Grandvalira invests 6.7 million euros in a New Ski Season full of changes!

Grandvalira will premiere the snow campaign on December 3 and will end on April 18, after Easter, while Ordino Arcalís, a resort that can be accessed with the Grandvalira ski pass, will open from November 27 to 24 April, weather permitting.

Grandvalira invests 6.7 million euros in a winter

This season the investment made in Grandvalira has been 6.7 million , which have been allocated mainly to the project of the new L'Abarset , the benchmark après-ski in the Pyrenees that this season returns stronger than ever. This year's investment has also been destined to the creation of new structures , technological innovation , the improvement of services for skiing and snowboarding, and novelties in the catering offer.

Grandvalira Resort presenting the new features for the 2021/22 Season

The CEO of Grandvalira Resorts - Nevasa, Juan Ramón Moreno , stated during this morning's presentation that “we have a season full of challenges ahead of us. The situation of last winter has motivated the ski area to work harder than ever to offer a season that is at the height of the desire to ski of its visitors ”.

L'Abarset: The New Temple of Après-Ski

The popular leisure and restaurant venue in Grandvalira, L'Abarset, returns this winter season stronger than ever and with the aim of becoming the best après-ski in Europe . With a design by David Alayeto, L'Abarset exudes the beauty of the Andorran mountains in each of its details, in a new architectural setting that surprises for its elegance, beauty and integration with the environment. The renovated project maintains the essence and spirit of the old place, but at the same time it is promoted with a new concept in which leisure, music and gastronomy will be combined in a unique experience , which will go beyond the ski season and the weekends, following the desire to de-seasonalize leisure in the Principality with gastronomic and musical proposals from Monday to Sunday.

"L'Abarset is a bistronomic restaurant and festive space, with a quality offer, in a respectful environment that favors socialization and fun," Moreno stressed. The more than 2,000 square meters of surface, with two floors and a terrace of 700 square meters , incorporate unique furniture and decoration, with organic forms, walls with log sculptures, lattice of branches or bars that emulate rocks emerging from the ground.

Track improvements

This season highlights the work that has been carried out on the Camí de Pessons track, which has gone from being a red slope to a blue one thanks to the provision of the area, especially at the beginning of it. In addition, the Cortalet slope in the Encamp ski area has been improved, which makes it easier to ski pass for people who are new to skiing.

New Grandvalira slopes map 2021/22

In Pas de la Casa, the Port track has been improved to facilitate access to the ski area. Improvements have also been made in the beginners area of Riba Escorxada , in El Tarter.

New mountain circuits and itineraries

This year the mountain ski and snowshoe circuits have been promoted in the Soldeu, El Tarter and Canillo ski areas, which will all be connected through these routes.

Adding the two new mountain ski itineraries, the Soldeu - El Tarter ski areas have a total of 22 kilometres of mountain ski circuits , with a drop of 4,500 meters. The new circuits, La Solana del Forn and Els Maians , allow you to reach the four highest points in the Canillo, Soldeu and El Tarter ski areas. In addition, work has been done to improve the five existing routes, as well as their signage.

For their part, snowshoe lovers have up to five new itineraries that, with the three existing circuits, add up to a total of 23 kilometres of routes with 850 meters of unevenness. The Comellar Largo, the Planells, the Mirador de Incles, the Gallo de Bosque and Espiolets are the five snowshoe circuits that have been enabled, and with their design it will be possible to make a circular route through the three ski areas of the skiable ski area.

As for the Grau Roig, Pas de la Casa and Encamp ski areas, new circuits have been marked to expand the offer of mountain skiing and snowshoeing. These routes that have been marked contemplate all levels, from the easiest to the most demanding, and have as their starting point the Grau Roig activity centre.

Finally, the Easy Way, Fun Way and Skimo Way circuits are itineraries that cross the Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig and Encamp ski areas. Easy Way runs only on blue slopes, so it is designed so that all levels of skiers can do it. For its part, the Fun Way is designed for those somewhat more experienced skiers, since you only ski on red slopes, through which you can discover more peculiar areas of the three ski areas. In this case, the itinerary can go through up to eleven slopes and take ten ski lifts . The Skimo Way includes the same routes, but to be done with mountain skis and with a flexibility of demand for those customers who dare to discover the resort in a different way.

