Sandwiched between France and Spain in the Andorran state of La Massana, Pal-Arinsal ski resort can only be reached by road. The most practical and convenient option is to fly to Toulouse or Barcelona and take a bus, or hire a car. Self-driving is a popular option, while a train-bus-bus combination is the most arduous.

Barcelona’s El Prat de Llobregat Airport and Toulouse-Blagnac Airport are about the same distance from Pal-Arinsal. Barcelona is more popular, offering far more budget and worldwide flight options than Toulouse. Four scheduled buses a day go from El Prat, and two a day from Toulouse-Blagnac, to Arinsal (€30, one way; €56, return). You can also transfer by train, and then bus, to the resort. Hiring a car is the most convenient method.

The route from Calais is a 1,186kms, two-day journey along the A-1, A-10, A-71, A-62/1, E-9, and the picturesque CG1. The route from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, west of the city, goes via the A-64, and D-919, merging with the E-9, further south (three hours). The major roads from Barcelona include the A-18, C-1411, and N-260, and entering Andorra via the N-145, CG1 and the CG3 (three hours).

Trains from the UK go via Paris and Toulouse and terminate at L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre, south of Toulouse. A Eurostar train leaves London’s Waterloo station at 17:09 daily, and arrives in Paris’ Nord station at 20:59. Change to Paris’ Austerlitz station where the overnighter goes to L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre, via Toulouse, arriving at 07:25 the next morning. Buses go from here to Andorra la Vella, where local buses go to Arinsal.

Trains from Barcelona eventually terminate at Puigcerdà, east of Andorra. Buses from here go to La Seu d’Urgell, and on to Andorra La Vella, and then Arinsal. A number of buses from French train stations go to Andorra, including from L'Hospitalet, La Tour de Carol and Ax-les-Thermes. Buses from Spain leave from Barcelona, Burgos, Madrid, Tarragona, Tuy, Valladolid and Zaragoza.