Christmas activities for children

The little ones have a lot of activities ready to enjoy this Christmas holiday in Val d’ Aran. From workshops and recreational spaces to the visit of the most eagerly awaited characters on these dates, illusion and entertainment guaranteed!

  1. Handicraft market, music and workshops in Palai de Geu de Vielha.
  2. Christmas children’s playground in the Palai d’ Esports de Vielha, with zip lines, trampolines, inflatable beds…
  3. Free game in the Sala Polivalent de Vielha.
  4. Workshops around the exhibition “Paisatges ena taula”.
    “Artistic Nhacs” on Wednesday 27th December at 6 pm.

    “Artistic Pintxos” on Wednesday 3rd January at 6 pm.

    “The Governor’s Snack”, on Thursday, January 4th at 5:15 pm.

  5. Corsa Popular infantil de San Silvestre in Bossòst, 31 December at 12 noon.
  6. Visit of Father Christmas in Arties, Vielha and Baqueira Beret on the 23rd and 24th.
  7. The Three Wise Men parade in the main towns of Val d’ Aran. Check schedules in our Agenda section

    Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

Cultural Chritsmas in the Val d'Aran

Various cultural activities are scheduled for this Christmas festivities in Val d’ Aran, with warm concerts in the Romanesque Aranese churches that become intimate settings with exceptional acoustics.  We also offer exhibitions and other popular Aranese traditions for a cultural après ski of the highest order.

Christmas concerts

  • Concert de Nadau de Les. It will feature the participation of Coral Quate Sons, accompanied by Dani Rodríguez’s guitar, with Aleix Filloy as a solo voice and with the participation of Era Corau de Vielha. Friday 22 at 19:30 in the church of Les.
  • Romanic musicau in Les. The Claricordia string quartet at the Church of Sant Joan Baptista in this town on Thursday 28th.
  • Orgues de ponent i del Pirineu. Music Festival in the church of Sant Miqueu de Vielha on the 28th at 20:15. Performed will be Raquel G. Albarrán, soprano and Felipe López, organ.
  • Concert de Nadau in Vielha. The Jove Orquestra de Ponent will be held on 29th at 9pm. in the Glèsia de Mijaran.
  • New Year’s Concert at Baqueira church on January 1st, in favor of Mundo en Armonia. With Claudi Arimany and the Arts Quartet.
  • Romanic musicau in Salardú. Piano and string trio Granados in the church of Sant Andreu de Salardú, on January the 4th.

Exhibitions

  • Neishement de Nadau. Exhibition in Vielha
  • Paisatges ena taula eexhibition in Sant Joan d’ Arties. The activities include Era taula deth governador, a dinner performed in the same exhibition hall.
  • Flocs de Mar. Formentera – Baqueira. Collective exhibition in Baqueira. From 20 December to 31 January, at the B*Mai restaurant in Baqueira
    Also, we remind you that today Friday 22 at 19h. you have the winter solstice festival in Arties and you can visit the Aranese museums throughout all the festivals. Check here the winter timetable.

The Aranese winter cuisine

The winter cuisine of the Val d’ Aran is mainly starring overwhelming dishes, such as soups and stews of birds and game. Inheritance of the family recipe book, they are usually prepared in the traditional style, although we have already begun to find them also in more sophisticated versions of signature cuisine.

Fresh meat from Aranese cattle, and other indigenous products such as sturgeon, trout, sausages and pâtés are also present in many restaurant menus. A wide variety of dishes with French influences, such as raclettes and fondues de queso and crespèths (crêpes). And all this is crowned by the routes of Pintxo Pote, which have already found a niche in the gastronomy of the Valley.

Traditional dishes

The most traditional dishes of Aranese cuisine are a good restorative to recover from the icy winter days or snow sports days. Among them, the symbol par excellence of the traditional gastronomy of Val d’ Aran is the Olha Aranesa, a powerful and tasty soup of great energy value. Simpler, but equally comforting is the Patarnes, bread soup and potatoes of very easy elaboration.

Among the meats, hunting is also very present in winter, with dishes such as wild boar cannelloni or civet de senglar, a tasty stew. Also, in the valley’s many braziers we find an excellent fresh meat from Aranese cattle, roasted on a wood fire.

Author cuisine

Val d’ Aran’s guarantee brand products also allow the signature cuisine restaurants to innovate with their own preparation of winter dishes. In the valley we can taste specialities as suggestive as the candied sturgeon, a trout with fine herbs, the carpaccio of deer, cabbages stuffed with meat or goose cannelloni. And even modern versions of traditional dishes such as deconstructed Aranese Olha or the stew of deer with vanilla tubers.

