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Raidaran 2016 will host the Adventure Race European Championship

Photo Raidaran

From 18 to 24 of July will be held in the Val d’Aran the third edition of Raidaran, a test that has achieved the international recognition after becoming host of the 2016 Adventure Race European Championship (AREC). This time in only one category-elite-, teams will fight for the continental title in a territory that offers exceptional conditions such as changing summer temperature, exigent slopes and exceptional beauty.

More than 30 teams of a maximum of 40 have registered in the competition, from Spain, France, the Czech Republic, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Canada and Colombia. The Spanish representation has four Catalan teams and three from the rest of Spain (Basque Country, Galicia and Extremadura). Each has 4 members, between which should be at least one woman.

New itinerary

Photo Raidaran

The tour, starting in Vielha and arriving to Lleida, will pass by mountains, rivers with white-water and different zones, especially protected with their spectacular landscape. The organization is doing their best to recover the old and not so used mountain paths in order to offer beautiful and natural landscapes for the racers. Peak ascents, mountain passes, valleys, lakes and lot more can be expected without forgetting the spirit of the team, the main character of the adventure races. The race stages are combined with the mountain biking sections in inhospitable places, hiking sections in solitary zones where the river and water will be the main protagonists.

Photo Raidaran

Marked by the harsh terrain, the Raidaran 2016 will be a raid expedition, which must be overcome steep slopes in the most extreme situations. Oscillating temperatures of the valley in summer, very hot day and very cold at night, will be a determining factor.

Besides the title of champion of Europe ARES, Raidaran winner will get free registration to the World Championship ARWC, which will be held in Australia next November.

Registration

10 May, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Les, a colourful village in the spring fair

Organized by the council of Les, this traditional craft fair and livestock is celebrated the second Sunday of May. It is a lively day in which the village is dyed with colour. In recent years, this exhibition has grown both in number of exhibitors and visitors, attracted to the vivacity of the flowers, the native vegetables, food products (honey, cheeses, pates, jams), crafts of the Val d’Aran and an important collection of farm animals and agricultural equipment.

As part of the fair is also used to hold an exhibition of Aranese sheep breed, accompanied by a morphological contest organized by the Asociación de Criadores de Ovino de Raza Aranesa (ACORA). This activity aims to show the sheep of the Val d’Aran, considered of special protection for its great meat potential and the quality of its wool, highly prized among artisans.

Second hand market

Taking advantage of the event, the consistory of Les has organized a parallel market of second-hand goods, especially dedicated to the agricultural market, where all kinds of products will be exchanged, from seeds and plants to machinery. If you are in the Val d’Aran this weekend, we recommend this curious and traditional event!

6 May, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

The festival of the Santa Creu de Salardú begins

The festival of Salardú, held from Friday 29 April to Tuesday May 3 in honor of the Holy Cross, opens the season of festivals in the Val d’Aran.

It has become one of the most popular events, which gathers Arenese of around the valley with other visitors and followers of our traditions. Over five days, they take place several activities aimed at audiences of all ages, including dances and performances, competitions, cutting logs, output cycling and popular dinner.

The main event takes place on Tuesday, May 3, the feast of the Holy Cross. The ceremony begins with the meeting of the crosses of the term of Naut Aran at the entrance of the town. Crosses of Salardú, Gessa, Arties, Garòs, Bagergue, Tredòs, Unha, Baqueira and Montgarri start a procession to the church of Sant Andreu de Salardú where a solemn mass is officiated in honour of the Holy Cross.

After the religious ceremony, it takes place a performance of Aranese dances performed by the Gripets deth Naut Aran. These include the traditional dance “Eth Balhano” a dance recovered by the municipality in 1996, formerly played inside the church. Eventually he stopped being a dance ceremony to become a popular event where any couple could participate.

Then the present people accompany in procession the priests of Naut Aran and the carriers of the crosses of all populations, to the square dera Pica, where they proceed to the blessing of the inhabitants and the municipality, in order to protect and ensure a good harvest.

