Living in La Massana: the family parish

Who lives there and what it is like

La Massana is the parish north-west of the capital, in the valley that leads to Arinsal and Pal. It is popular with families and with people who want more space and a quieter setting than the capital while staying ten to fifteen minutes from it. La Massana town has shops, restaurants and services for everyday life; around it lie villages with their own character: Anyós, Sispony, Escàs, l'Aldosa and Erts on the slopes, Pal up a side valley and Arinsal at the head of the valley.

The parish is lived in all year, with a lively ski season in Arinsal and a quieter one elsewhere. Residents include many foreign families and long-term residents as well as Andorrans.

Getting around

La Massana town is ten to fifteen minutes by car from Andorra la Vella, and the national bus network runs between them, free for residents since 2022. The villages on the slopes are reached by short, winding roads, and Arinsal is about ten minutes further up the valley. In winter, winter tyres or chains are needed above the valley town, especially towards Arinsal and Pal.

Ski and outdoors

A gondola runs from La Massana town up to the Pal-Arinsal ski area (long known as Vallnord, now sold under the Grandvalira Resorts brand), and Arinsal has its own lift into the same area, so you can ski without driving to the slopes. In summer the ski area becomes a mountain-bike park, and the walks towards the Comapedrosa, the country's highest peak, start above Arinsal.

Schools and services

The public school systems have primary schools in the parish, and secondary schools are in the capital area. Private international schooling is found in La Massana and in the capital area. La Massana town has a health centre, pharmacies and supermarkets; the general hospital is in Escaldes-Engordany.

The homes

La Massana has more variety than the valley-bottom parishes. Alongside flats in the town, you find detached houses, terraced homes and chalets in the villages, especially in Sispony, Anyós, Escàs and l'Aldosa, many built from the 1990s onwards. Arinsal has a larger share of holiday flats close to the lifts. Most of the parish is lived in all year, and it is one of the places where a house with a garden is realistic. Prices per square metre are generally below Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany, while houses on the sunnier slopes can ask a lot in total.

Browse homes for sale in La Massana, homes for rent and the La Massana market page. For the steps and costs, see buying property in Andorra and the costs. The neighbouring parish to the north is Ordino.

Laws, services and figures change. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice; check with a notary or an adviser before you sign anything.