French influence

Influenced by the neighbouring country, the winter cuisine of Val d’ Aran has incorporated specialities typical of French cuisine interpreted, albeit with the special Aranese style. The crespèth, is the typical Aranese variety of the popular sweet crêpe. It is usually eaten in breakfasts and snacks, although some restaurants also include it in their menu.

Other references to alpine cuisine are fondues, raclettes and soufflés, with cheese as the star ingredient. And, precisely, artisan cheese boards or the varieties of fresh cheese with honey from Arana are also present in dessert menus.

The Pintxo pote tour

The tradition of the pincho landed in the Val d’ Aran from northern Spain, mainly through the hands of Basque chefs living in Aranese lands. It has its origin in the tapas served by the bars of the villages: the typical corns, salad, wild potatoes or Spanish omelette that, with daring, imagination and culinary creativity have become authentic delicacies and have managed to establish the fashion of snacking in the Valley.

The Pintxo Pote consists of a tapas of the day, the “pintxo”, served with a drink -usually a house wine or beer zurito-, the “pote”, on Tuesdays in Vielha, Thursdays in Bossòst and Fridays in Les. The routes of the Pintxo Pote usually coincide with the snow season and are a good opportunity for a pleasant meeting between locals and seasonal workers.

 

The Museu dera Nhèu, a unique thematic centre in Europe

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Located in the town of Unha, just seven kilometres from the ski resort of Baqueira Beret, the Musèu dera Nhèu of the Val d’Aran joins a documented thematic exhibition on snow with worldwide references that make it a unique space in Europe.

Musèu dera NhèuThe Musèu dera Nhèu is a harmonious combination of audiovisual and interactive resources and graphics and written historical documents, can address the phenomenon of snow from the scientific perspective, ethnographic and sport, with the help of an extensive collection of testimonials items ranging from a mockup of Baqueira Beret until the first models of skis.

Musèu dera Nhèu

Coto Çò Baile an eighteenth century building, hosts this centre created in 2006, with 500 m2 of permanent exhibition on three floors and four sections on meteorological phenomenon; the harshness of life in these areas; snow sports; and ski resorts. The centre is complemented by another 150 m2 in the building of Social Casal intended for exhibitions and conferences. During the winter there ara guided visits that it is necessary to arrange in the municipality of Naut Aran.

What is snow?

Crystals and snow of the cohesion, avalanches, glaciers or the animals adaptation to the snow are some of the topics covered on the first floor, with a scientific vision and displayed via touch screens and audiovisual media. This section has been made with the cooperation of the Val d’Aran Prediction Center of Avalanches, under the Conselh Generau d’Aran , which participated in developing of the content.

When the snow was suffered

The second thematic section focuses on the lifestyle of some territories conditioned by a certain geography and meteorology. Hardness winters, architecture adapted, clothing, legends and beliefs, popular sayings … With the old fire place of the house as part of the scenery, it is recreated a traditional kitchen with utensils from contributions from individuals and the Museum of Vielha, including old sleds and vintage clothing.

Gold snow

The beginnings of skiing and the different types of sports and snow activities, winter fashion and ski equipment are part of this third section which shows how the Val d’Aran has become a winter tourist destination unique for its conditions, with heavy snow and of very good quality, which has been the cradle of outstanding athletes. It also includes an audiovisual and a permanent exhibition of materials given in part by Baqueira Beret.

Ski resorts

The final section gives an overview of the history and present of the main ski resorts in the world and in Catalonia, with special mention of Baqueira, consolidated as one of the best ski resorts in the Pyrenees in terms of services, facilities and ski area and on which you can see an interesting audio-visual.

Sopar deth gobernador, theatricals dinner in Arties

El Sopar deth gobernador (The Governor’s Table) is a theatrical dinner where the host, Mr. Governor of Aran, invites guests to share their table, and learn about traditional Aranese cuisine. This activity, organised by the Val d’ Aran Museum Network, takes place in the church of Sant Joan d’ Arties, coinciding with the exhibition “Paisatges ena taula” in the church’s exhibition hall and the celebration of the Year of Gastronomy at the Val d’ Aran Museum.

For the moment, theSopar deth gobernador  is limited to 3 sessions scheduled for the 7th, 9th and 29th of December from 8 pm to 10 pm. The dinner price is 30 € per person and tickets are sold in advance at the Museum of Val d’ Aran. The activity is limited to 25 people and recommended for those over 16 years of age.

Children’s workshops

Also, through the exhibition “Paisatges ena taula”, two workshops and a snack for children have been programmed. The first of these,”Artistic Nhacs” will take place on Wednesday 27 December at 6 p. m. This is an artistic activity with food as the protagonists. The workshop recovers and sets off again this experience after the success obtained in the 5th Collective Exhibition of Artists of Aran-David Beso.
Under the title “Pintxos Artísticos”, the second activity will be held on Wednesday January 3 at 6 pm. It consists of a creative cooking workshop for children, where they will prepare an original and entertaining culinary presentation that they can taste themselves.
Children’s Christmas activities will end on Thursday, January 4th at 5:15 pm with “The Governor’s Snack. The host will invite the little ones to enjoy a delicious snack.

