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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.
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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.
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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 " (2nd 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.
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LES - Chapel of Saint Blas
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LES - Castle
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Links:
Balneario Termas
Baronia de Les
Les: Torisme Les
Torisme Val
D'Aran
Escola
d'Hoteleria de Les
Museo
de la Val D'Aran
Refugios de Montaña:
Pallars-Ribagorçana-Aran
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