Andorra

Been there? Done that? Where to go in the Pyrénées-Orientales

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sue and paul
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Post by sue and paul »

My brother has suggested we meet up with them in Andorra early in August. Is it worth the trip? What recommendations does anyone have? We like the outdoors, walking, eating........Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced hotel?
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polremy
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Post by polremy »

From what I've been told it's very similar to Le Perthus - a long street full of shops selling electrical goods and fags cheaply!
My parents went there once thinking they could enjoy long mountain walks but it just wasn't possible - they were stranded up a mountain.
Suggest your brother meets you somewhere else!!
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sue and paul
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Post by sue and paul »

Thanks Pol. This is what I feared. Our children and OH's spent New Year there a few years ago and were bitterly disappointed. I was just wondering if there was an opposing view, as I've told them a million times not to exaggerate... :lol:
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Sue
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Post by Sue »

Many many moons ago I spent a week there for my 40th birthday and I too found it very disappointing.
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Post by sue and paul »

Many many moons ago...

Surely not THAT many? :lol:
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Post by Sue »

Feels like it at the mo!
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

Pas de la Case is like Le Perthus - just a load of duty free shops and restaurant - and of course quite a decent ski resort, perched up a mountain like Pol says, (and incidentally one of the highest roads in Europe I think) but that is because it is a purpose built tourist trap. The rest of Andorra is totally different. We carried on from Pas de la Casa to Andorra la Vella which was OK sans plus ie I cant really remember it - it all seemed pleasant enough and quite ordinary.

Read somewhere that Andorra has the 2nd highest life expectancy in the world so going there could add on a week or two.
Remember someone telling me too that Pas de la Casa was built by some very rich man just as a tax free haven. Cant remember who, when, what or why.
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sue and paul
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Post by sue and paul »

hmmm - I'm not getting that magnetic pull.....
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

and I thought I'd done such of good job of selling it!! :lol:
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Post by Colin L »

As Kate says, don't be put off by the description of the one place. Pas de La Casa is a bit of dump, but that's only one town.

Not that I've been anywhere else in Andorra so all I am saying is some of the comments are just about the one town not about Andorra.
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Sue
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Post by Sue »

This was the most exciting thing I could find!!

People may tell you Andorra’s nothing but skiing and shopping. They might add that Andorra la Vella, its capital and only town, is a fuming traffic jam bordered by palaces of consumerism. (Fact: Andorra has over 2000 shops – more than one for every 40 inhabitants). They’re right to a point, but also way off course. Shake yourself from Andorra la Vella’s tawdry embrace, take one of only three secondary roads in the state and discover some of the most dramatic scenery in all of the Pyrenees.

Advertisement
This minicountry wedged between France and Spain offers by far the best skiing in the Pyrenees, like in Canillo & Soldeu or Arinsal & Pal. In the last five years, its resorts have invested over €50 million in mountain cafés and restaurants, chairlifts and gondolas, car parks and snow-making machines. And once the snows have melted, summer activities are to be had in Ordino & around. There’s great walking in abundance, ranging from easy strolls to demanding day hikes in the higher, more remote reaches of the principality.

A warning though: this may not be the case a few years from now. Greed and uncontrolled development risk spoiling those side valleys. Already the pounding of jackhammers drowns out the winter thrum of ski lifts and threatens the silence of summer
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Post by sue and paul »

Thanks everyone. We might go, we'll see.
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Re: Andorra

Post by opas »

Sue wrote:This was the most exciting thing I could find!!

People may tell you Andorra’s nothing but skiing and shopping. They might add that Andorra la Vella, its capital and only town, is a fuming traffic jam bordered by palaces of consumerism. (Fact: Andorra has over 2000 shops – more than one for every 40 inhabitants). They’re right to a point, but also way off course. Shake yourself from Andorra la Vella’s tawdry embrace, take one of only three secondary roads in the state and discover some of the most dramatic scenery in all of the Pyrenees.

Advertisement
This minicountry wedged between France and Spain offers by far the best skiing in the Pyrenees, like in Canillo & Soldeu or Arinsal & Pal. In the last five years, its resorts have invested over €50 million in mountain cafés and restaurants, chairlifts and gondolas, car parks and snow-making machines. And once the snows have melted, summer activities are to be had in Ordino & around. There’s great walking in abundance, ranging from easy strolls to demanding day hikes in the higher, more remote reaches of the principality.

A warning though: this may not be the case a few years from now. Greed and uncontrolled development risk spoiling those side valleys. Already the pounding of jackhammers drowns out the winter thrum of ski lifts and threatens the silence of summer
apparently sugar is cheap there :roll: could be good if you fancy doing some baking :lol:
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Post by thumbelina »

:cry:
Last edited by thumbelina on Mon 20 Jun 2011 09:28, edited 3 times in total.
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Post by sue and paul »

Thanks - that's helpful
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Post by thumbelina »

:cry:
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Post by Owens88 »

Nice hotels in soldeu and good scenery.

EXCELLENT spa complex nearer andorra capital town I think it is called Calldella or similar. You could spend a day there easily.

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sue and paul
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Post by sue and paul »

Thanks for the links Thumbs. Owens - I guess the place with the spa is Caldea? thanks. all these are helpful replies. I'n't this forum brilliant??!!
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