“Musèus d’ Aran, all year round”

The activities in the exhibition hall of the Sant Joan d’ Arties church are part of the “Musèus d’ Aran, all year round” campaign, which aims to promote the visit of Aranese cultural heritage throughout the year. With the label #museusdarantoteran we invite you to come, participate and share in the different experiences lived through the cultural heritage of the Val d’ Aran.

Book your getaway from the Val d' Aran website

The Torisme de Val d’ Aran website this season includes a link to the Baqueira Beret reservation centre, through which you can book everything, from ski passes to hotels, equipment rentals, monitors and classes or restaurants.

Baqueira Beret’s online booking centre, which can be accessed directly from the Torisme dera Val d’ Aran website, has been optimised this season to offer better usability. The reservation system of Viajes Baqueira Beret, the station’s official travel agency, includes the installation of a new program that makes it possible to streamline and facilitate reservations, whether by telephone or directly through the renewed website.
The user has easy access to a made-to-measure booking system with greater services and more competitive rates. The online head office includes databases of accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental companies, courses and classes with instructor. It also includes the possibility of contracting accommodation packs + ski pass, with special prices for groups of at least 25 people.
Booking a weekend, a getaway, a bridge or a holiday in Val d’ Aran at the click of a button is becoming easier and the possibilities are simply unlimited.

Baqueira Beret opens the resort this weekend

The Val d’ Aran ski resort, Baqueira Beret, will open 25 ski slopes next Saturday with more than 30 km of open slopes and a maximum snow thickness of up to 50 cm. The heavy snowfall and intense cold of the last few weeks has led to an abundant production of snow and the ideal conditions to bring forward the opening, initially planned for the last weekend in November.

The central area of Baqueira will be open with all lifts in operation except for the Telecabina and the TDS Pla de Baqueira. The station will keep its opening during the week and, if weather permitting, until 8 April, the scheduled closing day.

The skiers who come up this weekend will be able to open the new Restaurant del Bosque in Baqueira 1800. Orri’s Parrrec, Orri’s ticket offices and Baqueira 1500’s offices will also be open from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.

The Ski Service, located in Baqueira 1.500 and at elevation 1.800, will also be active and it will be possible to hire the services of ski-guards and boots for the whole season in Ruda, Baqueira 1500 and Baqueira 1800.

"Paisatges ena taula", gastronomic exhibition in Arties

An exhibition on the evolution of gastronomy throughout history and how the landscape of our table has changed was inaugurated last Friday in the exhibition hall of the church of Sant Joan d’ Arties. The exhibition can be visited, until 27 January 2018, from Monday to Saturday from 5 to 8 pm.
“Paisatges ena taula” covers the transformation of cuisine and food and the changes brought about by globalisation in the way it is processed, conserved and produced. The exhibition’s museography is composed of interactive and documentary exhibition resources, as well as ethnological objects from everyday life in our kitchens.
The exhibition is the result of the joint work of the museums that form part of the Xarxa de Museus d’ Etnologia de Catalunya. In addition,”Paisatges ena taula” is this year’s last exhibition in the church of Sant Joan and one of the many actions related to gastronomy in the Network of Museums of Val d’ Aran.

Ski season 2017-2018: Promotion tour

Baqueira Beret and Val d’ Aran present the ski season 2017-2018 and the novelties in the snow activities of next winter.

The promotion of the ski season 2017-2018 of Baqueira Beret will begin next October 23rd in Burgos, with a tour of 19 Spanish cities where all the novelties and snow activities of the Val d’ Aran will be presented. In Madrid and Barcelona, special presentations will be held at the Platea and Illa Diagonal shopping centres, respectively.

A tasting of products from the Val d’ Aran Guarantee Brand will accompany the presentation ceremony in each of the towns. There will be announced proposals, surprises and experiences, unique and exclusive for this winter. In addition, visitors will be able to participate in the draw forfaits, full stays, weekends, ski courses and equipment Salomon.

Calendar

Promoción internacional

As for the promotion abroad, Baqueira Beret and Val d’ Aran have already started the tour. In recent weeks, the Comité d’ Enterprise de Bordeaux, Pau, Toulouse and Montpellier in France has been attended. It is also planned to be present at the Ski & Snowboard Show in London, at the Salon de Tourisme in Bordeaux, and at the Winter Snow in Stokolm..

Online booking system

This season, the Tourism page of Val d’ Aran allows you to speed up and facilitate reservations at the Aranese ski resort.

Baqueira Beret offers 157 km of skiable area, with 35 lifts and a total capacity of 60,114 people/hour.