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Christmas in the Val d'Aran

The Val d’Aran has all the ingredients to celebrate a Christmas full of illusions: crib villages, churches with history, recovered Christmas traditions … All this combined with the best of sports, -with the unique conditions and activities of the ski resort Baqueira Beret-, cultural, commercial and gastronomic offer of the Valley itself, adapted to the tastes and interests of our visitors.

Skiing and snow activities in Baqueira Beret

The station, one of the snowiest destinations in Europe right now, plans to open during the holidays 80 slopes with 130 skiable kilometers open in three areas: Baqueira, Beret and Bonaigua. It also provides live information about the weather conditions and the state of the tracks, expandable with the Meteoaran and the Avalanche Center of Conselh informations.

Baqueira offers many snow activities: snowshoeing, sledding with dogs or horses, snowmobiles. New for this winter season 2015-2016 are the ski mountain routes around the station. This hobby allows access to the most beautiful corners of the valley so, although its practice is carried out usually in wild mountain, this circuit is a prelude to skiers acquire enough experience and safety.

And after sport, l’Après Ski, with all services fully operational in Baqueira Beret, including Baqueira Ski Service, stores and restaurants of the station. During these Christmas events like the arrival of Santa Claus, the spectacular descent with torches at night New Year’s Eve, the New Year Charity concert and procession of the Magi will also be held.

Culture, history and tradition

All Val d’Aran has been decked for Christmas and are really nice walks through the decorated villages visiting its Romanesque churches, with guided tours such as them in Santa Maria d’Arties on 30 December and January 6. There you can visit the exhibition Umans et Natura, production that reflects the relationship over time between man and Aranese land.

Must visit the museums of the Val d’Aran, which preserve documents in their rooms and unique items that help to understand the idiosyncrasy of Aran land and its people.

For everybody

This Christmas days is open the III Parc de Nadau in the Palai d’Esports de Vielha with different activities to entertain all afternoon, just off the Palai de Geu, where you can enjoy ice-skating.

And lovers of tradition have the party “Era soca de Nadau” in Les, a custom recovered celebrated on December 24 in the Plaça de l’Església. Is the burning of a huge trunk to the sound of bells ringing, whereupon Midnight Mass is celebrated and hot chocolate, coca and Muscatel is served while Es Corbilhuèrs group sings.

From 27 to 29 is held in Arties the Mercat de Nadau, an interesting display of Aran crafts and typical products of our cuisine. Speaking of eating, visitors can not fail to try the genuine Aran cooking, especially the Olha Aranesa.

24 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Monographic 0

Presentation of the ski mountaineering national team and the new Val d’Aran routes

The Conselh Generau d’Aran hosted yesterday the presentation of the ski mountaineering national team, which was attended by the World Champion Kilian Jornet and the technicians and other team members. During the ceremony there were announced the new ski mountaineering circuits of the Val d’Aran, marked by Baqueira Beret around the station, which will allow skiers start to acquire enough experience and confidence to go to the mountain, and that these professional athletes have tested over this week.

Oriol Duixans, coach of the national team ski mountaineering Baqueira welcomed the initiative stressing that in this sport on a growth path, “as a country we are a world power despite not having many snow” and thanked the Val d’Aran facilities for the training of the team “as we talked to some members, the Val d’Aran remains one of the snowiest places in Europe at the moment“.

In his speech, Kilian Jornet alluded to the good memories he have of the valley, where he won his first world championship, and highlighted the culture of snow and skiing here, that has led us to find solutions to ensure the future of the sport. “I’m just coming from the Alps and now there is more snow here in the Val d’Aran than there,” said the skier.

17 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

The Cronoski Era Pujada scoring for the Copa de España

The next weekend will be a new edition of the Cronoski Era Pujada, mountain ski competition organized by the Mountaineering Club d’Aran. The race, in which collaborate the Conselh Generau and Torisme de la Val d’Aran, is scoring the Copa de España 2015 this year.

The Cronoski starts Saturday 19th at 12 noon in Beret and recovers the route of the first year, departing from the station of the chairlift Cloth der Os, where runners soar to the top of Dossau. Junior and cadet categories will depart from the station below of the chairlift Dossau.