Source: Hesta Salardú

29 April, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Toni Estany Memorial, a tribute to the photographer of dragonflies

The work of the Aranese photographer specializing in capturing images of dragonflies will be recognized this spring at the Toni Estany Memorial, an international event that includes an exhibition, a photo contest and odonatology Symposium.

The 33 species of dragonflies that live in the Val d’Aran, photographed by Toni Estany, star in the exhibition that opens today April 14 and will remain in the exhibition hall of Vielha until the 17^th of June. Grouped under the title “Libélulas en la Val d’Aran”, the 53 photographs, presented in various sizes and materials, illustrate the beauty and the colours of this so common insect in Aranese lands.

International competition

Coinciding with the exhibition, has been announced an international photography competition of odonatology, sponsored by El rincón de las libélulas, a Facebook group created by Toni Estany which already has more than 1500 members admirers of this insect. The event, reward the best photograph of dragonflies and the best photograph of dragonflies of the Val d’Aran, which must be submitted before the 30^th of June.

A jury integrated by representatives of associations, and photographers will assess the images, always on released dragonflies, for their quality, originality, difficulty and the affinity to the category. The awards ceremony will take place on July 17 in the exhibition hall of Vielha.

Check the rules and the entry form in this link

Presentations and journeys

Among the events of Memorial Toni Estany it is also scheduled to hold a symposium of odonatology, on 15, 16 and July 17 in Vielha, which will have ten speakers specialists in the photograph of this insect. Also during the event will be presented in the Val d’Aran the Atlas de libèl·lules de Catalunya and will be organized some journeys to show the dragonflies of the valley, some of them almost unique.

Toni Estany, fond of nature and the macro-photography, understood photography as a more graphic medium supplemented with drawing and painting, to illustrate this insect that fascinated him. His eagerness to seek out new copies of dragonfly, led him to identify three new species, thus contributing to their cataloguing.

14 April, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Fishing season begins in the Val d'Aran

From Friday 1st April until the 31st August fishing is permitted in the Val d’Aran, according the Fishing Specific Plan approved by the Conselh d’Aran for the 2016 season. The activity can only be performed on sections of rivers authorized for this purpose.

As exceptions to these dates, the document mentions the high mountain lakes -where the season runs from May 29 to 30 September-; the controlled fishing area of Aiguamòg reservoir -from May 1 to September 25-; and the high mountain rivers -from 1 May to August 31- (Riu Malo, Ruda, Aiguamòg, Valarties, Noguera Pallaresa and Noguera Ribagorçana).

Preserves

The sections that do not appear in the list of controlled fishing areas in the Val d’Aran are considered forbidden. In addition, since the densities of trout after the flood of 2013 are not sufficient to allow fish farming, it is forbidden the section of the Garonne River in the municipality of Naut Aran. Fishing is also forbidden in areas of lakes and high mountain ponds and on the stretches of running water between different lakes.

Hooks and baits

The Plan expressly prohibits fishing with any species of fish dead or alive. Permitted baits can be artificial (spoons, nymphs, flies, fish or imitated animals) or natural (earthworms, honey, cover, cuques de riera, dragues, grasshoppers and adult flies). Is permitted the “arponet” but only can be used a single hook whose measurements can be from 1 to 10.

Captures

In order to preserve the fractions of reproductive age in the rivers, no minimum catch size is set. The maximum sizes, from which the fish must be returned to the river are: 30 cm on the Garonne, 22 cm in mountain rivers and tributaries, and without size in the lakes and reservoirs.

The maximum number of allowable catches per fisher per day is 3 in the Garonne, 5 in the mountainside tributaries and rivers and 12 in lakes and reservoirs. Capture is unlimited for the trout “Irisada”and the “salvelino”.

