Day 10 - In and out of Spain and Andorra
Sunday 3rd September 2017
I leave the Rencluse early in the morning after an indifferent breakfast. France is definitely not the place to go for good morning eating.
It is also interesting that just a few miles from spain, where the evening meal is not usually available until 20:30 or later, here in France you may not find dinner if you are not seated before 9 in the evening.
I head back into Spain, over a pass and down the wide sweeping road following the Val d'Aran.
Port de la Bonaigua is 2072m, a windswept rocky summit. The next pass is called El Canto and is 1720.8m (the sign actually has the decimal, maybe there is another one in the region recorded as 1720 and they are determined to beat it!)
Then into Andorra. I had forgotten what a horrible place this is. Essentially it is a big shopping centre for the Pyrenees. Tax free discounting everywhere and huge traffic jams as a result as the French and Spanish populations pour in to find a bargain.
Sure fuel, booze, fags and perfume are very cheap but what a way to spoil a perfectly beautiful mountain landscape.
It is getting late and I need to find a hotel but I really don't fancy staying in this hugely commercial country, so I cross back into France and follow the valley to Tarascon-sur- where I find the Hotel Confort.
It is also interesting that just a few miles from spain, where the evening meal is not usually available until 20:30 or later, here in France you may not find dinner if you are not seated before 9 in the evening.
I head back into Spain, over a pass and down the wide sweeping road following the Val d'Aran.
 |
| Viewpoint looking down the Val d'Aran |
 |
| Port de la Bonaigua |
Then into Andorra. I had forgotten what a horrible place this is. Essentially it is a big shopping centre for the Pyrenees. Tax free discounting everywhere and huge traffic jams as a result as the French and Spanish populations pour in to find a bargain.
Sure fuel, booze, fags and perfume are very cheap but what a way to spoil a perfectly beautiful mountain landscape.
It is getting late and I need to find a hotel but I really don't fancy staying in this hugely commercial country, so I cross back into France and follow the valley to Tarascon-sur- where I find the Hotel Confort.
 |
| Andorra - lovely roads once you get out of the shopping nightmare |
 |
| Hotel Confort |
The hotel sits on the banks of the
tapas - spicy potatoes, calamari bits in breadcrumbs and chicken wings. There is a nice bottle of Morgon on special offer (€14.50), then cassis sorbet and coffee for afters.
Replete, I stagger back to the hotel and turn in.
tapas - spicy potatoes, calamari bits in breadcrumbs and chicken wings. There is a nice bottle of Morgon on special offer (€14.50), then cassis sorbet and coffee for afters.
Replete, I stagger back to the hotel and turn in.
Comments
Post a Comment