The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly 500 km (310 mi) from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum altitude of 3,404 metres (11,168 ft) at the peak of Aneto.
Andorra is a small, landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountain range and bordered by Spain and France. With an area of 468 km², it is the sixth smallest country in Europe and also the largest of the European microstates.
Hautes-Pyrénées is a department in the region of Occitania, southwestern France. The department is bordered by Pyrénées-Atlantiques to the west, Gers to the north, Haute-Garonne to the east, as well by the Spanish province of Huesca in the autonomous community of Aragon to the south. In 2019, its population was 229,567; its prefecture is Tarbes. It is named after the Pyrenees mountain range.
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area–a mountainous area with pistes and a ski lift system. In North America, it is more common for ski areas to exist well away from towns, so ski resorts usually are destination resorts, often purpose-built and self-contained, where skiing is the main activity.
La Massana is one of the seven parishes of the Principality of Andorra. It is located in the northwest of the country. La Massana is also the name of the main town of the parish. The name Massana derives from the Latin name mattianam for a variety of apple. Other settlements in the parish are Pal, Arinsal, Erts, Sispony, Anyós, L'Aldosa de la Massana, Puiol del Pui, Escàs, Els Plans, Mas de Ribafeta, Xixerella and Pui.
Encamp is one of the parishes of Andorra, located on the Valira d'Orient river. It is also the name of the main town in the parish. Other settlements include Vila, El Pas de la Casa, El Tremat, La Mosquera and Les Bons. As of 2004, it has about 11,800 inhabitants. The centre of the municipality lies 1,226 metres (4,020 ft) above sea level. The highest mountain in the parish is Pic dels Pessons. It borders France and Spain.
Ordino is the most northerly parish in the Principality of Andorra. It's mostly the main area of Valira del Nord or Valira d'Ordino river valley. Ordino is also the name of the main town of the parish. Other settlements in the parish are El Serrat, Ansalonga, Sornàs, La Cortinada, Llorts, Segudet, Arans, Les Salines and Arcalís. It is home to the Sorteny National Park, the largest nature area of Andorra. It has a population of 4,858, as of 2017. The town preserves a vast medieval center, mainly linked to the culture of the country.
Soldeu is a village and ski resort in Andorra in the Pyrenees mountains, located in the parish of Canillo.
El Pas de la Casa is a ski resort, town, and mountain pass in the Encamp parish of Andorra, lying on the border with France.
Arinsal is a village in Andorra, set at an altitude of between 1550 and 2560 metres, close to the border with Spain at Tor, Pallars. In the summer Arinsal is home to walkers and bikers, as well as those who just want to relax in the mountain scenery. In the winter, it offers skiing and snowboarding for beginners, as well as a good selection of runs for intermediates.
Grau Roig is a sector of the Grandvalira ski resort in Andorra, located in the parishes of Canillo and Encamp. It includes alpine skiing and cross-country skiing tracks. It is the only sector in Grandvalira which does not have a populated settlement. The nearest major settlement is Pas de la Casa, to the east on the border with France.
The 13th FIS Speed Ski World Cup season began on 26 February 2012, in Pas de la Casa-Grandvalira, Andorra, and was concluded on 18 April 2012, at Verbier, Switzerland.
The Envalira Tunnel is a tunnel in Andorra that runs between Pas de la Casa near the Andorra-France border and Grau Roig. It enables its users to avoid the Envalira Pass. It is amongst the highest road tunnels in Europe.
Shahdagh Mountain Resort is Azerbaijan's first and largest winter resort.
Palandöken Ski Center is a ski resort for alpine skiing and snowboarding on the Palandöken Mountain in Erzurum Province, eastern Turkey.
Amirsoy Mountain Resort is the largest ski resort in Uzbekistan, and the most modern ski resort in Central Asia. It opened in 2019 in the Western Tian Shan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has been described by Lonely Planet as “next-season St Moritz.”.
