They are being maintained by more than 1,000 cannons, which are managing to keep 60kms of slopes covered with up to 20cms of artificial snow in spite of the astonishingly warm weather and stubbornly cloudless skies.

The snow cannons represent a significant chunk of the £100m-plus that has been pumped into Andorra since the turn of the century and Grandvalira, a company that was formed three years ago to manage the area that covers Pas de la Casa and Soldeu, reckons the investment has more than paid off.

"Our visitor numbers are only 10% to 15% down so far this season, whereas if we hadn't invested in these sophisticated snow-making facilities we wouldn't have had any runs open at all," said a Grandvalira spokewoman. "Some other resorts in the Pyrenees are closed."

I joined a group of 24 mostly beginners and intermediate skiers on a SpeedBreaks holiday for singles in Pas de la Casa earlier this week and all were satisfied with the amount of skiing on offer, even though the slopes that link the resort to Soldeu weren't open so you had to take a bus between the two. Generally, the feeling was relief that there were at least some slopes open.

It's fair to say that the condition of the pistes was far from ideal - one of our group hit a patch of ice on what should have been an easy blue run and shattered his shoulder on only his second day on skis (giving a whole new meaning to SpeedBreaks) - but given that the temperature early this week reached 12 degrees centigrade and the fields at the edge of the pistes were sprouting spring flowers, it's impressive they were open at all.

What's more impressive is that Grandvalira reckons it can keep 40% of its ski area open even if it doesn't snow until the end of the season, as long as the temperatures sink low enough to allow the cannons to churn out more of the artificial stuff.

And if the lack of snow this winter is heralding the effect of global warming and more dry winters, will it be able to make snow for years to come? "We don't like to talk about climate change because although this is our worst winter for 16 years, last winter we opened with plenty of snow," added the spokeswoman. "but this winter has proved that we do have the technology to make plenty."

Grandvalira's investment in snow-making facilities and ongoing improvements to its ski area have led to higher prices, however, and at £120 its six-day area lift pass, which covers Pas, Soldeu, El Tarter and Canillo is more expensive than those of some of the big name French resorts with which it is trying to compete. Les Deux Alpes, for example, offers a similar size ski area and yet charges £13 less for its ski pass in high season.

Hikes in hotel prices and a new 4% sales tax have also added to the cost of a package to Andorra and, as a result, first-time skiers are being directed by tour operators to cheaper destinations like Bulgaria.

To give you an idea of how prices compare, Neilson brochure has a learn-to-ski week in Bansko, Bulgaria next week for £529 including flights, half-board accommodation, lessons, skis and lift pass - a similar package to Pas de la Casa is priced at £589.

But Andorra isn't concerned about losing its tag as the cheapest place in Europe to ski. Indeed, it's trying to position itself alongside the classier French and Austrian resorts by not only improving the skiing which, it should be pointed out, is far better than anything Bulgaria has to offer, but also raising the standards of accommodation, adding more four- and five-star hotels, and opening spas and gourmet restaurants.

"We are selling an experience, not just skiing," said the Grandvalira spokeswoman. "For example, we now have restaurants that compare with those in Madrid and Barcelona."

Soldeu and the resort of El Tarter a stone's throw away certainly have an upmarket feel these days. The main drag in Soldeu is dotted with uber-stylish joints, like the new all-suite Sport Hotel Hermitage and the Sport Wellness spa.

Grandvalira is also building an entirely new, luxury ski resort, Portes des Neiges, just over the French border. It opened last year with a single red run down from Pas de la Casa and when the resort is finished it will add 54kms of mainly intermediate runs to the total ski area. The first of 20 hotels should open in Portes des Neiges within three to five years.

"This will be a very luxurious resort of the highest quality," said the spokeswoman. "We want to offer quality tourism and above all we are selling charm."

This "we've gone posh" message hasn't made it up the hill to Pas de la Casa, the highest resort in Andorra, however. Presided over by the golden arches of McDonald's, this concrete jungle is far from charming. Pas can best be described as Benidorm with altitude, where the backstreets are stuffed with the sort of bars that serve beer in condoms, but if your ingredients for a good night out are packed bars offering loud music and cheap larger, it serves its purpose extremely well.

Andorra's duty-free shopping is also still a big draw, and Pas de la Casa's main road is lined with shops selling cheap booze, cigarettes, alcohol, jewellery, clothing and gadgets. Prices are generally no more than two-thirds of those in the UK. And good news for anyone planning a trip to Andorra soon is that snow - the real stuff - is forecast for next week.

Fingers crossed.

SpeedBreaks' next ski holiday in Pas de la Casa departs on March 10 (www.speedbreaks.co.uk)

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