Grandvalira will exceed 250 kilometers of ski slopes by 2030

The extension towards the Pic del Maià will entail a very high rate of investments that will cost 100 million euros over 15 years. More than 6.5 million euros per year, which will enable Grandvalira to exceed 250 kilometers of ski slopes if this SAETDE project is added to others planned by ENSISA.

With a huge skiable ski area and several well-developed access gates with their own car park lots and accommodations, Grandvalira 's need is no longer to grow more in slopes, but to gain height to guarantee not only the quality and quantity of snow, but also to reduce costs to maintain those conditions by being able to take advantage of the lower temperatures at the higher altitudes.

With this objective, the Societat Anonima d'Equipament Turístic-Esportiu de la Parroquia d'Encamp (SAETDE) has been awarded a concession of 2,632 hectares in Pic Maià with the aim of developing a new ski area divided into two zones, of 1,250 and 140 hectares respectively .

In exchange, it renounces the concession of 1,080 hectares to develop slopes in the Cercle de Pessons i Emportona, an area of great beauty that can now become a Natural Park.

With this new contract signed between SAETDE and the Comú d'Encamp as owner of the land, the company will now be able to exploit the mountains currently under concession plus the Pic del Maià, for 50 more years. At the same time it also assumes the logistic and economic management of the Funicamp, until now in the hands of the Parish.

According to SAETDE's managers:

SAETDE currently maintains a robust financial structure, based on high solvency and capacity to generate income. Therefore, the new concession project foresees to continue investing around 100 million euros, which will be realized in the first 15 years of the concession.

The new Pic Maià concession is divided into two lots of 1,250 and 140 hectares respectively.

Investments

The new concession is articulated in three axes. Based on these, a 50-year concession was requested from the Encamp Comú. The nearly 100 million euros proposed to be invested in projects over the next few years have been divided into five major actions:

1. Development of the Pic Maià ski area

• Access ramp to the summit of Pic Maià.

• Expansion of the exploited ski area from Pic Maià to Pas de la Casa.

• Expansion of the exploited ski area from the peak to Bordes d'Envalira.

• Construction of a panoramic restaurant.

2. Pas de la Casa

• Remodeling of the Pas de la Casa service building.

• Reorganization of Bearn Street with the construction of a drop-off area.

• Modernization of the ski lifts in the Pas de la Casa ski area.

• Pedestrianization of the upper part of Encamp Avenue.

• Construction of an emblematic restaurant in the Abelletes area.

• Construction of a service building in the Costa Rodona area.

• Construction of a car park in Cap del Port.

3. Grau Roig

• Remodeling of the Grau Roig service building .

• Modernization of ski lifts.

4. Encamp

• Incorporation of Funicamp management to the concession.

• Expansion of the accommodation offer for SAETDE workers.

5. Sustainability

• Solar park

The project includes several new restoration points such as Les Abelletes in the debutante area of Pas de la Casa.

Project calendar

As for the planning of these investments, it is estimated that it can be done in the next 15 years, divided into 3 phases of 5 years each.

- Phase 1 (2023 - 2027)

Growth of Grandvalira to 220 kilometers of slopes.

In the first phase, from the 22-23 season to the 26-27 season, a total of 39 million euros will be invested to improve services for Pas de la Casa customers, expand the ski area in the Pic Maià area and generate enough renewable energy to be 50% self-sufficient.

• Expansion of slopes towards Pic Maià

• Cable car 15.8 M €

• Slopes 1,0 M €

• Snow cannons 1,1 M €

• Improvement of accesses Pas de la Casa

• Service building 5,5 M €

• Costa Rodana building 3.0 M €

• 50% of green energy self-consumption

• Solar park 2.7 M €

• Hydroelectric power 2.3 M €

• Workers' housing 5.0 M €

• Funicamp 2.5 M €

Total investment: 38.9 million euros

- Phase 2 (2028 - 2032)

Growth of Grandvalira to 230 kilometers of slopes

For the second phase, which runs from seasons 27-28 to 31-32, a total investment of 36 million euros is planned to expand the Pic Maià ski area with more slopes and snow production for the two sides of the mountain and to expand the summer offer.

Development of the Pic Maià ski ski area on the Pas de la Casa and Grau Roig slopes:

• Lifts 13.5 M €

• Slopes 1.0 M €

• Snow cannons 4.2 M €

• Improved summer offer in Pas de la Casa

• Pic Maià restaurant 5.5 M €

• Service building in Grau Roig 2.5 M €
  
  - In Pas de la Casa:

• Improvement Av. Encamp: 3.5 M €

• Access Bearn Street: 2.2 M €

• Abelletes Restaurant: 3.5 M €

Total investment: 35.9 million euros

- Phase 3 (2033 - 2037)

Growth of Grandvalira to 250 kilometers of slopes

In the third investment phase, estimated for the 32-33 and 36-37 seasons, a total of 25 million euros will be invested to improve the rest of the resort's infrastructure in order to be able to provide a better service to customers.

