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Aran Natura Convention Bureau in the ibtm®world

Business tourism in the Val d’Aran, mediated through Aran Natura Convention Bureau, will be present from today until Thursday 19 in the ibtm®world taking place at the Fira Gran Via. The event -before EIBTM- is consolidated as a meeting of incentives, events and meetings sector and has an intense program that includes everything from exhibitions and networking events to conferences and training sessions.

The Val d’Aran, with its excellent choice of hotels, the multiple options of quality tourism, all the services, facilities and complementary activities, is an ideal place for business tourism destination. Many Valley hotels, including 8 of 4 stars and 4 of 5 stars have conference rooms for different types of events and equipped with the latest technologies, and are in addition to other public sector facilities.

The natural environment, offers wellness, adventure sports activities and elite sports such as rafting, or helieskí bring other elements necessary to transform business into a pleasure. We invite you to visit us at stand B60 in Hall 3 of Fira de Barcelona.

More information about Natura Convention Bureau Aran this link.

17 November, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Snowfest 2015: The Val d'Aran receives the snow season with a spectacular sport, leisure and cultural festival

The most anticipated snow fest of the Pyrenees, which will take place from 27 to 29 November, reaches its third edition full of news. Coinciding with the opening of Baqueira Beret, sports, cinema, music, fashion and food have a meeting in the Snowfest 2015 with activities in the main towns of the Val d’Aran.

Initiative of the Asociación de Comerciantes, Empresas y Servicios de Vielha-Mijaran, the Snowfest is a fun festival celebrating the arrival of snow and winter. A full program full of activities for the whole family makes this one of the most celebrated events in the Pyrenees. Snowfest reveals the myriad of sensations and tourist attractions of the mountain in winter besides skiing and sport: from wellness and disconnection from the frenzy of the city to enjoy leisure and culture in a unique environment.

The event is twofold. On the one hand the festival, which includes educational, festive, artistic, gastronomic activities and sports demonstrations. And on the other hand, the Winter Expo in the Palai de Esports de Vielha, where top brand clothing and sports equipment will show the novelties of the season, in addition with manufacturers of technical equipment and the offer of winter leisure tourism, besides the presentation of the events of the winter season.

News 2015

Among the attractions of the third edition highlights the presence of the freerider Aymar Navarro, godfather of the festival, and the pastry chef Oriol Balaguer, who will present the new chocolate bonbon Snowfest, inspired by the Val d’Aran. Also it highlights the presentation of the capsule collection SarahWorld Sara Navarro group of shoes and accessories Eco-cold winter, Eco-chic with the ‘première’ of Pireneus bag, specially designed for the Snowfest.

Skating enthusiasts will enjoy exciting shows in the Palai de Geu, including a concert of ice instruments, skating samples and hockey and curling demonstrations. It has also been scheduled a series of films about snow, a scientific conference, an art exhibition and a fashion show of snow.

Kid Wise in concert

The highlight will be musically by Kid Wise, one of the reference groups of French Indie-Rock led by the vocalist Augustin Charnet . The concert will be held Saturday November 28th at 23h in the Sala Polivalente de Vielha.

For the President of the Association, Antonio Beso, who also chairs the festival, “the program is much more attractive than in the previous two editions. Our intention is to make it better, more fun and more complete each year, and that the Snowfest will be consolidated as the best party of the snow in Spain and southern Europe. ”

As part of these activities, gastronomic specialties Aran also have a key role. Original and attractive “pintxos” delicious artisan products as andito and patés, as exclusive products such as the aranese caviar and other genuine as cheeses and Tupís, will be in the estaurants with some of the dishes from our cuisine as Olha aranesa and other preparations with mongeta of Bossòst.

The program will culminate with the Snowfest draw of fortfaits for Baqueira Beret, skis, and a place for the GORE-TEX Experience Tour offered by Copos Ski-Center, an expedition of Freeriding with Aymar Navarro, to be held in Lofoten islands in 2016.

You can consult the full program Snowfest in this link.

