Rockslide Closes French Border Road, Devastating Pas de la Casa Businesses

Shopkeepers in Pas de la Casa voiced growing pessimism on Saturday as a rockslide between Acs and Merens forced an indefinite closure of the RN-20 road from France, further isolating the border parish and compounding a "catastrophic January" for businesses reliant on French day-trippers.

The incident is the latest in a series of disruptions this month, including heavy snow, high winds, poor visibility, and earlier rockfalls—many striking over weekends when traffic peaks. With restrictions on the nearby D66 road extending into mid-February, drivers face lengthy detours on poor routes, deterring the quick-stop visitors who fuel most sales at supermarkets, duty-free alcohol and tobacco shops, perfumeries, and fuel stations like Gasopas. These customers typically arrive in the morning, shop, eat, refuel, and leave within hours.

"All businesses are affected more or less equally," merchants said, though hotels and accommodations may fare slightly better with pre-booked stays or skiers from local slopes. Weekend arrivals have dried up, leading to cancellations with no fault assigned. A saleswoman noted: "It's a village that sells mainly to French customers—if they don't come, it's hard to sell." Rui from D’Votion described "a complicated month with the road cuts," adding that piste visitors have provided some offset. Carine Theaux at CigPas pointed to especially tough weekends, while Claudia from Hotel Cims reported fewer restaurant diners on previous closure days despite full bookings.

Traders worry French authorities may prolong the shutdown. Andorra has offered machinery for clearance, but none has been requested until the site stabilizes.

Around 1,000 young Belgian tourists, completing a week-long stay, remain stranded and unable to depart as planned, prompting concerns over potential nighttime disturbances after reports of rowdy behavior from similar groups.

The parish appeared deserted Saturday morning, with businesses bracing for a quiet weekend. Encamp council, overseeing Pas de la Casa, has maintained constant monitoring since the closure began, coordinating with the government—including Foreign Affairs Minister Imma Tor—and Civil Protection. Consuls Laura Mas and Xavier Fernández have contacted local businesses and neighboring French municipalities like L'Hospitalet and Merens, offering resources to minimize economic fallout. "The road blockade is a major concern," council sources said, echoing frustration from an earlier January closure over France's reluctance to accept Andorran aid despite prioritizing safety.