Development of the ski ski area from Bordes d'Envalira to Grau Roig:

• Lifts 18.0M €:

• Piste car park: 3.8 M €

• Solar park 3.3M €

•  

Total investment: 25.9M

To these SAETDE projects we must add those of ENSISA (the other company that manages the Soldeu and El Tarter ski areas), which will take Grandvalira to over 250 km of ski slopes when the expansion to Pic Maià is completed.

Four new lifts

Grandvalira' s expansion to Pic de Maià includes investment in several lifts. Two of them directly in the new ski area, another for access from other areas, as well as a renovation.

Pic Maià cable car

The Pas de la Casa ski area is the most important gateway to Grandvalira and to meet the high demand of skiers accessing it, the extension of the ski area towards the Pic Maià mountain is considered of high importance.

To achieve this objective, it will be necessary to install a high-capacity ski lift linking the village of Pas de la Casa with the highest point of Pic Maià.

Pic Maià cable car technical data

• Approximate length: 2.3Km.

• Difference in altitude: 490m

• Transport capacity: 600 people / hour

• Estimated investment: 15.800.000 €

Proposed route for the Pic Maià ropeway

Pic Maia chairlift

Extension of the Pas de la Casa ski area on the north side of Pic Maia
The new ski area will attract more skiers and it is necessary to guarantee a return option from the slopes on the north slope so that they spend more time in the ski area. To achieve this goal, it will be necessary to install a detachable lift to link the lower part of the north slope of Pic Maia, near the Arieja river and culminating at the top of the new ski area, making it one of the highest points of the resort.

Technical data

• Approximate length: 1.2Km.

• Difference in altitude: 540m

• Transport capacity: 1,200 people / hour

• Estimated investment: 7.000.000 €

Bordes d'Envalira chairlifts

For the Pic Maià ski area to become a ski area with a high influx of skiers, it is necessary to connect it on both slopes. In the previous actions, it is connected from the Pas de la Casa ski area. In this investment, the base of the Peretol ski area is connected and completes the circumvallation of the whole ski area.

To achieve the objective, it will be necessary to install a ski lift from near the base of the current TSD6 Pla de les Pedres chairlift to the top of Pic Maià.

Technical data:
- Approximate length: 2.5Km.
- Difference in altitude: 650m
- Transport capacity: 2.400 people / hour.

Central chairlift Pas de la Casa

Due to the importance of the Pas de la Casa ski area because of the large influx of skiers during the winter months, it is necessary to improve the accessibility and transport capacity of the ski area. Currently, there is a large peak during the early hours of the morning, which causes large queues to accumulate to access the TSD4 chairlift in Pas de la Casa.

This has a negative impact on the customer experience, which means that skiers do not spend as much time in this ski area. To achieve this goal, it will be necessary to replace the current Pas de la Casa ski lift to install a 6-people detachable chairlift that follows the route of the current device. In this way it is expected to drastically mitigate the queues that are generated at times of high influx of skiers.

Technical data TSD6 Pas de la Casa

• Length: 1.8Km.

• Slope: 420 meters

• Transport capacity: 1,800 people / hour

The new TSD6 Pas de la Casa will maintain the route of the current TSD4.

Bordes d'Envalira - Serrat Pinós as a ski lift.

To improve the experience of skiers coming from the Grau Roig ski area and the future Pic Maià ski area who want to return to Grau Roig in a faster way and do not want to travel to the Funicamp, it will be necessary to install a ski lift from near the base of the current TSD6 Pla de les Pedres chairlift to the return of the TSD4 Cubil and TSF4 Llac de Cubil chairlifts .

Technical data

• Approximate length: 2.3Km.

• Desnive!: 480m

• Transport capacity: 2.400 people / hour

Summary of investments

Pic Maià: 45.7 million euros

• Cable car: 15.8 M

• Panoramic restaurant: 5.5 M

• New slopes: 2.0 M

• Chairlift: 7.0 M

• Bordes d'Envalira ski lift: 10.0 M

• Artificial ski lift: 5.4 M

Pas de la Casa: 28 million euros:

• Service building: 5.5 M

• Drop-off and development of Bearn St.: 2.2 million euros.

• Substitution of TSD4: 6.5 M

• Pedestrianization of Av. Encamp: 3.5 million euros.

• Abelletes Restaurant: 3.5 M

• Costa Rodona service building: 3.0 M

• Garage for pedestrians: 3.8 M

Grau Roig: 10.5 million euros

• Service building: 2.5 M

• Bordes d'Envalira - Serrat Pinós: 8.0 million euros

• Expansion of workers' accommodation 5.0 M

Sustainability: 8.3 million euros

• Renewable Energies 8.3 M

• Waiver of tracks in Cercle de Pessons i Emportona

TOTAL INVESTMENT: 100 million euros