16 November, 2015 dpt21 Blog, Monographic 0

Training for guides and interpreters of the Aranese heritage

From 13 to 17 November will be a free course of 40 hours of interpretation of cultural and natural heritage Aranese organized by the Conselh Generau d’Aran. Aimed at all those tourist agents of the territory that work in the field of Aranese heritage and those interested in their knowledge, this training is conducted from a holistic, cultural and natural vision.

The course includes lectures, to be held in ETEVA classrooms and practices and visits to monuments and Aranese museums. Experts from the area of Cultural Heritage Department of the Environment and the Center Avalanches of Conselh Generau d’Aran will teach all of them. Attendees will get a diploma.

The program also includes the conference Mèstres e talhèrs medievaus ena Val d’Aran, by Carla Valle, a specialist in medieval art and author of the section about Val d’Aran in the Romanesque Encyclopedia. The lecture, opened to all, registered or not in the course, will take place on Saturday 14 at 19 pm in the Conselh Generau d’Aran’s pressroom. The registration can be made until Thursday 12 November in the area of Cultural Heritage of the Conselh Generau d’Aran, by phone (973 641 801) or email (e.ros@aran.org).

12 November, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Tribute to the Aranese athletes Aymar Navarro and Nacho Sacau

Les City Council held on Saturday November 7 at 20h in the Auditorium, a tribute to the athletes Aymar Navarro and Nacho Sacau, local residents, in recognition of his sporting merit achieved.

Aymar Navarro, competing in the Freeride World Tour, is considered the best Spanish professional freerider and one of the best in Europe. During his pre-season in South America last summer became the first to make the descent virgin near the ski resort of “Las Leñas”, in the Andes, a very technical and difficult and remote access down. After achieving the Aranese athlete and his American companion, dubbed the descent as “Les Channel”, in honour of his hometown.

The non-professional mountaineer Nacho Sacau culminated this summer the Nun summit (7135m, India) along with a small group of climbers. Intrepid adventurer and athlete, he’s known for its versatility and especially for being one of the greatest connoisseurs of climbing routes on rock and ice of the Val d’Aran. He currently works with the City of Les equipping.

Les channel

Last July Aymar Navarro launched to discover new routes in the Argentine Andes near the city of Mendoza, one of the freeriders favourite places because of its difficulty.

After a period of investigation of this unknown and dangerous place, with its American partner, Dorian Densmore, he opened the new route and dubbed it Les Channel. In a statement to The North Face he said that “it has not been easy. There were tense and scary moments because the slope is a constant 55 ° -60 ° until it ends. ”

Aymar compete at the highest level, having achieved top-10 finishers in the top flight of the Freeride World Tour.

The Aran vicesindic and Conselher of Sports, Luis Carlos Medina, said “Aymar is establishing itself as one of the best riders on the international scene and is proud to carry the territory of the Val d’Aran as standard.”

7 November, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

The Val d'Aran and Baqueira Beret, in the London Ski and Snowboard Show

The Conselh Generau d’Aran and Baqueira Beret participate in the exhibition Ski and Snowboard Show which takes place in London from 5 to 8 November, where they plan to present the novelties of the 2015-2016 ski season, plus the wide range of activities that can be carried out in the valley. This event has become a meeting point in Europe to the main destinations, companies, tour operators, sports competitions and events and Alpine cuisine with a wide range of proposals for the sector at the end public, especially families.

Draw among visitors

Visitors to the stand of Baqueira Beret – Val d’Aran can participate in the draw of 1 weekend for 2 people in the valley, and a day of helisquí with runs on virgen snow on some of the most spectacular peaks of the pyrenees and a ski day at the Aranese ski station. The draw will be held November 8 at 16:00 in front of the stand of Val d’Aran – Baqueira Beret.

During the week of 9 to 15 November, the name of the winner will be published on the Facebook wall of Baqueira and Val d’Aran.

The Val d’Aran in winter

The quality of the snow, the indigenous culture and a unique cuisine make the Val d’Aran one of the most prized and increasingly frequented by tourists and skiers for its wide range of activities destinations. In winter it is possible to heliskiing in the best conditions with a “powder” first level. In addition, there is a wide thermal offer in Les and Banhs of Tredòs complemented by the existing spas in most hotels. Families can choose from activities like easy hikes with dinner in authentic mountain huts, ice skating in the Palai de Geu and children’s activities to discover the nature of the high Pyrenees in the hands of professional tour guides.

