Andorra's Juberri Gardens Dismantled After 20 Years Due to Council Order

Nicole Grignon, owner of the Juberri gardens in Andorra, has begun dismantling the site's collection of sculptures following a decision by Sant Julià de Lòria council to end the 20-year project. She confirmed to *El Periòdic* that the process is underway, with the first pieces removed being replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty from the entrance to her home.

The council set a deadline of 8 March for the site to be cleared, which Grignon described as unrealistic due to winter snow. "You can't work in the snow. It's a scandal. The way they've handled this isn't right," she said. She added that no council support has been offered, leaving her to cover all dismantling costs. "I'm paying for everything. I thought the council would help, but they've never given me anything. That's not fair."

The closure stems from an agreement between the council and Juberri residents, prompted by complaints over overcrowding, traffic issues, and lack of services in the residential area. Grignon maintains the gardens benefited the community and were always free to visit. "It was good for everyone and free. They wanted me to charge entry, but I didn't want to," she said. She will stop funding garden maintenance, including the gardener.

Grignon expressed anxiety over the logistics and expense, noting some sculptures were originally installed by helicopter. She plans to donate the mill to the council, move the nativity scene to a small chapel inside her home, and store a cherished statue of Saint Rita—purchased 15 years ago at a Paris auction after a church closure—elsewhere on her property. Other pieces will be kept outside her house where possible, though space is limited.

The gardens opened in 2004 under a council agreement. Grignon insists visitors helped maintain the site and rejects claims of it being unkempt. Once fully dismantled, she intends to announce the closure publicly.