Arinsal's La Pitavola Mountain Market Draws Crowds for Sixth Edition
The event celebrates the Parc Natural del Comapedrosa anniversary with mountain traditions, family activities, and a new wildlife sculpture amid strong attendance despite weather watch.
Key Points
- 22 stalls feature crafts and foods from Andorra, Catalan Pyrenees, and France.
- New corten steel ermine sculpture unveiled by Jordi Yllamola on wildlife trail.
- Roger Solé lights traditional charcoal kiln with 24-hour demo until Sunday noon.
- Events include dances, workshops, animal exhibit, and tapa route in old town.
Arinsal's La Pitavola mountain market opened its sixth edition with strong crowds, featuring 22 stalls of crafts and local foods from Andorra, the Catalan Pyrenees, and France, alongside mountain-themed activities and traditions.
The festival, marking the anniversary of the Parc Natural del Comapedrosa, began Saturday with families drawn to street events despite close weather monitoring. Highlights included the unveiling of a new corten steel sculpture by master forger Jordi Yllamola, portraying an ermine—or paniquera in local tradition—as the sixth piece in Arinsal's wildlife and heritage trail.
Expert Roger Solé lit a traditional charcoal kiln live, reviving a feature skipped last year; visitors can watch the 24-hour process until charcoal extraction at noon Sunday. A second kiln offers educational demonstrations on its operation. Roger Fité, La Massana's minór conseller, praised the turnout of families and the event's role in showcasing mountain customs.
The Esbart Valls del Nord performed, closing with the dance "La Pitavola del Comapedrosa." Other draws encompassed a boletaire outing, planetarium, children's workshops, an animal exhibit, and a tapa route through village eateries. Around 20 craft and trade demonstrations filled the old town streets.
Sunday's programme includes the kiln shutdown and charcoal gathering at midday, plus adult and child workshops, with stalls closing at 5pm. Organisers emphasise the natural park's ties to the Parc de les Tres Nacions, supporting research into social, ecological, and heritage elements across the region.
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