The best views of the Pyrenees
Discover what to do in the Aran Valley
The Aran Valley in spring and summer!
When the snow season ends, the Valley continues to be one of the most spectacular places in the Pyrenees. Numerous possibilities await you: excursions and hiking, climbing and via ferrata, art and gastronomy... An incalculable heritage.
The Aran Valley -Val d'Aran in Aranese- is located in the extreme northwest of Catalonia. Its backbone is the Garona River, which crosses the entire region and flows into the Atlantic, thus. Its location is the essence of the Pyrenees, and the high mountains that form the valley have conditioned its history and strong character.
A paradise for lovers of hiking and high mountains (a third of the valley is over 2,000m) with spectacular routes and memorable landscapes.
Hiking
You will find a wide range of low, medium and high difficulty hiking trails, for both families and most audacious. Its wildlife, flowers and green landscapes attract more and more visitors every summer.
The paradise of cycling in all its aspects
Discovering nature by bike is one of the most intense experiences that you can enjoy in the Val d'Aran:
Beyond cycling: Some of the most popular outings for bike lovers
As far as professional cycling sports are concerned, besides the well-known Tour de France, the Valley hosts spectacular competitions every year:
Pedals de foc Non Stop
A raid with departure and arrival in the Val d'Aran which hosts the BTT Ultramarathon Spanish Championship for the third consecutive year. Based on individual participation and a track of nearly 220 kilometers and 6,200 meters slope, this contest has soon become an international landmark in its category, both for its hardness and for its beauty. Official website Pedals de Foc Non Stop.
Era Roda Non Stop
It offers an exceptional opportunity to explore spectacular sceneries, forests, rivers and waterfalls from a biker's viewpoint. With its 140 km of pure mountain biking and a 5200m slope, it is one of the toughest BTT tours of the Pyrenees. This year you can take advantage of it as a "marathon" version with 77km and a 2800 meters slope. Official website Era Roda Non Stop.
Campilaro
A cycling route that crosses the heart of the Pyrenees for a total of 330 kilometers and a 8,300 meters slope. Campilaro 2017 will consist of 4 medium and high mountain ranges involving 3 cities: Saint-Lary Soulan, Luchon and Vielha (Aran Valley). More information about Campilaro 2017.
The North Face Enduro Series
BTT Championship organized in cooperation with the Arán Valley’s BTT center. During this chrono race contest, held along various paths, each participant fights individually against time.Official The North Face Enduro Series Web..
Some of the small towns in the Aran Valley
Vielha
Vielha is a village of about 4000 inhabitants located at an altitude of 974 metres and the capital of the Arán Valley. It is rich in interesting monuments such as the Church of San Miguel located in its center where the medieval Mijarán Christi is situated as well. In addition to those, you can visit the Aranés Ethnological Museum, the Town hall, the Casa Palaciega of Rodes, the Wool Museum and the tower of General Martinón from the XVII century.
Arties
Arties is the second village of the Arán Valley that owns the higher number of hotels and restaurants. Its alleys - surrounded by beautiful mountain houses with slate roofs and both elegant and refined villas - are crossed by ancient bridges crossing the Garona River. The promontory is also hosting the Church of Saint Mary, a Romanesque temple with spectacular Gothic frescoes. During the sunset, especially in the ski season, all of its hotels and restaurants turn into places with a pleasant atmosphere.
Salardú
Along with the other Aragonese villages, Salardú offers you its mix of houses and arderian roofs designed to support the weight of winter snowfalls. Moreover, at the top of it you can find the Romanesque church of Saint Andrew, surrounded by a long stretch of meadows and presided by a solid tower that was once part of a castle. Within this church, declared an historical monument, the Romanesque dimension of the famous Christ of Salardú is well preserved.
Sources of tourist information and sports activities
Pyrenees...Let's go!
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