Baqueira Beret Update for the 15-16 season

Baqueira Beret continues to grow and reaches 155 skiable km: 150 km of pistes plus 5 km of off piste itineraries. Baqueira Beret goes from having 99 to 103 signed and marked pistes combined with an unparalleled freeride area in Southern Europe with more than 2.166 skiable hectares. These together represent a very attractive reason to come and enjoy the most authentic Pyrenees Mountains. The three new pistes are in Beret. The most spectacular is the Gallina as it finishes in Orri with a steep slope that will test the levels of the expert skiers as it is a double black diamond run. The Paum piste is also located in Saumet and is a short red run measuring 554 m in longitude and with 171 meters of elevation drop. The third new piste, Esmeligàs, can be reached by the tele-ski Costarjàs and is a red run measuring 1,5 km in length and with an elevation drop of 368 m through the calmest area of Beret.

4 November, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

The Val d'Aran in the Swiss International Holiday Exhibition

The most important tourist event of the Italian Switzerland, which takes place from October 30 to November 1 in Lugano, will have for the first time a stand of 6m2 of the Val d’Aran, where we will present our proposal for leisure and adventure, sustainable tourism and holidays.

With an exhibition area of 10,000 m2, more than 200 stands and representing twenty countries, the Swiss International Holiday Exhibition receives all profiles of visitors, from families to singles, young couples, students and pensioners. Also, it is an ideal platform to find new holiday destinations and to make reservations directly to the tour operators attending. Furthermore, all kinds of institutional seminars and thematic events take place in the event.

29 October, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Gastronomic weekend in Val d'Aran with Era mongetada 2015

The most anticipated culinary and cultural event of the Aranese autumn is ready for celebration, with events in Garòs, Bossòst and Vielha from Friday October 30 to Sunday November 1st. Emerged in 2012 after the recovery of the Bossòst bean, a plant variety of the Val d’Aran, Era Mongetada is an initiative of the Gremi d’Ostalaria dera Val d’Aran in collaboration with the municipalities of Naut Aran, Bossòst and Vielha, Foment de Torisme dera Val d’Aran and other entities of the valley.

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Gremi d’Ostalaria dera Val d’Aran cooker’s team

In order to revalue agriculture, gastronomy and cultural heritage of the valley, Era Mongetada reconstructs the treatment process of the vegetable, from cultivation in the field to its different culinary creations, through a series of gastronomic, cultural, recreational and sports events.

The gastronomic celebration, in a show-cooking space differentiated from the other events, will offer dishes based on beans produced live, with the participation of the guest chefs this year, Kin Hong and Sacha Hormaechea, along with chefs of the Gremi led by Carlos Sanllehy, owner and chef of the restaurant Eth Restilhé and Era Mongetada director. The program also includes a charity dinner and a “Dinar de pages”.

Meanwhile, along the cultural festival will be revived some of the farm work and livestock that once were held in the homes and villages of the Valley related to the treatment of bean. Also, there will be guided visits in Garòs environment by specialized guides, Aranese traditional dances, exhibition and demonstration of crafts and live concert by Lou Seriol. As a novelty this year, will take place the first agricultural Games Val d’Aran, with races, lifting wheel tractor, alpaca castel, cut trunk and pulled the rope.

Recognized as a variety since last year, Bossòst bean is a crop fully adapted to the climate of the region, without pests and with good agronomic development. Easy maintenance, both dry and cooked makes it an extremely versatile ingredient combinable with many local products and in the hands of master chefs, it is regaining its importance in the kitchen.

27 October, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Inaugurated the new office of Val d'Aran - Baqueira Beret in Toulouse

Reed the Google Translation

Yesterday took place the opening of the new Val d’Aran –Baqueira Beret tourist office, located at No. 39 Rue du Pharaon. The conselhera de Torisme de la Val d’Aran, Ana Díaz, and Xavier Ubeira, general manager of the ski resort attended the event where guests could taste a selection of snacks and typical tapas of the Aranese cuisine.

Baqueira Beret has an office in Bordeaux since 2011. With this second, promotion strategy in South and West of France will be covered, with expectations for a northward expansion.