Controlled fishing areas in the Val d’Aran

31 March, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Val d'Aran near to full occupancy last Easter

Anna Díaz, Conselhera of Tourism of Val d’Aran

Hotel occupancy in the Val d’Aran has reached last Easter rates close to 95% as declared the conselhera of Tourism of the Conselh Generau d’Aran, in the yesterday press conference. Anna Diaz highlighted the good occupancy of all the hotels in the valley, including rural tourism and campsites. The highest rates were in the establishments closest to the ski resort of Baqueira Beret, which said thay they have sold about 100,000 forfaits during the last Easter holidays.

According to Anna Diaz good weather and the promptness of Easter have influenced the choice of the Pyrenees as a destination. Visitors were able to perform all kinds of activities, from skiing to hiking through the different mountain routes, with open access to Artiga Lin and Bassa d’Oles, besides practicing all types of adventure sports.

For the whole winter season the valuation it is highly positive. The conselhera said that it began well, with snowfalls in November that allowed a good starting and followed by a good Christmas. Besides an excellent Easter, February was especially good, with visitors from France, thanks to the good work done from the new tourist office in Toulouse open together with Baqueira Beret, and a significant increase of British tourists, but she stressed that the main Val d’Aran visitors remains Catalan, followed by them from Madrid and País Vasco.

The Tour de France in summer

During his appearance, Anna Diaz explained that now the Torisme Val d’Aran team’s effort is focusing on promoting stage of the Tour de France that Val d’Aran is hosting next July 10. In this regard, he noted with appreciation that many of the tourists who have visited us at Easter, “have already chosen the activities related to the cycle tourism, an activity that we want to empower from now. “

30 March, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Easter in Val d'Aran, disconnect and have fun

Excellent choice for a Easter holiday, the Val d’Aran offers a unique environment that allows you to enjoy moments for everything: from disconnection and silence in places of great beauty and charming like Romanesque churches that invite you to the contemplation and meditation, to the most extreme adventure in mountains, canyons and rivers.

The destination is ideal for a family visit, with multiple sports activities for children in touch with nature, and other cultural and recreational proposals in the museums and villages of the valley. And all this without forgetting that the Val d’Aran has an excellent commercial and gastronomic offer for all tastes.

Children activities

Children will not have time to get bored with the many distractions especially addressed to them. Fun in the playgrounds of Baqueira or learn in the ski schools, meet our bears Ben and Luna and the lovely animals of the wildlife park Aran Park, the exciting adventures in Naturaran or to spend a pleasant afternoon skating on the Palai de Gèu. In addition, under the festival Pyrenades

there are organized various workshops for children and an introductory course in mountaineering.

Snow activities

You are still in time to take advantage of the last days of the hibernal season on the slopes of Baqueira Beret, practicing skiing, snowboarding or any other of the many snow activities performed in the station. Leisure sports centers of the valley have also prepared you nice outings with snowshoes or free ski to discover the remotest places.

Nature

The best way to discover the natural environment of the Val d’Aran are the excursions, whether hiking and cycling, as well as moturismo, routes by car or even by horse. The Tourist offices of the valley have updated information on the tracks and open access in every season information, they propose a. ppropriate options to the preferences and needs of visitors and advise on companies of specialized guides that help to know the territory to go out in a safer way.

Adventure

With the arrival of the first school groups, before the start of the Easter holidays began in the Val d’Aran a a new season of adventure sports: rafting, hydrospeed or Naturaran adventure park are some of the options, although Deportur and Camins, companies that are responsible for implementing them, will propose you many more.

The most intrepid ask for strong emotions as Vias ferratas. In the Val d’Aran there are three routes of different levels of difficulty: Via Ferrata de Les, Via Ferrata Poi d’Unha and Via ferrata Cledes (Les), the latter newly opened this season.

Culture

You will love the visits to the villages in the valley, each with its church, some real treasures, both for its architectural quality as paintings or sculptural that we found inside, an artistic legacy of great variety and exceptional richness. We encourage you to discover them through Cultural thematic routes of the Val d’Aran.

We also advise to profit the last days of the temporary exhibition Umans e Natura in Santa Maria de Arties and visit the Museum of the Val d’Aran and the Musèu dera Nhèu, a thematic center unique in Europe.