Grandvalira creates three circuits to discover the ski areas of Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig and Encamp

This season, both Grandvalira and Ordino Arcalís incorporate Skiguiding , an exclusive guide service to visit every corner of these resorts. It can be practiced both on skis and snowboard and includes two levels. The environment allows you to discover corners of the ski areas through blue and red tracks , while at the higher level the guides lead customers mainly through red and black slopes.

Family is important to Grandvalira

Kids World is a new concept that encomski passes all those products and services created for children and families in the ski areas of Soldeu, El Tarter and Canillo to enhance and improve the service and experience of the smallest of the house, from the teaching skiing, with unified and avant-garde techniques, to spaces for fun.

As for circuits, the Guineu Funcross is a new skiing and snowboarding experience for everyone, an adapted circuit with fast curves, slopes, jumps, dubbies, tunnels and animation, among others. This new route, 675 meters long and with a height difference of 150 meters, has been set up between the Guineu and Tamarro del Tarter slopes , and is accessed through the Chairlift de la Llosada. Being a blue slope, it is designed so that skiers of all ages and levels can enjoy it.

News in restoration

The legendary Piolet Brasserie restaurant expands its gastronomic offer to give added value. In the outdoor cafeteria, a My Corner establishment has been installed, ideal for breakfast and with a menu aimed at lovers of healthy food, as well as for those who wish to indulge in a treat. For its part, the Piolet restaurant will have the collaboration of the prestigious chef Josep Maria Kao , who will bring the best flavors of China to the resort. In addition, the Piolet restaurant will also continue with its traditional menu and part of the brasserie.

On the other hand, the emblematic Vodka Bar will incorporate the 'Kao Nights' into the evening experiences within the framework of the collaboration between the two establishments and the chef, in which lacquered duck will be offered by the prestigious chef.

The Vodka Bar incorporates 'Kao Nights' into its nightly experiences, in which lacquered duck will be offered by the prestigious chef.

The Clicquot Bubble Experience is an exclusive and gourmet experience in which customers are picked up by an SUV directly on the slopes and driven to a remote area of the forest, where the Bubble is located. The structure can be assembled and disassembled, so the location of the dinner can vary, although it is usually in the Soldeu area.

Another of the special places to enjoy the full moon in Grandvalira is the Nomad Full Moon Bar , in Pla de Riba Escorxada, where you can enjoy all kinds of snacks. To access them you can go snowshoeing or mountain skiing.
 

As for the terraces, In the Snow Veuve Clicquot continues as one of the most select bets in restoration with the collaboration of the French champagne Veuve Clicquot. The terrace changes location and moves to the Tarter ski area, in the middle of the Pi del Migdia track, where the most epicurean visitors will be able to taste a great selection of gourmet products and fondues from the hand of Xavier Fromager Affineur accompanied by the best champagne.

La Vermuteria , located in the Soldeu ski area, is the ideal space to stop for an aperitif. The terrace offers the best vermouths by Petronio, pinchos and tapas in a relaxed atmosphere that invites customers to recharge their batteries to continue an intense day of skiing.

Finally, the IQOS Terrace is a lounge terrace located in the Soldeu ski area, at the foot of the Paniquera slope. The area has spaces to rest and DJs that turn the aperitif moment into the best thing in the morning.

Virtual reality in the APP

The Grandvalira application is a benchmark in the world of snow with 90,000 active users. With the aim of maintaining the spirit of constant improvement, new functionalities have been designed, such as the incorporation of augmented reality in the browser , a QR identifying the user to be able to use at the points of sale or the real-time positioning of the skier in slope.

The app has this season with improvements to share the 3D videos of the tracks on social networks and incorporates the profile of each slope on the map to know where the maximum slope is. In addition, through the app, virtual challenges related to user activity can be carried out on slopes that will allow obtaining medals and recognitions among the Grandvalira community.

The VIP car parks and new Top Class room arrive

Grandvalira always takes into account all those customers who want to enjoy a more premium experience. Among the novelties for them this season we find a new VIP car park in Grau Roig with 50 spaces to give maximum comfort. In addition, in the same ski area of Grau Roig, a remodeling of the TopClass Room has been carried out. Another novelty of the Top Class service is the incorporation of the SKIVID APP, a tool for correction and analysis of ski teaching.

