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First things first - don't be put off by the piste map - we were and it is something that we regret! While Pal and Arinsal are generally better know as beginner / intermediate resorts you will be surprised - let you skis carve up the long perfectly groomed reds - Corpalance, Fontanals and Cubil in the trees over in Pal are fabulous while heading over to Coll de la Botella opens up longer reds and the FIS race piste. Have a crack at L Comellade - a steepish black through the trees down to Els Fontanals. 

Over in Arinsal head up La Capa - a short sharp drag tow to the summit - La Capa is a black run down the face, but also you'll often find some untracked off piste up here. The Tub de Coll drag serves a couple of steep reds and a black - otherwise swoop down the reds and blues at pace down to the main lift station at Comallemple.

You'll need to spend a few days up at Arcalis - Arcalis is fast becoming a freeride mecca of European skiing and the ski area has won all sorts of awards as well as hosting a round of the Swatch Freeride tour - other rounds are held in Chamonix, Alaska and Verbier - which just shows what high regard the freeride community have or Arcalis.

The pistes are all long wide and well groomed - great for warming up. Then start on L'Hortell - to the left of the draglift there are some wonderful steep gullies - be careful not to go too far to the left or you'll end up on the main road waiting for the free ski bus to get back to the lifts. Jump on the fast 6 man chair up to Les Portelles - take La Balma a flying red to the exclusive Freeride Drag tow - all the terrain from the top of the drag is off piste with variously routes either back to the base station or down to the La Canaleta red piste. But the real attraction here is La Cota - a quad chairlift up to 2625m which opens up one big freeride mountain - go anyway but be careful - the mountain is patrolled but it is off-piste! Oh and did we mention Heli Skiing? Yes Heli Skiing is available in Andorra with drops available all over the principality from Arcalis.

Family Skiing

Val Nord is perfect for skiing with the family - British run ski schools, wide open slopes, some technical slopes to keep the faster skiers happy and of course Arcalis - while a bus ride away the skiing for all levels is fabulous - kids revel in the long wide pistes, trying to beat Mum and Dad back down to the bottom! Over at Arinsal all runs come back to the Comallemple so there is no chance of anyone getting lost even if they take a different run down. Pal offers the protection of skiing in the trees - wide gentle runs, fast chairlifts.

Ski Schools

Vall Nord has three ski schools - one in each sector and employs over 250 instructors. Many are British and the influence of BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) is very apparent throughout the ski schools. Class sizes are no more than 10 and all levels are catered for. Private lessons, guiding and off piste freeride are also available