Program and registrations –open until today Wednesday- are available at this link.

15 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

The CDIA Snow Event starts in the Val d’Aran

Foto: FEDDF (http://www.feddf.es)

From today until next Tuesday, December 15 is celebrated in the towns of Vielha, Arties, Salardú and in the ski station of Baqueira-Beret, el CDIA-ARAN SNOW EVENT, an event organised by the Centro de Deportes de Invierno Adaptados (CDIA), which is focused on the Campus “Mujer y Deporte” of Adapted Alpine Skiing. The event is part of the program Alto Rendimiento, Tecnificación y Detección de Talentos de Deportes de Invierno, belonging to the Federación Española de Deportes para Personas con Discapacidad Física (FEDDF) and the Federación Española de Deportes para Personas con Parálisis Cerebral (FEDPC) and is also supported by the Consejo Superior de Deportes and the Fundación Repsol.

The event aims to inform CDIA athletes, teams and programs, the campus development “Women and Sport”; enhance communication channels and presence in the media of winter sports adapted for dissemination and promotion; and achieve the harmonization and integration in society of disabled people through sport.

To this end, they carried out various activities, including the official presentation of the national winter sports adapted teams, a roundtable with industry professionals in which will act as ambassadors the journalist Jose Maria Garcia and the actress Miriam Diaz Aroca The presentation of the various sponsors of the CDIA and a charity gala to raise funds for the organization, to be attended by renowned athletes like Gemma Hassen-Bey or Aymar Navarro.

The philosophy of the event is based on the values associated with CDIA among them, integration, respect and equality for all disabled people; and especially for athletes, effort, commitment and teamwork. And finally, the solidarity character of attendees, speakers, contributors, sponsors and ambassadors of the event, without whose participation would not be feasible this celebration.

11 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

High number of visitors in the Val d'Aran during the Purísima

The tourist occupation has been at about 80% during the early days of Purisima in the Val d’Aran, according to data provided by the Consèlheria de Torisme e Desvolopament Economic and Baqueira Beret ski resort, which plans to sell up 40,000 forfaits today.

In the absence of definitive data, the conselhèra Anna Diaz, has welcomed these figures. “If we add hotel stays and visitors from second homes, we find between about 22,000 and 25,000 people, generating a significant economic impact not only in hotels, but also in all establishments in the Val d’Aran as shops, restaurants and bars, and supermarkets. ”

Also, the sindic d’Aran, Carlos Barrera, has remarked that “the structures of the emergency services, both health and fire in the Val d’Aran have worked normally and with security during these days”

8 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

A hug number of activities to enjoy the Purisima in Val d'Aran

Calm weather and snow in excellent condition ensures the best conditions for visitors to the Val d’Aran enjoy an unforgettable experience during the weekend of Purísima. Snow sports, Christmas lights in towns, exhibitions and craft fairs join the common cultural, culinary and commercial proposal of the valley to offer an attractive program with activities for everybody.

More than 140 km of tracks

The ski resort of Baqueira Beret, where it remains the best snow and sunny weather is expected with no wind, plans to open more than 140 km of tracks, which can be accessed from different enters: Peülla, Bonaigua Baqueira 1500, Val de Ruda, Tanau, Orri and Beret.

Excellent opportunity to practice various forms of skiing: downhill, cross country, telemark or ski mountaineering, but we advise to consult with specialists from aranese companies that will report on valley routes and conditions. Other activities are great attraction as sleds pulled by horses or dogs, and snowmobiles. And the younger have two fabulous snowparks in Baqueira.

Snowshoeing is a quiet activity to know the territory that increasingly has more followers. Our tourist offices provide all the information on the itineraries of snow for some of the most charismatic and beautiful and the well-marked places on the safest areas in risk of avalanches. Meanwhile,’Servici de Lauegi‘ del Conselh Generau d’Aran constantly analyses the profiles of snow and updates data on its website that this season has been completely renovated prioritizing security-related information. These data can be supplemented with Meteoraran, the aranés weather information service.