23 October, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Baqueira Beret y Val d’Aran presentan la temporada de nieve en una gira por España

La estación de esquí aranesa y Torisme de Val d’Aran participarán conjuntamente en una gira por una veintena de ciudades españolas para presentar las novedades la temporada hibernal 2015-2016, entre las que destacan las nuevas zonas de ocio de la estación.

Durante la gira se llevarán a cabo presentaciones en hoteles singulares de las principales ciudades de la zona de influencia de Baqueira Beret (Levante, centro y norte de España). Los diferentes eventos congregarán a clientes de la estación y medios de comunicación a los que se dará a conocer de primera mano cómo se plantea la temporada para el invierno que está a punto de empezar.

Asimismo, Baqueira Beret montará un stand donde se podrán contratar estancias y forfaits, además de participar en numerosos concursos -presenciales y a través de redes sociales- con importantes premios ofrecidos por Salomon, Torisme Val d’Aran y la propia estación.

Los ganadores de los concursos de cada ciudad y toda la información acerca de los lugares de las presentaciones, se publicarán en la web de Baqueira Beret y en las páginas de Facebook y Twitter de la estación.

Aquí os dejamos el calendario. Nos encontraréis de 18h a 21h en:

26/10 Burgos – NH Collection Palacio de Burgos, Calle de la Merced, 13

27/10 León – Parador Hostal San Marcos, Plaza de San Marcos, 7

28/10 A Coruña – Hesperia Finisterre, Paseo del Parrote, 2-4

29/10 Oviedo – AC Hotel Oviedo Forum by Marriot, Plaza de los Ferroviarios, 1

30/10 Valladolid – Hotel Olid, Plaza San Miguel, 10

31/10 Santander – Gran Hotel Sardinero, Plaza de Italia, 1

3/11 Vitoria – Silken Ciudad de Vitoria, Portal de Castilla, 8

4/11 Bilbao – Hotel Carlton, Plaza Federico Moyúa, 2

5/11 San Sebastián – Hotel María Cristina Luxury Collection, Paseo República Argentina, 4

6/11 Pamplona – Hotel Tres Reyes, Jardines de la Taconera, s/n

7/11 Zaragoza – Hotel Silken Reino de Aragon, Calle Coso, 80

11/11 Palma de Mallorca – Hotel Tryp Bellver, Paseo Maritimo Gabriel Roca,11

12/11 Tarragona – Hotel SB. Ciutat de Tarragona, Plaça de la Imperial Tarraco, 5

13/11 Lleida – Hotel HN Pirineos, Gran Passeig de Ronda, 63

14/11 Girona – Hotel Carlemany, Plaça Miquel Santaló I Pavor, 1

16/11 Alicante – Spa Porta Maris, Plaza Puente de Mar, 3

17/11 Valencia -SH Valencia Palace, Paseo de la Alameda, 32

* Comunicaremos las presentaciones de Madrid y Barcelona próximamente

20 October, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Interview to José Luis García, general manager of Camins

Read Google Translation

“Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Camins, we plan a new route that will link the Tour of Aneto with Aigüestortes National Park in the Val d’Aran”

He manages the oldest company of mountain activities in Catalonia, specializing in trekking, skiing and many other forms of adventure sports. Jose Luis Garcia founded Camins in 1986 with his teammate Genis Roca and today, on the threshold of the 30th anniversary of the company and a burly team of experts guides, they are leaders in organizing tours self-guided under its brand “Andando sin equipaje” (Walking without luggage). Last summer they launched the “Tour del Aneto“, destined to become the star route on which they already have in mind some improvements for next season.

How Camins has evolved over its 30 years of history?

José Luis Garcia, general manager of Camins

When we founded the company in 1986, after returning from an expedition to the Himalayas, our goal was exclusively mountain activities: hiking, climbing, mountain ascents and others. Gradually we incorporated all activities now called adventure sports: canyoning, mountain biking, via ferrata … And about eight years ago we started with the project that we call self-guided tours, which give the customer the opportunity to do it on your own.