Also these days is celebrated in the Val d’Aran the Pyrenades Festival, an event on Pyreneism offering a full program of walks, conferences, screenings, exhibitions and music for all audiences.

Traditions, trade and gastronomy

The followers of the Easter traditions cannot miss Bossòst processions, the only village in the valley that has genuinely preserved them. They take place on Good Friday and Easter Sunday and have become a great tourist and cultural interest of the town.

In addition, Bossòst and Arties organize this days a craft market with typical local products. We recommend you to try the elaborations of marca de garantía Val d’Aran and, of course!, the cuisine of the Aranese restaurants.

And do not forget to spend an afternoon in Vielha, walking through its lively streets with good shopping offer and to stop in its charming corners with history. And one last tip: finish the visit with a pintxos route through the town, they’re really delicious and original!

23 March, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

Final de la Copa del Mundo SBX en la Val d’Aran, ¡comienza el espectáculo!

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Componentes del equipo de la RFEDI

Esta mañana tienen lugar en Baqueira Beret los entrenamientos previos a la Final de la Copa del Mundo SBX que se celebra este fin de semana en la Val d’Aran. Los primeros corredores llegados a la estación aranesa estuvieron ayer conociendo las instalaciones, entre ellos los riders del equipo de la Real Federación Española de Deportes de Invierno (RFEDI) con el favorito, Lucas Eguibar, ganador de la temporada 2014-2015.

Durante esta semana el equipo técnico de la Federación Internacional de Esquí (FIS) junto con el personal de la estación, han estado trabajando en el espectacular trazado que acogerá el evento, localizado en la pista Boardercross, estrenada este invierno en la zona del Blanhiblar en el área de Beret. Desde la FIS se ha destacado la excelente calidad de la nieve en Baqueira, comparable a la de las mejores estaciones del mundo, y en especial la gran cantidad de nieve natural, que aporta firmeza al terreno habiéndose logrado un circuito de primera categoría.

Por su espectacularidad, la Copa del Mundo de Snowboard Cross FIS 2016 es uno de los acontecimientos más esperados por los amantes del deporte de invierno. Todos ellos, podrán seguir las finales el domingo, retransmitidas desde Baqueira por Eurosport y Teledeporte a partir de las 12.30h. Para el vicesíndic de Aran y conselhèr de Deportes, Luis Carlos Medina, “la final de este campeonato es una gran oportunidad para dar a conocer al mundo Baqueira Beret y toda la Val d’Aran”.

Autobuses hasta Beret

Para facilitar los desplazamientos a las pistas, la organización del Campeonato ha puesto en funcionamiento un servicio de autobuses hasta el Pla de Beret los días 19 y 20 de marzo. El servicio tiene conexión en Baqueira con las rutas del transporte interno de la Val d’Aran.

El espectacular trazado que acogerá el evento, localizado en la pista Boardercross.

Horarios:

Sábado, 19 de marzo

Baqueira – Beret 8:30 horas

Baqueira – Beret 9:30 horas

Beret – Baqueira 15:00 horas

Domingo, 20 de marzo

Baqueira – Beret 10:30 horas

Baqueira – Beret 11:30 horas

Beret – Baqueira 15:00 horas

Animación en el village

Diversas actividades lúdicas, culturales y gastronómicas, acompañarán a la competición durante todo el fin de semana para disfrutar de una auténtica fiesta. El village instalado a pie de pistas ofrecerá animaciones, degustaciones de productos de la marca de garantía Val d’Aran y los platos típicos de la cocina aranesa. También se aprovechará para dar a conocer el inigualable entorno que rodea la estación: la belleza del paisaje, la riqueza del patrimonio románico y las exquisiteces de su gastronomía, así como las múltiples y atractivas opciones para el après-ski.

