Lérida - Surroundings

At the road junction at Pobla de Segur take the road to the right. This runs up the valley of the Río Noguera Pallaresa, which here receives many tributaries tumbling down over waterfalls, and through a wild limestone gorge, the Desfiladero de Collegats, with the Bou Mort (2082m/6831ft) on the right.

N 230 continues up the valley to Vilaller, below the east side of Maladeta (Pico de Aneto, 3,404m/11,169ft), the highest peak in the Pyrenees.

Espot is the eastern entrance to the Parque Nacional de Aigües Tortes. Its particular charm lies in its numerous glacier lakes, among them the Llac de Sant Maurici. Ibexes can still be encountered in the National Park. Information about walks and climbs can be obtained in Espot and Caldes de Boí.

After passing through Font de Pou (Catalan Fontdepou) the road climbs to the Puerto de Ager (912m/2992ft) and then goes down to Ager, an old town with some remains of Roman walls and the ruins of the 12th century collegiate church of San Pedro (Catalan Sant Pere).

From Balaguer there are alternative routes to Tremp: either an attractive secondary road by way of Avellanes and the Puerto de Ager (fine views) which joins C 147 above the Embalse de Camarasa or on C 147 all the way, along the left bank of the Río Segre past the artificial lakes. The secondary road runs northwest from Balaguer through the Sierra de Montroig to Avellanes. On a hill to the right of the road is the Premonstratensian monastery of Bellpuig de les Avellanes, founded in 1166, once the place of burial of the Counts of Urgel, with a Romanesque cloister.

Leave Lérida on C 1313 and in 27km/17mi turn left into C 148, which crosses the Río Segre to enter Balaguer, chief town of the Noguera district. The monastery of Santo Domingo (Catalan Sant Domenec) is a fine example of Catalan Gothic architecture. Also of interest are the large Plaça del Mercadal and remains of the town walls.

Developed by Spanish champion ski racer Luis Arias, Baqueira Beret in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees region of Spain, features a wide range of terrain, most of it above the tree line. The Spanish royal family skis, drawn by slopes that range from the easiest beginner hills to the some of the steepest in the country. Three main ski areas (and a fourth that is now being developed) offer 46 runs offering 77km of skiing with a vertical drop of 1,006 meters. The apres-ski is also excellent as many of the trendy people from Madrid and Barcelona show off their techniques here.

C 147 continues from Tredós to Salardú (alt. 1,265m/4,150ft), where it enters the valley of the Río Garona, and then runs down, passing the spa of Artiés (sulfurous springs) on the left of the road, to the winter sports resort of Betrén, from which there is a chair-lift to the skiing center of La Tuca (alt. 1,560m/5,118ft). Soon after this, at Viella, C 147 joins N 230, coming from Lérida.

N 230 continues up the Garona valley to Bosost (alt. 765m/2510ft), which has a well preserved Romanesque church (12th C.), notable particularly for the black marble figures on the north doorway.

After a defile past the village of sort the Río Cardós comes in on the right. A narrow road runs up its beautiful green valley.

8km/5mi west of Balaguer is Castellón de Farfaña, with a ruined Moorish castle and the fine Gothic church of San Miguel (Catalan Sant Miquel).

In the village of Cervera the Passion of Christ is performed several times throughout Spring. The performances are all in Spanish.

The road follows the slopes of the Sierra de Montsech (1677m/5502ft) and descends into the valley of the Río Noguera Pallaresa. Below this point the river is enlarged into an artificial lake, the Embalse de Camarasa, by a dam 151m/165yd long and 92m/302ft high some kilometers downstream. The water of the lake supplies a hydro-electric station with an output of 700,000 kW.

C 147 continues to Escaló, with the ruined 10th century monastery of Sant Pere del Burgal, which preserves some Romanesque wall paintings.

6km/4mi off the C 147 from Escaló, to the left, is the winter sports resort of Espot (alt. 1,340m/4,400ft), with a chair lift and ski lifts to the skiing center of Super Espot.

Just beyond the Desfiladero de Collegats is Gerrí de la Sal, which takes its name from the salt-pans on the banks of the river. In the village is a former Benedictine monastery (12th C.).

12km/7.5mi northwest of Sort is the winter sports resort of Llesuí (alt. 1,400m/4,600ft).

From Bosost the road continues by way of the little spa of Lés (alt. 635m/2083ft; Spanish frontier control) to the Pont de Rey (alt. 580m/1903ft) spanning the Garona on the Spanish-French frontier.

The road then crosses the Puerto de Viu (1,325m/4,347ft), runs down into the valley of the Río Noguera Ribagorzana, here dammed to form the 8km/ 5mi long Embalse de Escalas, and reaches the modern little town of Pont de Suert, where C 144 joins N 230, coming from Lérida.

From the road junction at Pobla de Segur the left-hand road runs north to Senterada and then climbs northwest, with many bends, to the Puerto de Perves (1350m/4429ft). Above the pass on the left is the summit of the Sierra de San Gervás (1839m/6034ft).

Beyond Esterrí de Aneu (alt. 1,000m/3,300ft) C 147 enters the valley of the Río Bonaigua and then climbs, passing the parador of Farga de los Abetos and the Santuario de los Ares (alt. 1,728m/5,670ft), to the Puerto de la Bonaigua (2,072m/6,798ft), on the watershed between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

The small town of Puigcerdá has the church of St Domenech along with a lake surrounded by modernist buildings.

Inside Solsona, there are nine towers and three gateways. The cathedral houses a beautiful black stone Virgin. The Museu Diocesà i Comarcal contains Romanesque paintings and local archeological finds.

The Fiestas de Carnaval of Solsona is held in late-February.

Beyond Gerrí de la Sal the road traverses another long gorge, at the far end of which is the village of Sort (alt. 692m/2270ft), with a ruined castle.

The road winds its way down from Puerto de la Bonaigua, with many sharp bends, into the Valle de Arán and comes to Tredós (alt. 1,295m/4,249ft), lying off the road to the left, which has an old Templar church (12th C.) with a Gothic altarpiece.