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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 1710m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[No]
Beginners:		[4]
Intermediates:		[5]
Advanced:		[3]
Snowboarding:		[4]

El Tarter is a small resort with direct access to a giant ski area! Located a few kilometres down the valley from larger Soldeu, it shares the Grandvalira ski area with its better known neighbour, along with Pas de la Casa and several other bases. The local slopes first grew to join up with the ski areas on either side and kept on growing to create one of the world’s largest ski resorts, even extending over the border in to France. A high speed gondola with 10 passenger cabins, or alternatively a high speed quad, lifts skiers quickly to the altitude base at Riba Excorcada (2100m).

El Tarter is particularly well suited to families with excellent childcare and ski school facilities, but it also has a reputation for lively après ski. It is a relaxed and affordable resort where you can enjoy the slopes in an unpretentious, unpressurised environment and not break the bank with a night out in the evening. The resort has grown considerably over the past decade, but the growth has been well managed with high quality architecture the norm. As with all of Andorra’s resorts, there’s high value après ski and dining with duty free shopping everywhere. In the small local stores, alcohol, cigarettes and perfume are available at bargain prices.

Beginners

El Tarter is a good choice for beginners. There is easy access by gondola to a snowy plateau above the village with excellent nursery slopes. The first rate ski school employs many staff who have English as their first language from Australia, New Zealand and the UK. A special Beginners Pass is available by the day for nursery slopes so you don’t need to buy a full pass. A new run for beginners links El Tater to Encamp, further extending the area making it accessible to all.

Intermediates

El Tarter’s huge ski area is predominantly made up of wide, fast, sunny blue and red pistes above the tree line, which intermediates can whiz around to their hearts’ content. The high speed lift network also makes it easy to travel some distance to neighbouring resorts and even in to France and make it back again easily at the end of the day. Popular areas include the vast snowy bowl of Riba Escorxada directly above the resort.

Advanced

Expert skiers are likely to be the least impressed by El Tarter’s many attractions, although the sheer expanse of the ski area, which includes 22 black graded runs, should still keep all but the most demanding snow fans satisfied for a week at least. Popular areas include the off-piste powder fields of Grau Roig and mogul fields that tend to grow up above neighbouring Soldeu on the Avet piste. There are also four powder trails accessed by ratrac.

Snowboarding

El Tarter is particularly proud of its Freestyle Park which is generally regarded as the best in Andorra, and El Tarter itself believes may be the best in Europe. Although designed for experienced boarders to enjoy, a new modular layout for beginners was also integrated in to the park in the winter of 2007-8. Grandvalira has three freestyle areas containing terrain parks for boarders of all ability levels to enjoy. The Camp Isard Park at Pas de la Casa is aimed at beginner to intermediate level freestylers and there’s a freestyle Circuit for intermediate level boarders in Grau Roig. The Isards Park in Pas de la Casa was expanded in 2007-8 with new wooden structures added in a modular layout. You will also find a permanent boardercross course and a freeride zone. The ski school offers one day (three hour) or week long courses in the parks and there’s the option of buying a reduced price park only lift ticket.

Other Activities and Facilities

El Tarter has limited facilities besides skiing, shopping and enjoying the bars and restaurants, although you could try dog sledding or paragliding which are available locally. In neighbouring Soldeu, five minutes up the road by ski bus, the new five star Hotel Hermitage contains a spectacular new Sport Wellness Mountain Spa which is open to non-residents and provides top quality spa services over its three storeys of pampering facilities. If you need your spas bigger still, it’s a short trip to the capital, La Vella, to visit the famous Caldea thermal spa complex, along with the hundreds of duty free shops.

Other than ten minute scenic helicopter flights, most other facilities are available in other Grandvalira resorts which can be accessed by ski lift or ski bus. Canillo for example – which is five minutes in the other direction, down hill on the bus – has a sports centre with another swimming pool, as well as ice rink and squash court. In Grau Roig you can try archery, snow shoeing, igloo building, sledging, paint ball, dog sledding and snowmobiling.

Après Ski and Dining Out

El Tarter is one of Andorra’s smaller resorts but still has a good selection of lively bars, most open until the small hours. There is also a range of restaurants that can cater to most tastes, although particularly budget and family dining.

Popular choices include the El Mosquit bar and restaurant whilst Nordic Sport at the base of the lifts is good for an après ski drink and has lockers where you can leave your ski gear overnight if your hotel is a bit of a walk away. The Hotel del Clos has a good small bar and the restaurant is highly recommended.

Families

El Tarter operates a non-ski kindergarten for children aged from two to four years (younger children from age one can attend a similar facility in nearby Grau Roig). Bookings are available from two hours up to five days. Children aged three to six can also get their first taste of skiing through a selection of courses in the snow garden which balance indoor play with first ski experiences. Both the facilities and the staff are excellent. Older children have special ski school classes and it’s also possible to book individual packages of child tuition with lunchtime care (five hours per day). A new development in 2007-8 was the creation of the Disney Snow Club for children aged up to 11 which has a range of Disney themed perks and privileges and El Tarter has a special Disney themed ski run.

Piste Map for El tarter

Accommodation in El tarter

• Del Clos Aparthotel - 4 star,
• Hotel Del Clos - 3 star,
• Hotel Euro Ski - 4 star,
• Hotel Nordic - 4 star,
• Lodge Casale - 4 star,

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