the resorts of Valls del Nord: Ordino Arcalís and Pal Arinsal. Finally, it is part of the Ikon Pass, the global ski pass that offers more than 50 snow destinations in different continents of the world.

The best ski slopes in Pal Arinsal

Pal Arinsal has a wide range of services, hotels, shops and businesses. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, they have modern facilities and well-groomed ski slopes. The slopes for beginners are La Solana and Els Cortalets in Pal, and Font de la Llebre and Bosc de Betriu in Arinsal.

All of them offer gentle, wide slopes that are perfect for learning to ski. More experienced skiers can tackle intermediate slopes such as La Tosa and Port de la Casa in Pal, and El Bosc and Les Closes in Arinsal, which offer a greater challenge and beautiful views. Finally, expert skiers looking for demanding ski runs should head for La Coma, El Coll de Pal and La Balma in Pal, and Gallinova, Arinsal and Diables in Arinsal.

Pal-Arinsal, a snow paradise

These two sectors have a total of 60 kilometres of pistes, located between 1,500 and 2,560 metres. There are 4 green slopes, 16 blue, 16 red, 5 black and 5 slalom slopes.

The range of après-ski activities available in Pal Arinsal is immense. The Andorran resort offers a wide range of services aimed at all those who are looking for different sensations and experiences: Mushing, snowmobiling, laser combat, children’s snowmobiles, jumping, snowshoeing, zip-lining, skibikes, helicopter, heli-skiing, sledging, archery, mountain orienteering, airboarding, speed riding, ice diving and night excursions with tracked vehicles.

However, during the winter, Pal Arinsal has specialised over the years into a mountain resort ideal for ski mountaineering or skimo, as well as for snowshoeing. Pal Arinsal offers seven well-groomed skimo routes, which have been graded for difficulty between green, blue and red. It also offers six snowshoe circuits with simple options such as “Guineu” of 1.7km and 180 metres of vertical drop or complex routes such as the Trencalòs of 5km and almost 1,000m of vertical drop.

Sustainable development of the Pal Arinsal ski resort

The Andorran resort wants to become a 100% environmentally friendly resort. Sustainability is one of the most important aspects for the resort of La Massana, as it takes into account the premises, the reduction of plastics, as well as the maintenance of the resort and its mountains.

Pal Arinsal is committed to sustainable environmental management. The resort has implemented various measures to reduce its environmental impact, such as:

• Use of renewable energy: The resort uses solar energy and biomass to supply its facilities.
• Water management: Water collection and reuse systems are implemented to reduce water consumption.
• Waste reduction: Waste separation and recycling are encouraged.
  Environmental awareness: Awareness campaigns are carried out to educate visitors about the importance of protecting the environment.

In fact, every year, whether it is winter or summer, the entire Pal Arinsal staff take part in a rubbish collection in the Pal mountains, with the idea of promoting respect for the natural environment and offering customers a clean and well-cared-for resort.

Safety is also increasing, and this has been a trend for years. The resort is improving its signposting so that everyone can find their way around, while at the same time enhancing safety and restricting access to protected natural areas.

Finally, the Pal Arinsal ski resort has a more charitable side, as each year it launches new initiatives to collaborate with non-profit organisations and social organisations. For example, in 2024, Pal Arinsal donated more than €8,000 to the Muntanyencs per l’Himalaya Foundation. This foundation aims to provide educational solutions for children in the Himalayan mountains through the Kailash Home, a home for 100 children between the ages of 6 and 20 where they receive academic and cultural education, as well as proper nutrition and health care.

Unforgettable experiences at Pal Arinsal

Every year the resort of La Massana hosts 3 World Cups. The resort organises, together with the Andorran Mountaineering Federation, the ISMF Comapedrosa Andorra Ski Mountaineering World Cup. It has also hosted races such as the Font Blanca. During the summer, as always, it also hosts two world cups: the UCI MTB World Cup, one of the most important events in the country, and finally, the Skyrace Comapedrosa MiguRun Skyrunner World Series.

