Grandvalira Resorts and the Comú d’Encamp Grandvalira Resorts and the Comú d’Encamp have today inaugurated on the Solanelles platform the new sculpture Petjades Enlairades, a work by Andorran artist Naiara Galdós that, from this summer onwards, will welcome all visitors accessing the domain via the Funicamp. The piece becomes the new symbol of the Encamp sector and the starting point of a family experience that invites visitors to discover the parish’s natural and cultural heritage through the figure of the Bear, one of its great identity icons.
The sculpture is part of a project promoted by the Comú d’Encamp together with the Youth Council, which envisages the creation of a network of 21 signposted natural spaces distributed throughout the parish. Inspired by the Bear’s silhouette, these elements will make it possible to discover some of the most emblematic lakes and peaks in the area, strengthening the link between landscape, heritage and family tourism.
Made of steel and weighing over a tonne, Petjades Enlairades interprets the figure of the Bear through a play of metal sheets that evoke the contour lines of topographic maps, blending naturally into the high-mountain landscape of Solanelles. The work takes inspiration from the historic Ball de l’Ossa d’Encamp, one of the parish’s most representative cultural expressions and recognized by UNESCO within the Bear Festivals of the Pyrenees as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
A new family adventure: the Bear’s footprints
Coinciding with the unveiling of the sculpture and the Funicamp’s summer opening, Grandvalira is launching Les petjades de l’Ossa, a new activity designed for families, available from 11 July to 8 September.
The proposal turns the Funicamp ride into a participatory adventure. Through an activity passport and different challenges spread between the gondola base, the intermediate station at Cortals and the Solanelles platform, participants will discover Encamp’s natural surroundings until they reach the new sculpture, where the experience will culminate. The day can be rounded off with a themed children’s menu inspired by the Bear at Grandvalira’s food and beverage outlets.
The Funicamp opens the summer season
The inauguration of Petjades Enlairades coincides with the start of the Funicamp summer season, which will open its doors on 11 July to become, once again, one of the main gateways to Grandvalira’s nature activities.
From Solanelles, visitors can reach the lake and the orri of Cubil by 4x4 bus, where a free guided tour is offered to discover one of the best-preserved pastoral complexes in Andorra. Family-friendly catch-and-release fishing activities with a specialized instructor will also be organized, along with multiple hiking itineraries suited to different levels and an extensive network of routes for mountain bikes and e-bikes.
At the Funicamp intermediate stop, in the Cortals area, the offer includes the Tibetan bridge, the outdoor climbing wall and the Clots de l’Aspra via ferrata, ideal for those who want to get started in the discipline accompanied by specialized guides. The experience is completed by the gastronomic offer at Solanelles and Pessons, consolidating the Funicamp as one of the main access points to the mountains during the summer.
Grandvalira, a complete offering for all audiences
The opening of the Funicamp is part of a new summer season at Grandvalira, which once again offers a wide range of nature, leisure and adventure activities for all audiences. The domain features a network of 114 kilometres of e-bike circuits where cycling enthusiasts can explore the spectacular Grandvalira E-Bike Trails, as well as family proposals such as the Mon(t) Magic Family Park in Canillo or the new Big Jump Park in El Tarter, one of this summer’s new features. On the Soldeu platform, a new maze is being launched this weekend, a fun proposal for families and groups of friends. The offering is rounded out by Golf Soldeu, the 9-hole course located at the highest altitude in Europe, the Llac de Pessons refuge and a varied mountain gastronomy offering, consolidating Grandvalira as one of the major active destinations in the Pyrenees during the summer months.
With this addition, Grandvalira Resorts continues to expand its summer offering with proposals that combine nature, culture, heritage and activities for all audiences, strengthening its position as one of the major mountain destinations in southern Europe twelve months a year.