Andorra-France Officials Tour Stabilized RN-20 Landslide Site Ahead of Reopening

Politicians and journalists from Andorra and France toured the landslide-affected section of the RN-20 highway yesterday afternoon, escorted by around ten gendarmes in convoy. The visit came two days before the road's scheduled reopening on Monday at 6am, with safety conditions restored to pre-landslide levels, according to Ariège prefect Hervé Brabant.

The tour highlighted five weeks of intensive work to clear and stabilise the area, far shorter than the initial two-month estimate. Specialised teams focused on slope stabilisation, supported by rapid deployment of state resources including personnel, legal frameworks, and funding. Coordination came from the South-West Interdepartmental Roads Directorate (DIRSO). Laurent Panifous, minister in charge of relations with parliament and a local figure, also attended, underscoring France's commitment.

Recent efforts included removing loose debris and securing two potentially hazardous rock blocks with cables anchored to the cliff face. Directly above lies a larger 500-cubic-metre, 300-tonne mass. To protect drivers, motion sensors now monitor it. If movement is detected, signals will activate flashing red lights at both ends of the stretch, requiring immediate stops. Vehicles must not halt in the marked zone even if lights remain off; in case of breakdown or accident, drivers should call the national police and gendarmerie emergency line at 17.

Brabant and Andorran Minister for Territory and Urbanism Raül Ferré noted that further work lies ahead. Technicians must assess the major rock mass in coming months; initial checks suggest stability, but additional intervention is needed, potentially in autumn to avoid disrupting peak tourist season at Pas de la Casa.

Technicians will conduct a final inspection over the weekend ahead of Monday's reopening.