Road stories
Crossing the Pyrenees thanks to winter maintenance performed on Andorran and French roads from the 1930
Author
Jordi Garcia Llevet Head of Road Maintenance and Operations, Government of Andorra. Corresponding member of the World Road Association's Technical Committee 2.4 on Winter Road Maintenance
Pictures 1, 3, 5 © Arxiu Nacional d'Andorra - Picture 2 © Fonds de cartographie du Ministère de l'économie et du Territoire du Gouvernement d'Andorre - Picture 4 © Jaume Bonell Casal
For many years, Andorran villages had been connected to one another by pathways that could only be traversed on foot or horseback.
In 1900, the General Council of Andorra undertook construction of a section of road from Soldeu to El Pas de la Casa for the purpose of connecting Andorra with France via the Envalira Pass. This Port Road, as it was called back then, barely spanned a width of 3 meters and had not been paved. Moreover, it was devoid of sidewalks or ditches.
A year later, the General Council ordered a road to be built with the same characteristics in order to link Escaldes with Encamp.