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The town of Vielha in the Val d'Aran

Val d'Aran

Geographically French but politically Catalan, the Val d'Aran has its own language, its own cuisine and a famously snowy climate.

Photo: Isidre blanc, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • RegionCatalonia, Spain
  • LanguageAranese (Occitan)
  • From Toulouse~2 h 30
  • Stay3–5 nights

The Val d'Aran is the only part of Catalonia on the northern, Atlantic side of the Pyrenean watershed. The River Garonne rises here and flows north into France, and the valley gets more rain and snow than the rest of the Spanish Pyrenees. Its people speak Aranese, a form of Occitan, alongside Catalan and Spanish.

Vielha and the villages

Vielha, the capital, has a Romanesque church with a fine wooden Christ and a museum of Aranese life. Up the valley, villages like Arties, Salardú, Bagergue and Unha are built of grey stone and slate around Romanesque churches.

Baqueira Beret

Baqueira Beret is Spain's best-known ski resort, and the Beret plateau doubles as a great Nordic area.

Summer

  • Hike to the Colomèrs lakes or the Saboredo cirque, dotted with dozens of tarns.
  • Walk or cycle to the source of the Garonne at Uelhs deth Joèu.
  • The Aigüestortes National Park borders the valley to the south.

Food

Try olha aranesa, a hearty stew of meat, beans and vegetables, plus local trout, duck and Aranese caviar from the sturgeon farm at Les.

Stay near Val d'Aran

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Top sights near Val d'Aran

Aigüestortes & Sant Maurici
Catalonia

Aigüestortes & Sant Maurici

Catalonia's only national park: around 200 lakes, granite peaks and the twin spires of Els Encantats.

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Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí
Catalonia

Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí

Nine UNESCO-listed Romanesque churches with slender bell towers and famous frescoes.

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Combine with

Baqueira Beret
Ski resorts

Baqueira Beret

Spain's most prestigious resort, with reliable Atlantic snow and long, varied runs.

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Rafting & Canyoning
Summer

Rafting & Canyoning

Raft the Noguera Pallaresa, canyon the gorges of Guara and paddle the Gave de Pau.

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Toulouse
Beyond the Pyrenees

Toulouse

The 'Pink City': the main airport for the French Pyrenees, with a lively centre and the Cité de l'espace.

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Header photo: Photo: Isidre blanc, CC BY-SA 4.0

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