Pirineos: Aran-Aigüestortes

Overview

The area have more little valleys but the greater are Aran (North) and Aigüestortes (South Easth), both in the province of Lleida (Catalunya). The small valleys of South West as Boi, Barrabés,... are included as Ribagorça. The river Noguera Ribagorzana divides Ribagorça and the provinces of Lleida and Huesca.

Getting there

 
-From France in the north across the tunnel of Vielha from the area of Pau-Tarbes to St. Girons.
-From Spain: Huesca and Zaragoza across Barbastro. C-1311 to Grauss and Benabarre. N-230 to Pont de Suert and the villages of Caldes de Boí, Boí or Taüll.

1.Alta Ribagorça-Boi

  
The area at East of Benasque at South of the tunnel of Vielha with the areas of Alta Ribagorça, valley of Barravés and Valley of Boi. Some of the mountains of the Eastern side of valley of Benasque have routes from this area as well.

-Villages: Pont de Suert, Barruera, Boi, Taüll, Caldes de Boi.
-Ski-resort: Boi-Taüll
-Mountains: Tuc de Mulleres (3010m), Forcanada (2883m), Besiberri Norte (3014m), Besiberri Sur (3030m), Comaloforno (3033m), Pico del Port de Vielha (2605m).
-Tailheads: Dam of Cavallers (1785m 3 km to north of Caldes de Boi), Tunnel de Vielha South or refuge de Conangles (1585m), Dam of Llauset, Caldes de Boí (1470m).
 

2.Valle de Aran

 
The Valley of Aran is the area at North and North-East of tunnel of Vielha at North-West of Catalonya/Cataluña in the province of Lleida. It's a very mountainous area with more than 30% of surface over 2000m and it contains the beginning of the river Garonne.

-Languages: Aranés, Spanish, Catalá
-Villages: Vielha, Salardú, Arties
-Ski-resort: Baqueira-Beret
-Mountains: Montardo (2833m) from Arties, Montcorbisson (2175m), Pincéla (2546m), Montclude (2518m), Costarjás (2333m), Marimanha (2665m), Mauberme (2884m)

Costarjás

Marimanha

3.Aigüestortes-San Maurici

 
The great national Park of Aigüestortes and Estany (lake) of San Maurici is one of the most beautiful enviroments of the Pyrenees with many lakes and peaks. It was the third National Park in Spain (1955) after Picos de Europa and Ordesa and nowadays it's the only one on Cataluña / Catalonya.

Villages: Espot, Guingueta d'Aneu, Esterri d'Aneu, Son del Pi. The villages of valley of Boi as Boi or Taull are very near of the Park as well.

-Mountains: Punta Alta (3014m), Montardo (2833m) from Caballers-Ventosa, Contraix (2957m), Ratera (2862m), Peguera (2983m), Subenuix (2949m), Gran Tuc de Colomérs (2936m), Els Encantats (2745m).

Contraix

Subenuix

Colomérs

Peguera

-Refuges: Ventosa i Calvell, Colomèrs, Estany Long, Amitges. The full traverse of the refuges is the famous hike-trail "Carros de Foc".
 
-Carros del Foc
On 1987 some guards of the huts from the area decided to make the trek in just one day between the refuges. Someone called that the Carros de Foc (Charriots of fire). From then on, in winter or summer, word immediately spreads when someone makes the trek in one day, "Today the Carros de Foc is coming through". The trek still exists today.
The itinerary of the Carros de Foc consists of passing the nine refuges which are maintained at the moment: Restanca (2010m)-Colomèrs (2100m)-Saboredo (2310m)-Amitges (2380m)-Ernets Mallafré (1885m)-JM Blanc (2320m)-Colomina (2395m)-Estany llong (2000m)-Ventosa i Calvell (2220m)-Restanca (2010m). Another option is the beginning in Ventosa walking to Restanca across the others.

Red Tape

It's very advisable the reserve in the refuges specially in summer.
Aigüestortes is a National Park with rules about the wildlife, the camping, etc.

Campings

Villages with camping:

Alta Ribagorça:
-Barruera: Boneta
-Taüll: Taüll

Aran
-Arties: Era Yerla
-Bossòsts: Espalias

Aigüestortes
-Espot: Sol i Neu, Solau, Voraparc, La Mola
-Esterri d'Aneu: La Presalla
-Guingueta d'Aneu: Nou camping, Vall d'Aneu.

External Links

LosPirineos.com: Valle de Aran
National Park of Aigüestortes
Carros del foc
Pass Aran

Images

View Pirineos: Aran-Aigüestortes Image Gallery - 174 Images