Duty Free shopping in Andorra

[Baz]

Anyone bought any high end Watches in Andorra? I will be heading down the Pyrenees in a couple of weeks time & my route takes me on the N260. Is it worth calling into Andorra to do a bit of shopping.

Might as well pick up some fags & booze and top up the tank while I'm at it.

 

[Mr K]

Cameras used to be cheap.

Customs were shit-hot on the way out so don't take the piss.

 

[mrsroynie]

We've bought all sorts in Andorra. Not exactly high-end watches, but a couple of nice Tissots, ski equipment, booze, etc. Never had a problem with customs yet, but they like pulling over lone male travellers in cars ... more than once on one occasion. Poor guy, got a thorough search at the border and was just repacking his car as we went by. Overtook us on the way down on the French side and, by the time we caught him up just outside Ax-les-Thermes, he was just unpacking it again.

If you are in the market for a new helmet or other m/c kit, I can recommend Automoto Racing 77-79 Av. de Sta Coloma, Andorra la Vella. I saved over 200€ on the price of a Schuberth C3 in Keary's, Cork.

If you're travelling on a bike (especially two-up) Customs will probably leave you alone. We cheat a bit. We enter from the French side, do our shopping and leave via Spain. There is a particularly lovely back-roads route over the mountains that brings us home via Viella and St. Beat.

 

[Myke Rocks]

Andorra

Biggest problem in Andorra is that the bloody shops refuse to put the prices on anything on display, so you have to ask in every bloody shop.

Generally, in Andorra, the government levys a duty of 5% on all imorted goods. As a result, most things are circa 15% cheaper than here.

Obviously, the effect is much more marked on alcohol and hard drugs, where the price of a sleeve on cancer sticks is negligible.
In Andorra, I reckon that when the baby cries in the cradle, the do not give it a dummy, they stick a cigarette in it's mouth.
That, in short, is the biggest downside of going there. Everywhere stinks of tobacco.

Myke

 

[CuzGS]

Ref customs, if youre on your bike, await a suitable gap in the traffic and just crack on through unless directed to stop

Ref prices, yep its a pain but as youre never going to share a hot shower with them take the piss with the prices, I found the cheapest ipod i could then took 10 pc off and got that deal in another shop

 

[Baz]

Thanks for the feedback dont have a lot of time to spend there so ill probably just do the fags, booze & fuel and save a watch for later.

Baz

 

[Watty100]

+1 for watching out for Spanish customs, when I went there they were searching every car crossing back into Spain, not too interested in bikes. Also, when I got to the Channel port on the way home, French customs stopped me for a friendly chat, asked where I'd been on tour, as soon as I mentioned Andorra, they went into search mode. Don't know how much they expected to find in panniers fully loaded with camping kit.....serves them right the first one I unlocked was the dirty washing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Monty Stubble]

Petrol is cheaper as well as motorbike gear. Didn't get any hassle from customs either end.

I stayed in the Ibis in late August for 68 Euros and was one of 12 people staying. Had the top floor swimming pool to myself. Quality!

Bit strange to see people smoking inside bars, etc.

However, they have the longest life expectancy in Europe.

 

[Baz]

Had a look & found it all a bit of a waste of time. I reckon moast thiongs can be found cheaper on the net if you look around. Fuel was cheap and there were some real bargains in the bike shops on Rukka gear.