Apres ski

For after a sports day, we recommend the new entertainment and dining area of the Hotel Montarto in Baqueira 1500, which this year opens the Baqueira Winebar by Vinya Pomal, a wine bar with extensive Spanish wine DO and a rich cuisine based on rations. The hotel has also installed the Drinkery Montarto, a music bar on the ground floor open from 15h.

Once abandoned the slopes, do not miss the beautiful spectacle of the picturesque villages of the valley with the lights for the next Christmas holidays. We invite you to attend on Friday the Christmas lights lit in Vielha, and on Saturday in Arties where a party will be held in the Urtau Square to celebrate the start of the season.

In each of the villages there are excellent restaurants to taste the Val d’Aran winter cuisine. You must not fail to try the most representative dish, the Olha aranesa, a restorative pleasure for the senses after a day in the snow.

In addition, we recommend a tour Vielha city center, which offers a remarkable commercial offer with the best brands in sports clothes and elegant shops with the latest in Christmas decorations. And fans of the recycling can be passed through the second hand market ski equipment in Arties from Friday to Tuesday morning.

Craft fairs

From Saturday 5 to Monday 7 takes place The Fira del Formatge “Sabor Vielha”, with a sample of artisan cheeses, where you can taste a variety of cheeses from cow, sheep, goat and buffalo, many of them unknown to the public but renowned among gourmets. The fair is complemented with other products such as deli meats, sweets and jams and wine tasting tours for small groups.

On the other hand, the people of Les held next Monday, 7 traditional Fair of the Immaculate, where local handicrafts also in the area such as cold meat, jams, honey, spreads and aranese handycrafts.

Cultural activities

Without moving from Les, the visitor can approach the graphic exhibition Hèstes der Huec in the hall of the Les municipality organized in the village to celebrate the recent statement of this tradition in the Pyrenees as intangible cultural heritage, and attend the same Monday at the conference and audiovisual projection trailer about this event.

Another exhibition is the one you can visit in Baqueira, “Somnis color” in the BBart until 1 January. And for music lovers we have two different proposals: the concert Nadalets of Corau Margalida in the Residence San Antoni of Vielha on Saturday and a gospel concert in the church of Vielha on Monday.

4 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Les y Arties celebran la declaración de las Hèstes Der Huec del Pirineo como patrimonio inmaterial de la Unesco

El comité intergubernamental de la Unesco ha declarado las fallas del Pirineo como Patrimonio Inmaterial de la Humanidad. Esta catalogación contempla las 63 fiestas del fuego que se celebran durante el solsticio de verano en los Pirineos, entre las cuales se incluyen La crèma deth Haro de Les i la crèma deth Taro d’Arties.

La candidatura se ha llevado a cabo a través del gobierno de Andorra con la participación de diversos territorios dentro del estado español: Alt Urgell, Pallars Jussà, Pallars Subirà, Ribagorça, Ribagorza aragonesa o Sobrarbe y Aran y de Françia, el Cominges. “Hay que agradecer al gobierno de Andorra su voluntad de llevar adelante este proyecto de la declaración y que nos haya ofrecido participar en él”, ha declarado Jep Montoya, miembro del Departament de Cultura i Patrimoni del Consèlh Generau d’Aran i redactor de los expedientes de Les i Arties. “ha sido un expediente modélico que ha contado con la participación de tres estados con una absoluta coordinación”.

La conselhèra de Turisme i Desenvolupament Econòmic d’Aran, Anna Díaz Morelló, recuerda que “se trata de dos fiestas muy antiguas y arraigadas en la Val d’Aran. Antiguamente se celebraban en todos los pueblos pero solo Les y Artíes las han mantenido. Es una tradición muy entrañable y popular donde se implican todos los vecinos del pueblo y también los visitantes que se encuentran en la Val d’Aran por esas fechas. Desde el Consèlh hemos decidido volcarnos en la difusión de nuestras fiestas tradicionales, ya que hemos constatado que son un gran atractivo cultural que aquellos que las conocen no se quieren perder”.