Asimismo, coincidiendo con la final de la Copa del Mundo de snowboard el sábado tendrá lugar una nueva edición de Era Olhada en la borda Lobató de Baqueira, en la que los mejores cocineros del valle elaborarán su propia versión del plato más tradicional, la olha aranesa. Por otro lado, desde el 14 al 20 de marzo tiene lugar en el valle la Semana del Caviar para degustar esta joya de la gastronomía aranesa con los menús que ofrecen ocho de los mejores restaurantes de la comarca.

Y para poner punto final al acontecimiento, el domingo a partir de las 14:30 en el Village se celebrará la fiesta de clausura con un DJ invitado y ¡otras muchas sorpresas!

Programa:

Viernes 18 de marzo

Mañana: Entrenamiento en el trazado

Sábado 19 de marzo

9.30 a 14.40 mangas de reconocimiento y 2 mangas clasificatorias para las finales del domingo

Village Meta: abierto durante el mismo horario de carrera

Domingo 20 de marzo

10.45 a 12.25 reconocimiento y entrenamiento

12.45 a 14.05 Mangas eliminatorias y finales

Village meta: abierto durante el mismo horario de carrera

14.30 a 17 h Fiesta de Clausura en el Village Meta.

18 March, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present, Snow 0

Pyrenades 2016, a festival to enjoy Easter in the Val d'Aran

A new edition of Pyrenades festival, held during the Holy Week in Val d’Aran, will offer, from Saturday 19 until Sunday 26 of March, a full and entertaining program. During these days on Pyreneism walks, lectures, films, music and exhibitions for the general public are proposed.

Carlos Barrera, Síndic d’Aran, Cesar Ruiz, Mayor of Naut Aran and Manel Rocher, director of Pyrenades, will open the festival on Saturday 19th at 18: 30h in the Pyrenmuseu room, where the first conference will take place, “La muntanya i la vida” by Victor Riverola, followed by a panel discussion and the screening of the film “Aguestes Montanhes“.

Throughout the week there will be different activities, among them talks related to the Pyrenean landscape and fauna; walks by idyllic landscapes of the Valley as Baciver lakes, the banks of Unhola or the Aneto’s balcony, plus a walking tour through Vielha; the VI Mostra de cinema de muntanya, with various projections; and games, music and workshops, and a introductory course to mountaineering for children.

Also, you can attend the final days of the exhibition “Umans e natura, trobades inesperades” open until March 30, and guided visits to aranés architectural and pictorial heritage in the churches of Santa Maria d’Arties, Santa Eulalia de Unha and Sant Andreu de Salardú. The closing party, that will take place on Saturday 26 in Pyrenmuseu, will feature a musical performance by ALIDE Sans, one of the emerging voices of the aranese song.

Since its first edition in 2011, Pyrenades has become an excellent option to enjoy Easter in the Val d’Aran with family and friends, contact with nature and enjoying an extensive program of free activities. A PyrenMuseu initiative -the Museum of pirineisme in Salardú-, the festival is organized together with the municipality of Naut Aran and with the support of Torisme Val d’Aran, de l’Idapa and the Conselh Generau d’Aran, plus the collaboration of other organizations in the Valley.

Access the Pyrenades full program

17 March, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0

New season in Aran Park

The wildlife park of the Val d’Aran starts the 2016 season on Saturday March 19, opening uninterruptedly until 1 November. Aran Park announce a lovely surprise that one of the animals has prepared for the visitors this year and that certainly will enchant small and older.

The tour runs along a two-hour route where you can see fourteen different species of animals, with a total of more than a hundred animals, both mammals and birds, in semi-freedom (bears, lynx, chamois, marmots, white wolves, deer, owls…).

The park offers a sense of closeness and freedom and it allows observing animals in their own habitat, as well as discovering the forests of the environment. It also has a picnic area open holidays outfitted with a snack bar.

In operation since 2013, Aran Park with an area of twenty hectares, is located on the slopes of Puerto del Portillon, between the Val d’Aran and Bagnères de Luchon. The park, which has increasingly greater wealth of animals, hopes to become a place where visitors can better understand the nature and wildlife around us.

Timetable

9:30 to 18 pm. Extended until 19h the months of July and August.

16 March, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present 0