The resort has hosted numerous editions of the Ski Mountaineering World Cup with the Vertical Race as well as the Comapedrosa Individual race, an ISMF event. Pal Arinsal also hosts Mountain Bike World Cup events as well as Mountain Bike World Championships. Finally, it also organises the Skyrace Comapedrosa, which is held in summer.

Pal Arinsal mountain resort in summer

Undoubtedly, one of the main attractions of Vallnord during the summer is the Vallnord Bike Park. This gigantic park has been specially designed for two-wheel enthusiasts and attracts thousands of people every summer to descend its steep slopes. Its incredible Vallnord Bike Park is becoming more and more popular in the two-wheeled environment during the summer.

VALLNORD BIKE PARK IS CONSIDERED THE 4TH BEST BIKE PARK IN THE WORLD.

Customers will find more than 40 km of tracks, circuits and descents distributed in a total of 29 areas classified by levels. Below you will find a list of them, organised from most to least difficult:

21 Downhill circuits
2 Enduro circuits
4 Cross-country
1 Four-cross
1 E-bike.
Practice area
Kids Bike Park
1 Pump Track

Unlike other ski resorts, at Pal Arinsal the ski lifts do not stop. This is because they give access to the Bike Park as well as to the La Massana cable car and to the Pal sector.

Of course, all the ski lifts are equipped for transporting bicycles and the highest point of the resort that you can reach with your bike is at an altitude of 2,354 metres.

There you will also find bike rental shops, maintenance services, a downhill school, …. A paradise for bikers!

Hotels in Vallnord

Rutllan Hotel & Spa. Xalet de Muntanya

If you are looking for a hotel in Vallnord at the foot of the Pal-Arinsal cable car, we think this is one of the best options. The Hotel Rutllán is a mountain accommodation, decorated with wood in its interior and has 96 rooms. The hotel has a spa with swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath, gym and massage cabin. During the summer you can enjoy its outdoor swimming pool and spacious gardens. It is worth mentioning that the Rutllán hotel is “Dog Friendly”: pets are allowed.

Hotel Màgic La Massana

The Hotel Vallnord, which is also very close to the cable car, is the Màgic la Massana. This Spa hotel is located just 100 metres from the cable car with access to the ski slopes of Pal, in the Vallnord ski area. It has a restaurant, swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and gym as well as wifi available to guests.

Hotel Arinsal

The Hotel Arinsal is a two-star, rustic-style accommodation with wood and stone, providing guests with a cosy atmosphere. It has a space with sofas and a fireplace, ideal for having a good time in the warmth of the fire. In terms of gastronomy, the Arinsal hotel offers high quality French and Spanish cuisine.

Skiing in Pal Arinsal: the strengths of the resort

• Pal Arinsal is an Andorran ski resort with modern ski lifts and its proximity to Andorra La Vella (6 km) makes it easy to go down to enjoy the capital’s services or go shopping.
• Very focused on seeking excellence in customer service and a family atmosphere.
• The range of restaurants on the slopes is limited but qualitative.
• Proximity of some of the accommodation to the La Massana cable car which gives access to the ski slopes. You can also get there by road from Pal (1,550 m) and head towards the Pal ski resort or towards Coll de la Botella. Finally, in the Arinsal sector (1,475 m) you can go up the pass and go to the car park that gives access to the La Tossa or Les Fonts chairlift, or stay in the first car park and take the Josep Serra chairlift.
• The accesses are adapted for people with disabilities.
• Ideal for freestyle enthusiasts, the Arinsal sector has a huge snowpark, with a halfpipe and a special area for learning.
• Spectacular freeride circuits outside the marked areas. The off-piste areas between trees are called Wood Off-piste and we recommend La Comellada.
• The Pal-Arinsal ski resort has no piste or lift connection with the Ordino sector (2024).