Encamp: Pas de la Casa and the Valira Valley
Travel guide · editorialThe parish of Encamp stretches from the floor of the Valira valley all the way to the French border, where Pas de la Casa, Andorra's highest ski resort, sits at over 2,000 meters (6,600 feet). A trip to Encamp combines skiing and shopping in Pas de la Casa with Romanesque churches and a quiet mountain lake.
Location and Towns
The parish of Encamp is one of Andorra's seven parishes. The main town, Encamp, lies in the valley of the Valira d'Orient between Andorra la Vella and Canillo. The parish also includes the eastern part of the country, with Pas de la Casa on the border with France. In between lies the Port d'Envalira at around 2,400 meters (7,900 feet), the highest paved mountain pass in the Pyrenees; today a tunnel spares you the drive over the pass. Above the town of Encamp lies Lake Engolasters, surrounded by forest, with hiking trails and a reservoir nearby.
Sights in Encamp
Pas de la Casa is the French gateway to Grandvalira, the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, and is popular with French day visitors for its shops. In the evening there is more après-ski here than in other Andorran towns. In the main town of Encamp, the Funicamp gondola connects the valley with the ski area. The Museu Nacional de l'Automòbil displays historic vehicles, and the village of Les Bons has the Romanesque church of Sant Romà with an old defensive tower that rises above the valley. In summer, the hiking trail to the Pessons lakes above Grau Roig or into the UNESCO-listed Madriu Valley is popular. In summer, Encamp hosts concerts and festivals, and from Grau Roig hikes lead into a landscape of mountain lakes.
Food, Getting There, and Best Time to Visit
On the table you'll find Catalan mountain specialties such as trinxat, sausage, snails a la llauna, and mountain cheese; in Pas de la Casa you'll also find French cuisine. From Toulouse, you can reach Pas de la Casa by car or bus in about two and a half hours; Barcelona is farther away. The best time to visit is December through April for skiing and July through September for hiking.