El Pas de la Casa

El Pas de la Casa (Catalan pronunciation: [əl ˈpas ðə lə ˈkazə]; French: Le Pas de la Case) is a ski resort (part of the Grandvalira resort), town, and mountain pass in the Encamp parish of Andorra, lying on the border with France.

El Pas de la Casa
El Pas de la Casa is located in Andorra
El Pas de la Casa
El Pas de la Casa
Location in Andorra
Coordinates: 42°32′32.41″N 1°44′01.78″E
Country Andorra
Area
 • Total17 km2 (7 sq mi)
Elevation
2,080 m (6,820 ft)
Highest elevation
2,827 m (9,275 ft)
Population
 (2012)
 • Total2,996
 • Density180/km2 (460/sq mi)
ParishEncamp
Websitehttp://www.encamp.ad/

Overview

Its name literally translates as "the pass of the house" and refers to the fact that until the early twentieth century there was only a single shepherd's hut overlooking the pass. The pass marks the watershed of the Pyrenees, being the only point in Andorra where water drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and is the source of the Ariège river. At an elevation of 2,408 metres (7,900 ft) it is one of the highest points on the European road network. The pass is bypassed by the Envalira Tunnel.

The two main sources of wealth are trade and winter sports. The festa major de Sant Pere (Saint Peter's Feast) is held every 29 June in El Pas.

Ski resort
The pass and resort, looking towards France

The ski resort of Pas de la Casa sits below the pass on the side closest to France, and below the Pic d'Envalira (2,827 metres (9,275 ft)). Its first ski lift was opened in 1957 and it now has 31 lifts, 100 kilometres (62 mi) of pistes and 6.26 square kilometres (2 sq mi) of skiable terrain. The highest skiable point is 2,640 metres (8,661 ft). Its popularity has grown with the burgeoning ski and snowboard industry in the principality: it is the highest resort in Andorra, has the best snow record,[1] and is the easiest to get to from the Barcelona and Toulouse airports. Consequently, it attracts a large number of British and Irish winter sports enthusiasts, as well as French and Spanish ones. It is also favoured for its southern latitude and duty-free status, which for many overcome the drawbacks of the long airport transfer times.

The nightlife is particularly youth‑oriented, and a prevalence of red pistes perhaps makes the skiing more suited to intermediates than beginners or the most advanced.

A recent lift link to Soldeu via Grau Roig has created a linked skiing area ranging over almost 10% of Andorra's land area, though not all is skiable.

A bus from Toulouse Airport, Toulouse-Matabiau station and Barcelona Airport runs twice per day and can be booked online.[2] Skis and snowboards can be transported on the bus. Toulouse Airport Transfers are also available.

Climate

Pas de la Casa has either a continental climate (Dfb) or oceanic climate (Cfb), depending on the isotherm (0 °C (32 °F)/-3 °C (27 °F) respectively) used, closely bordering their cold-summer variants (Dfc/Cfc respectively) however, since June/September average temperatures barely reach over 10 °C (50 °F), with areas at slightly higher elevations ultimately being lower than that and falling into the cold-summer variants.

Precipitation is relatively abundant year-round, with a notable February dip in precipitation. Summers are generally cool thanks to the high elevation of the town (2080m), and winters often under freezing, with regular snowfall and occasional snowstorms, with the temperature dropping further to below -10 °C (14 °F) some nights during those.

Climate data for Pas de la Casa, elevation: 2,080m (1981-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4)		 2.6
(36.7)		 5.2
(41.4)		 6.2
(43.2)		 10.7
(51.3)		 15.3
(59.5)		 19.2
(66.6)		 18.7
(65.7)		 14.9
(58.8)		 10.5
(50.9)		 5.3
(41.5)		 2.8
(37.0)		 9.4
(48.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.2
(29.8)		 −1.0
(30.2)		 1.1
(34.0)		 2.3
(36.1)		 6.4
(43.5)		 10.3
(50.5)		 13.5
(56.3)		 13.3
(55.9)		 10.2
(50.4)		 6.6
(43.9)		 2.0
(35.6)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 5.3
(41.5)
Average low °C (°F) −4.3
(24.3)		 −4.8
(23.4)		 −3
(27)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 2.1
(35.8)		 5.4
(41.7)		 7.9
(46.2)		 7.7
(45.9)		 5.3
(41.5)		 2.6
(36.7)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 −3.2
(26.2)		 1.2
(34.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 87.3
(3.44)		 50.8
(2.00)		 66.2
(2.61)		 109.3
(4.30)		 122.1
(4.81)		 107.3
(4.22)		 81.0
(3.19)		 92.8
(3.65)		 95.6
(3.76)		 102.0
(4.02)		 117.7
(4.63)		 94.8
(3.73)		 1,126.6
(44.35)
Source: ACDA[3]

Demographics

Languages

French is the main language of communication next to the official language, Catalan.[4]

Notable people
  • View of the ski resort
    View of the ski resort
  • The pass, and a man on skis pointing using his ski pole
    The pass, and a man on skis pointing using his ski pole
  • The ski lift and piste at Pas de la Casa with the Pic d'Envalira in the background
    The ski lift and piste at Pas de la Casa with the Pic d'Envalira in the background
  • View of the town from the slopes
    View of the town from the slopes

See also

References
  1. Govern d'Andorra (1991). Atlas d'Andorra, Regional climatographic maps showing ski slopes of Pas de la Casa in highest snowfall band, and the other ski resorts – Arinsal, Canillo, Pal, Soldeu – in second highest snowfall band, pp.58–59. (in Catalan)
  2. Sea-Lifts
  3. "Andorra La Vella 1981-2010 averages". ACDA. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  4. Molla, Guillem. "El català a Andorra: tota una lluita" (PDF). Universitat de Girona. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-22.

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