Val d'Aran is a Spanish valley located in the northwestern part of the Catalan Pyrenees. Due to his situation on the north face of the Pyrenees, the valley is characterized by an Atlantic climate.

The Garonne river has its source in Pla de Beret. It passes through the Val d'Aran and the south of France, flowing into Bordeaux. From the Val d'Aran you can also go to the National Park of Aigüestortes and the Sant Maurici’s pond, one of the more important protected areas of the Pyrenean mountains.

It is a valley with a personality very deep-roted that has government institutions and an own language, the aranese, differentiated from the Catalan language and proceeding from the Gascon one.
Val d'Aran is divided today in six administrative divisions, called terçons (meanings "thirds", as the divisions were formerly three in number). These ones are: Quate Lòcs, Lairissa, Marcatosa, Castièro, Arties-Garòs and Pujòlo.

The county town of the valley is Vielha, which for its situation, in the center of the valley, has all the services that correspond to a modern city. It stands out its S.XII church that houses a magnificent Romanesque Christ, and the Martinhon General’s Tower where is the central headquarters of the Museum of the Val D'Aran, that presents a synthesis of Aran’s history as well as an interesting colection of archeological, artistic and ethnographic objects.

The Romanesque art is present in every corner of the valley, where we find small churches surrounded with natural settings that will delight the lovers of art and nature. Some of these artistic jewels have a Romanesque origin though with the transformations suffered throughout the centuries, many of them have ended up being of Gothic style. Some samples of this cultural wealth are the churches of Salardú, Arties and Escunhau among other, which are characterized by their basilical plant with three naves and three apses and their slender belfries.

The landscape of the Val d'Aran surprises at every step because of the combination among high peaks of more than 3.000 meters and deep valleys, splashed of wooded areas, areas of pastures and crystalline lakes that give rise to spaces of extraordinary beauty.

The vegetation of the valley is adapted to its Atlantic climate generating landscapes different from that of the rest of the Catalan Pyrenees. Firs forests, pines and beeches occupy a surface about 10.000ha.. Regarding fauna, the special characteristics of the valley favor the existence of interesting species as eagles, kites, partridges, quails and the priced capercaillie, species at present protected.

The lovers of the hunting and the fishing have also here a paradise where the rivers have several species of trouts and the forests numerous wild species as roebuck, chamois, wild boars, partridges, rabbits etc...

Undoubtedly all this combination of such varied and beautiful nature reserves makes this Pyrenean valley being the ideal setting for the practice of numerous sport activities.

Mountaineering, climbing, mountain bike, archery, canyoning, rafting, canoeing, paragliding and much more, it’s the offer that the Valley of Aran offers to all those that are well-disposed to enjoy this place in an active way. There are numerous enterprises specialized in organizing and coordinating all these activities to guarantee the safety and the enjoyment to the utmost of these sports.

Skiing has a stellar role in this region due to the presence of Baqueira Beret Ski Resort, that has a great extension of snowed fields with differences of up to 1.000 meters. This privileged nature reserve joined to some facilities of high quality services turn to this winter resort in one of the best of Spain, along with the one of Superbagneres in Luchon and the one of Le Mourtis in St.Beat.

The best way of recovering from a day of adventure, excursion or skiing is to sit down to tasting someone of the exquisite dishes that the aranese cooking offers us. Famous are stews and broths as well as the "Aranese Pot" which is based on autochthonous products of the area. Other home products as pâté, wild boar's civet or the desserts reflect the influence of its frontier situation with France, although they preserve an own personality of the valley.

To enjoy yourself and to know the traditions of the area, the best form is, taking part of the many feasts that are celebrated throughout the year.

Traditional dances transmitted from generation to generation throughout the years as  "Es Esclops", "Es Aubades", "Eth Cadrilh" and "Eth Puntet", pilgrimages in honor of the saints and celebrations related with the field and the animals have remained of intact form being today an exceptional legacy on the life of our ancestors in the high mountains of the Pyrenees.

Inside the singular celebrations that are kept in the Pyrenees, one may highlight the tradition of the Haro, " Era Shasclada der Haro " (2^nd Sunday of May) "  Era Crema der Haro " (June 23th) and " Era Quilha der Haro " (June 23), which take place in the village of Les. The Haro is a fir of ten to twelve meters of length that after having cut its branches and having been taken the bark is nailed by a series of wooden wedges, in order to from Saint Peter’s Day, when it is planted in the square, up to Saint John`s wake of the following year it could dry in the most ideal way. This sacred night it is burned and is danced around it while people eats coca and taste "vin caud ". Once "Burning" finishes the neighbors gather the ashes and carbones in order to distribute them by the orchards and fields to favor the crops and the good luck. Once the "Cream" finished the neighbors collect the ashes and coals to divide them up for the orchards and fields to favor the crops and the good luck.

On Saint Peter’s Day, once it has been hoisted by the neighbors of the village, the last ones couples married of the year have the privilege of crowning it with a crown and a cross of flowers. Long ago this rite directed to God Abelio, or God Sun, had for mission asking for fertility in the union of pair.

The inhabitants of the valley don’t doubt sharing their celebrations and traditions with the visitors whom they receive hospitably and whom they offer a varied offer of touristic lodging to adapt to all the tastes and possibilities.