Origen y desarrollo del ritual

Desde tiempos ancestrales, cuando llegaba el solsticio de verano, se celebraban en el Pirineo cuatro ritos muy extendidos: el del fuego purificador a través de los haros i de las halhes; el de tomar el rocío, el agua de esta noche, especial por sus virtudes milagrosas; el de recoger las plantas que han recibido el rocío y que adquieren también propiedades curativas, y el de jugar al escondite, en una noche en que la mujer se igualaba al hombre y lo tenía todo permitido.

El rito del fuego, que tiene sus inicios en la ceremonia pagana que se realizaba en honor al Dios Sol, -denominado Abelio en la Val d’Aran y en Cominges- con el tiempo se incorporó a la tradición cristiana y en algunas localidades se ha mantenido hasta nuestros días. Consiste en la quema de las fallas durante la noche más corta del año y con el fuego se escenifica este cambio de ciclo en el año solar, cuando comienza el declive del día. En Les y en Arties, las fallas se llaman haros o taros y son árboles de 12 m de altura.

Con este rito se perseguía la purificación, la quema de los malos espíritus –que en la Val d’Aran llamamos “erulets”- y de todo aquello que trae la desgracia y la enfermedad a humanos y animales. A continuación se llevaba una parte del carbón y las cenizas a las casas y a las cuadras para evitarles el mal, y otra parte a los huertos y campos para pedir buena cosecha.

Imágenes de las fiestas en este vídeo.

La crèma deth Haro de Les

Tiene lugar el 23 de junio, festividad de San Juan y supone el inicio de las fiestas patronales de la localidad. Durante la velada se quema un tronco de abeto, el haro.

El escenario del ritual es la Plaça deth Haro, donde, sobre las 10 de la noche llega la procesión al ritmo de las danzas tradicionales de Es Corbilhuèrs de Les. Tras la bendición y encendido del haro por parte del sacerdote del pueblo, se le prende fuego, se le prende fuego y se procede a la quema de les halhes, una especie de antorchas fabricadas con corteza de cerezo que se hacen girar describiendo círculos y simulando la lucha para purificar y quemar los malos espíritus. La ceremonia finaliza con un baile alrededor del haro encendido, mientras en la plaza se sirve el “vin caud”, vino caliente con azúcar, ron y fruta que se toma junto a la tradicional coca de Sant Joan.

Unos días más tarde, el 29 de junio, festividad de San Pedro, tiene lugar la “Quilha deth haro”, es decir, la plantada del nuevo Haro. Los recién casados tienen el honor de distinguirlo con una corona de flores, como rito para pedir fecundidad. Este árbol preside la plaza vieja de Les durante un año, hasta la próxima noche de San Juan.

Asimismo, el segundo sábado de mayo el pueblo celebra la “xasclada” momento mágico en que se le clavan las cuñas al árbol y se convierte en sagrado. Cabe señalar que el levantamiento del haro se lleva a cabo con la misma técnica que usaba el hombre primitivo para enderezar los menhires: se levanta desde el suelo y a base de fuerza y de ir apuntalándolo se van ganando grados de altura hasta que finalmente se planta y se clava.

La crèma deth Taro d’Arties.

Por San Juan se celebra también en Artíes la llegada del solsticio de verano con la quema de un tronco de abeto, coincidiendo con el inicio de las fiestas mayores de la localidad. Esta celebración marcaba también el momento en que los ganaderos comenzaban a subir a los animales a los pastos más altos de las montañas.

Un mes antes de la fiesta, una expedición de hombres del pueblo sale a buscar el taro, lo cargan hacia el pueblo y lo preparan para su quema. Llegado el día, se le prende fuego y se arrastra por calles y plazas de Arties, acompañado de música y de los vítores de los asistentes, en un recorrido hasta altas horas de la madrugada y que acaba delante de la casa del alcalde, donde se deja totalmente carbonizado. Según la tradición, las cenizas del taro protegen, purifican y fertilizan, por lo que al esparcirlas por todo el pueblo alejan a los malos espíritus.

