In the wide valley of the Río Segre, framed by the Pyrenees, is the little episcopal town of Seo de Urgel, which now lives by dairy farming, textile processing and, increasingly, tourism. The Bishop of Seo de Urgel is one of the co-rulers of the little state of Andorra, the other being the President of France.
Around the Cathedral extends the Barrio Medieval, the old medieval quarter, with the Bishop's Palace (Catalan Palau Episcopal) and there old houses, particularly in the Carrer Major and Carrer dels Canonges.
Adjoining the Cathedral cloister, and accessible from it, is the 11th century church of San Miguel (also called Sant Père), which has fine Romanesque wall paintings.
In summer the two principal rivers of Alt Urgell, the Río Segre and the Río Valira, are popular with fast-water canoeists. The fast-water canoeing events of the 1992 Summer Olympics were held in Seo de Urgel.
The slopes of the Pyrenees offer endless scope for hill walkers and climbers, and the rivers and streams provide good sport for anglers.
Seo de Urgel is the chief place in the Alt Urgell district, which offers ideal conditions for langlauf skiing. Within easy reach of the town, around the skiing stations of Sant Joan de l'Erm and Tuixént-La Vansa, are prepared cross-country trails running through the beautiful Pyrenean forests, of various lengths and all degrees of difficulty. There are also facilities for langlauf in the Cerdanya region to the east, near Núria, La Molina, Lles and Aránser.
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