Your client must also have changed over the past 30 years

Since then the evolution has been very important. We have new market segments such as school groups, who undertake trips prom in the spring; mountaineering groups, staying in hotel making sightseeing and hiking; and groups of seniors that combine cultural visits with easy hiking. In addition, customers over the years have evolved technically a higher level, seeking activities more difficult, especially in the categories of climbing, mountain climbing, and mountaineering or via ferrata.

How the season unfolds?

We started at Easter. In spring school groups come and we also begin to have the first groups of foreigners. Some markets, such as Japanese or German, they usually move in May and June so they can avoid the main summer months here. Then we started with self-guided tours and “Andando sin equipaje”. This is a product widely known in Europe and with the help of French, Gereman and Belgian tour operators we have hikers from June to October. Precisely we have dismissed the season with the last walkers who just made the Via Calda and Encantats route, last weekend of Pilar holiday.

Saboredo refuge

You have become leaders in this type of hiking.

Yes. We started with a route that takes place entirely in the Val d’Aran, the Setau Sageth (Seventh Seal). Then we assemble the d’Aigüestortes National Park and Val d’Aran (the route dels Encantats); one that combines hiking with staying at local hot springs, Via Calda; and this year we launched the Tour of Aneto a self-guided walking route which takes 6 days around the Aneto.

How self-guided tours work?

We facilitate the customer all the information so the route can be made on the date they want. They can start when the want and in the way they want. They are always routes through marked trails, which have no technical difficulty added. It is given a topographic map, the GPS tracks for the entire journey and a notebook with the description of the route. And the added value of these routes is that they all offer the transport of luggage from one accommodation to the next to facilitate the crossing, especially in those hardest stages with a significant slope.

How do you evaluate the last season?

Seatu Sageth route

The demand of this hiker modality is increasingly because don’t have to go loaded with backpack and they sleep comfortably in a hotel that is in a village, so they have more contact with all the cultural and culinary items in the area. Camins has been a pioneer in Spain with the launch of the brand “Andando sin equipaje” and we practically are the ones who do it here. Last year we had an increase of about 25%.

You have also extended the offer with the new “Tour of Aneto” route

Yes. It’s a circular tour of 115 Km for 5 valleys around the Aneto: Val d’Aran, Luchon, Benasque, Castanesa and Barrabés. It’s a hiking trail that has no technical difficulty, always passes through marked trails, some of them historical. It was launched on July 1 and has now finished on the Pilar holiday.

How do you evaluate this first year?

The first year helps us to assess the organization, accommodation, catering, transport baggage infrastructure. The assessment -through our surveys with customers- has been highly successful, both the route and the organization, so we are fully optimistic. And so say all who participate in the path: restaurants, hotels and other services.

Tell us about the tour by Aran lands

Tour del Aneto. Artiga de Lin

The tour is circular, begins and ends in Vielha and we are looking to incorporate a new stage -which would be the first- that would come from Vielha to l’Artiga de Lin by Bassa d’Oles, but it couldn’t be effective until the shelter was saved. So, by the time, we leave from Viella by a transfer to Uelhs deth Joeu and we start there, because it is a symbolic place where the water coming from the melting glacier Aneto arises. Then we climb up Coll Infern and entered the valley of Luchon. After touring the Valley of Benasque and Castanesa, walked back into the Val d’Aran through the valley of Barrabés, we pass the Conangles refuge, and make the historical road of Port de Vielha to back to Vielha, where we ended up.

And besides walking, the path includes accommodations and activities.

We give a basic package and from here you can choose: hotel, apartments, village restaurants…. We also have a range of partner establishments and seek activities that give an added value to the path: a free tasting of valley liqueurs, an invitation to know the Palai de Geu in Vielha, etc.

And now you are thinking of enlarge it!

Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Camins, we plan a new route that will link the Tour del Aneto with Aigüestortes National Park by the Val d’Aran. We were looking for a way to unite Maladeta Natural Park and Aiguestores and we will extend the current route of the Tour of Aneto up to 9 days that will pass through the national park of the Val d’Aran, the lakes of Colomers, the Baths of Tredos and the whole area of Naut Aran. It can be really interesting for those hikers who seek long routes!

18 October, 2015 dpt21 Blog, Interviews 0