Pas de la Casa Merchants Face Worst Winter in 20 Years Amid Disruptions

Merchants in Pas de la Casa are enduring what many describe as the worst winter in two decades, battered by repeated border closures from farmer protests, snowstorms, and a recent landslide. Small shops, heavily reliant on French shoppers, report sales drops of 50% to 80% compared to previous years, leaving streets like Carrer de les Abelletes eerily empty.

Cristopher Martins, owner of Daytona 2000 ski shop with 20 years in business, called the string of disruptions "like black magic," noting how closures always hit weekends—the peak trading period. He estimates losses at 30% so far, likely rising to 50% after the latest landslide, and worse than during Covid.

The pain echoes across veteran outlets. Manoj Mulchandami of Auteuil handbag store, with 30 years' experience, said he had never seen anything like it, adding there are days they barely open the till as it is not worth it. Sonia Nova, proprietor of the electronics store of the same name for two decades, pegged her sales decline at around 80%, sometimes just three transactions a day. "In the end, small businesses pay the price for all this," she said.

At family-owned clothing stores D’Votion, with two outlets and 35 years of history, owner Samantha Cardozo described this winter as especially tough. Dependent on French customers, the business is now in the red, with fears it could worsen during French Carnival holidays if tourist numbers do not rebound.

While some operations are holding steady, owners express solidarity. Julio Fall, who runs La Tasca restaurant and Hotel Olímpic, said friends in retail are struggling badly—the worst winter in his 10 years there. His hotel bookings, up this year, are keeping him afloat despite slow restaurant lunches: "If I only had the restaurant, I would have had to close."

Similarly, the owner of La Bianca restaurant and a nearby hotel noted prepaid bookings will still arrive, even if guests face longer drives. He said proximity retail in Pas's central and lower areas is suffering most, while his sector copes with British clients and visitors from Barcelona or Toulouse.

Axel Juliani, manager of ski rental firm Shusski, reported fewer French visitors but credited good snow cover for preventing a total slump. "The season is not as bad as we feared," he said.