When you fantasize about skiing in Europe, you imagine picturesque mountain crags, Swiss chalets, and the constant repetition of the phrase "off-piste" - not cheap accommodations and affordable adventure. Glitzy resort towns in the Alps do not exactly cater to budget travelers; in fact, they almost seem to go out of their way to attract the Chanel-and-spa set. You can, however, can find good skiing and snowboarding in Europe's other spectacular mountain range: the Pyrenees.
Andorra is only a speck on a map, nestled high in the mountains and narrow valleys that divide Spain and France. Yet this small independent nation has five extensive ski resorts that offer the best slopes in the Pyrenees. Clear skies, modern lifts, and excellent lodging keep steady streams of Europeans coming to Andorra from mid-December through March, giving the entire country a festive atmosphere. Many of the northern Europeans on holiday in Andorran resort towns come more for the assuredly sunny slopes and cheap drinks than for the vertical footage and fresh powder.
Accommodations range from tiny, dingy hostels to slope-side apartment rentals. "Apart-hotels," hotel rooms with small kitchenettes, are very popular and relatively cheap. The ideally situated Hotel Solana in Arinsal, a town popular with the UK crowd, has nice doubles for around $65 during the high season. A small single at the Hostel del Sol, in the capital city of Andorra la Vella, can be less than $15.
Western Andorra has three ski resorts: Ordino-Arcalis, Pal, and Arinsal. Pal and Arinsal have an interconnecting gondola system that makes for easy access to both mountains. Ordino is slightly less accessible, but offers the best snow and terrain. The Soldeu El Tarter and Pas de la Casa ski resorts are on the east side of Andorra and offer interconnected lifts and easy gondola access from Canillo, a northern suburb of Andorra la Vella. These lift systems, all superb, and the good shuttle-bus network make it simple to ski and ride any - or all - of the resorts during a short stay. To achieve even greater mobility, get a Ski Andorra pass, good for five days at all the resorts.
So pack your alpine gear (or buy it at a discount upon arrival), head for the Pyrenees, and revel in days of fresh powder, strong sun, and cheap slopes.
Andorra's status as a tax haven sets the stage for affordable skiing and snowboarding. A one-day lift ticket at Ordino-Arcalis, Andorra's most spectacularly situated resort, with arguably the best skiing, costs about $30 - considerably less than at comparable resorts in both the Alps and the United States. A season pass for unlimited skiing at all five of Andorra's resorts is just over $500 (free if you can find work at a resort). It's not just the trails that are reasonably priced: A round of schnapps for you and four buddies will only cost $12. Need new skis or a bottle of Sambuca? You'll find noticeably good deals on everything. It's like being in a country-size duty-free store.