Actos en Les con motivo de la declaración

Para celebrar la nominación, en el pueblo de Les se han organizado un conjunto de actos que pretenden también dar difusión a la candidatura.

Miércoles 2

19:30 Repique de campanas en la iglesia de Les

19:45 Proyección audiovisual en la Plaça der Haro del tráiler de la presentación de la candidatura y del momento de la nominación como Patrimonio Inmaterial de la Unesco

20:00 Crema de Halhes y bailes populares de los Corbilhuèrs de Les. Himno nacional “Montanhes Araneses”

20:30 Vin Caud y chocolatada

Del 5 al 8 de diciembre

Exposición gráfica Hèstes deth Huec en el hall del ayuntamiento de Les

Lunes 7

18.00 Proyección audiovisual del tráiler de la presentación de la candidatura y del momento de la nominación como Patrimonio Inmaterial de la Unesco

Conferencia explicativa de la candidatura como Patrimonio Inmaterial de la Unesco

2 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present, Monographic 0

Winter schedules of Vielha and Toulouse tourist offices

Vielha Office

New schedules of Vielha Tourist Office throughout the winter season from December 1 to March 27.

– Monday to Sunday from 9:30 to 13: 30h and from 16h to 20h

– We will close on 24 and 25 December, 1 and 6 January.

– Special schedule on December 31 and January 5: from 9:30 to 17: 30h

Toulouse Office

Sophie Rachou, head of the office, serves those interested in the Val d’Aran and Baqueira Beret throughout the year and reports on tourism in all sectors: activities, heritage, culture, gastronomy, shopping, accommodation, restaurants, bars and all services in general.

Timetable:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 to 12: 30h and 14 to 18h

Tuesday and Thursday from 14 to 18h

39 rue Pharaon – 31000 Toulouse

Tel: 05.34.33.76.30

1 December, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

The winter season starts in Val d'Aran with the opening of Snowfest

Aderes Gomez – Pau Perdices – Juan Antonio Serrano – Aymar Anavarro – Luis Carlos Medina (Conselher d’Esports) – Toño Beso (presidente gemi comerciantes vielha) – Oriol Balaguer (pastelero), SnowFest 2015, Palacio de los Deportes de Vielha – Val d’Aran – Lleida, 27/11/2015; SnowFest/Gorka Martinez

A variety of activities related to the world of skiing will be held throughout the weekend for the Snowfest Pirineus 2015, the Val d’Aran festival of snow which opened Friday. The event, held at the Palai d’Esports de Vielha, has enjoyed the presence of Aymar Navarro champion freeriding, which has acted as a sponsor of the event, Anna Díaz, conselhèra de Turisme i Desenvolupament Econòmic d’Aran and the vicesindic 1er y conselhèr d’Esports d’Aran, Luis Carlos Medina,, accompanied by Toño Beso, director of the Snowfest Pirineus 2015 and Ubeira Xavier, commercial director of Baqueira Beret, among others.

During the inauguration it has been tasted the chocolate prepared exclusively for this edition of Snowfest, by the pastry chef Oriol Balaguer, who will also conduct a workshop tomorrow about chocolate. Friday activities have continued with the Tapas Route Snowfest, Snowfest projection flashmob and the Avant-Première of the film “Aguestes Montanhes- Històries Baqueira” in Salardú.

More information in Snowfest 2015

27 November, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Aymar Navarro opens today the SnowFest 2015

Friday at 20h the champion freeriding, Aymar Navarro, will open as a goodfather, the third edition of Snowfest Pirineus 2015, in the church square of Vielha with the presence of institutional representatives from the Val d’Aran, between them the conselhèra of Tourism and Economic Development, Anna Diaz and the vicesindic and Sports conselher, Luis Carlos Medina.

The opening ceremony will give the starting signal for the lighting of the Christmas lights and open a flasbmob snowdance to dance and encourage snow season. Then will begin the complete program of this year that includes educational, festive, artistic, gastronomic activities and sports demonstrations, in addition to the Salon Winter Expo where top brand clothing and sports equipment will show the new season collections.

Full program of the SnowFest 2015.

27 November, 2015 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0