Landslide Blocks France-Andorra Road, Boosting French Tobacco Sales 25%

A landslide has blocked the RN-20 road from France into Andorra, forcing drivers to take major detours and severely disrupting cross-border shopping. The closure, now in its fifth day as of mid-February, has slashed sales at shops near the Pas de la Casa border crossing by around 70%, according to a commercial sector representative on the local Economic and Social Council.

The route typically sees about 9,000 vehicles daily, with many French visitors stopping first at Pas de la Casa for its significantly lower prices on alcohol and tobacco compared to France. A standard pack of cigarettes costs roughly €4.90 in Andorra, versus €13.50 across the border. On 11 February, Andorran authorities announced immediate measures to protect the local economy, boost mobility, and provide better information for French tourists.

Meanwhile, French tobacconists have seen a windfall. The federation of estanquers in Occitanie reported a 25% sales volume increase among Ariège merchants as of 16 February. "You notice it—bad weather at the Jonquera brings a wave of customers we hadn't seen before," said Christian Faure-Vincent, president of the Occitanie estanquers federation. "You think: 'Oh right, people still smoke.'"

French shop owners acknowledge the appeal of Andorran bargains but highlight their own challenges. One estanquero in Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, in the Hérault department, noted: "I understand consumers perfectly. I smoke myself, and it's getting harder to make ends meet. It's natural for someone on a tight budget to shop where it's cheaper." The sector has long complained that high tobacco prices—raised under a 2003 anti-cancer plan launched by Jacques Chirac to deter smoking and improve public health—simply shift purchases abroad or to the black market rather than reducing consumption.

Faure-Vincent pointed to internal government tensions as a barrier to change. "For about two years, they've realized the health policy is outdated," he said. "But Economy and Finance says it's losing revenue and prices should stop rising, while Health insists on hikes. That's the main difficulty." He cited Belgium, where smaller price gaps with France have boosted northern estanquers' turnover.