Photopoint

As of Christmas, visitors will have one more reason to take their mobile out of their pockets to capture images of Grandvalira with the new Photopoint : a sculpture formed by the letters of Grandvalira, with a length of 15 meters and that will be located in the area de las Antenas, from where you can see the Colells circus and the Pessons area.

New bus lines

Grandvalira Resorts has promoted three new bus lines for this season to facilitate visitors access to the different ski areas from different parts of the Principality. The new lines link Ordino Arcalís with all the ski areas of Grandvalira , as well as Andorra and the town of Ordino. The buses have a daily frequency and are free with the Grandvalira and Ordino Arcalís Ski passes, but in some cases a prior booking is necessary.

New free bus line for ski pass holders between Grandvalira and Ordino Arcalís.

One of the objectives of this initiative is to promote sustainable mobility from the hotels of the Ordino parish to the resort, an action framed in the Sustainable Development Goals of the resort and the parish, a Unesco Biosphere Book.

Grandvalira increases its skier transport capacity to 120,645

Beyond the implementation of bus lines to link the territories of Grandvalira Resorts, the ski areacontinues to bet on improving the transport capacity of its ski lifts. This year, 10 new cabins have been added to Funicamp with which the passenger capacity continues to be increased on its 76 ski lifts, which currently stands at 120,645 skiers per hour.

Sports competition schedule

• Finals of the Alpine Skiing European Cup (from March 14 to 20): they will be the highlight of the season and will represent a new step forward in Andorra's short but intense career as an organizer of internationally prestigious ski competitions. Grandvalira has extensive experience in hosting this event, which will be held in Andorra for the fourth time in its history. The Avet and Àliga slopes in the Soldeu El Tarter ski areas will once again be the epicentre of the tests, which will contest the best promises on the continent. In total, eight races will be held in the disciplines of slalom, downhill, giant slalom and supergiant, in an intense week that will serve as the culmination of the season.

The Alpine Skiing European Cup Finals will be held from March 14 to 20 on the Àliga and Avet slopes

• Kilometer Launched World Cup (from March 31 to April 2): Grandvalira will host the ninth edition of the Kilometer Launched World Cup. The Riberal KL slope in the Grau Roig ski area will be the epicentre of the fastest skiers in the world. This route has a length of 1,050 meters, a braking surface of 450 meters and a 200-meter drop, to which must be added the starting point: an impressive 10-meter high tower that allows skiers to reach speeds around of 200 km / h.

• La Sportiva Andorra Skimo: La Travesía Dels Refugis (February 19 and 20): the most popular high-mountain and long-distance skiing tour in the Pyrenees, a race that takes place in teams of two or three people and features four different tests.

Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals 2023

Once the 2022 European Cup Finals are over, Grandvalira will start a new countdown that will culminate in the 2023 Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals that will be held in Andorra for the second time, three years after doing so. in 2019. The ski areas of Soldeu El Tarter will be the world epicentre of alpine skiing from March 13 to 19, 2023, and for a week the 25 best skiers in the world will compete in the disciplines of slalom, giant slalom, super giant and decline.

The competition will feature the presence of the most mediatic athletes on the occasion of the most prestigious and important sporting event in terms of alpine skiing after the Olympic Games and the World Championships.

Candidates to organize the 2027 Alpine Ski World Championships

The organizational success of the 2012 and 2016 Alpine Skiing World Cups and the 2019 World Cup Finals have led Grandvalira to take an ambitious step forward in its history of hosting events.

The sporting legacy achieved in recent years has allowed Andorra to face the challenge of presenting itself as the host of a bid to host the Alpine Skiing World Championships in 2027 .

The FIS will decide in May 2022 who will organize the 2027 Alpine Ski World Championships

For the first time in history, the Principality has the opportunity to participate in the celebration of the most important alpine skiing event in the world.

The FIS Council will determine in May 2022 if Grandvalira is chosen to host the event , to which three other major resorts are also aspiring, such as Crans-Montana (Switzerland) and Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany).

Grandvalira 2021-22 season video

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