El Pas de la Casa

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = El Pas de la Casa

|other_name =

|native_name =

|nickname =

|settlement_type =

|motto =

|image_skyline = Pas_de_la_case.jpg

|imagesize =

|image_caption =

|image_flag =

|flag_size =

|image_seal =

|seal_size =

|image_shield =

|shield_size =

|image_blank_emblem =

|blank_emblem_type =

|blank_emblem_size =

|image_map =

|mapsize =

|map_caption =

|image_map1 =

|mapsize1 =

|map_caption1 =

|image_dot_map =

|dot_mapsize =

|dot_map_caption =

|dot_x = |dot_y =

|pushpin_map = Andorra

|pushpin_image = Andorra relief location map.jpg

|pushpin_label_position =left

|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Andorra

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name ={{Flag|Andorra}}

|subdivision_type1 =

|subdivision_name1 =

|subdivision_type2 =

|subdivision_name2 =

|subdivision_type3 =

|subdivision_name3 =

|subdivision_type4 =

|subdivision_name4 =

|government_footnotes =

|government_type =

|leader_title = Alcalde

|leader_name = Jordi Torres Arrauz

|leader_party = DA

|leader_title1 =

|leader_name1 =

|leader_title2 =

|leader_name2 =

|leader_title3 =

|leader_name3 =

|leader_title4 =

|leader_name4 =

|established_title =

|established_date =

|established_title2 =

|established_date2 =

|established_title3 =

|established_date3 =

|area_magnitude =

|unit_pref =Metric

|area_footnotes =

|area_total_km2 = 17

|area_land_km2 =

|area_water_km2 =

|area_total_sq_mi =

|area_land_sq_mi =

|area_water_sq_mi =

|area_water_percent =

|area_urban_km2 =

|area_urban_sq_mi =

|area_metro_km2 =

|area_metro_sq_mi =

|area_blank1_title =

|area_blank1_km2 =

|area_blank1_sq_mi =

|population_as_of =2012

|population_footnotes =

|population_note =

|population_total =2996

|population_density_km2 =auto

|population_density_sq_mi =

|population_metro =

|population_density_metro_km2 =

|population_density_metro_sq_mi =

|population_urban =

|population_density_urban_km2 =

|population_density_urban_sq_mi =

|population_blank1_title =Ethnicities

|population_blank1 =

|population_blank2_title =

|population_blank2 =

|population_density_blank1_km2 =

|population_density_blank1_sq_mi =

|timezone =

|utc_offset =

|timezone_DST =

|utc_offset_DST =

|coordinates = {{coord|42|32|32.41|N|1|44|01.78|E|region:AD|display=inline,title}}

|elevation_footnotes =

|elevation_m = 2080

|elevation_min_m =

|elevation_max_m = 2827

|elevation_ft =

|postal_code_type =

|postal_code =

|area_code =

|blank_name_sec1 = Parish

|blank_info_sec1 = Encamp

|website = http://www.encamp.ad/

|footnotes =

}}

El Pas de la Casa ({{IPA|ca|el ˈpaz ðe la ˈkaza}}; {{langx|fr|Le Pas de la Case}}) is a ski resort (part of the Grandvalira resort), town, and mountain pass in the Encamp parish of Andorra, lying on the border with France.

Overview

Its name literally translates as "the pass of the house" and refers to the fact that until the early twentieth century there was only a single shepherd's hut overlooking the pass. The pass marks the watershed of the Pyrenees, being the only point in Andorra where water drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and is the source of the Ariège river. At an elevation of {{convert|2408|m|ft|0}} it is one of the highest points on the European road network. The pass is bypassed by the Envalira Tunnel.

The two main sources of wealth are trade and winter sports. The festa major de Sant Pere (Saint Peter's Feast) is held every 29 June in El Pas.

Ski resort

File:Pas de la casa from FIS.jpg

The ski resort of Pas de la Casa sits below the pass on the side closest to France, and below the Pic d'Envalira ({{convert|2827|m|ft|0}}). Its first ski lift was opened in 1957 and it now has 31 lifts, {{convert|100|km|mi|0}} of pistes and {{convert|6.26|km2|sqmi|0}} of skiable terrain. The highest skiable point is {{convert|2640|m|ft|0}}. Its popularity has grown with the burgeoning ski and snowboard industry in the principality: it is the highest resort in Andorra,{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} has the best snow record,Govern d'Andorra (1991). Atlas d'Andorra, Regional climatographic maps showing ski slopes of Pas de la Casa in highest snowfall band, and the other ski resorts – Arinsal, Canillo, Pal, Soldeu – in second highest snowfall band, pp.58–59. {{in lang|ca}} and is the easiest to get to from the Barcelona and Toulouse airports. Consequently, it attracts a large number of British and Irish winter sports enthusiasts, as well as French and Spanish ones.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} It is also favoured for its southern latitude and duty-free status, which for many overcome the drawbacks of the long airport transfer times.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

The nightlife is particularly youth{{nbhyph}}oriented, and a prevalence of red pistes perhaps makes the skiing more suited to intermediates than beginners or the most advanced.

A recent lift link to Soldeu via Grau Roig has created a linked skiing area ranging over almost 10% of Andorra's land area, though not all is skiable.

A bus from Toulouse Airport, Toulouse-Matabiau station and Barcelona Airport runs twice per day and can be booked online.[https://www.ski-lifts.com/transfers/pas-de-la-casa/ Ski-Lifts] Skis and snowboards can be transported on the bus. Toulouse Airport Transfers are also available.

Climate

Pas de la Casa has either a continental climate (Dfb) or oceanic climate (Cfb), depending on the isotherm (0 °C (32 °F)/-3 °C (27 °F) respectively) used, closely bordering their cold-summer variants (Dfc/Cfc respectively) however, since June/September average temperatures barely reach over 10 °C (50 °F), with areas at slightly higher elevations ultimately being lower than that and falling into the cold-summer variants.

Precipitation is relatively abundant year-round, with a notable February dip in precipitation. Summers are generally cool thanks to the high elevation of the town (2080m), and winters often under freezing, with regular snowfall and occasional snowstorms, with the temperature dropping further to below -10 °C (14 °F) some nights during those.

{{Weather box|location = Pas de la Casa, elevation: 2,080m (1981-2010)

|collapsed =

|metric first = y

|single line = y

|Jan high C = 1.9

|Feb high C = 2.6

|Mar high C = 5.2

|Apr high C = 6.2

|May high C = 10.7

|Jun high C = 15.3

|Jul high C = 19.2

|Aug high C = 18.7

|Sep high C = 14.9

|Oct high C = 10.5

|Nov high C = 5.3

|Dec high C = 2.8

|year high C = 9.4

|Jan mean C = -1.2

|Feb mean C = -1.0

|Mar mean C = 1.1

|Apr mean C = 2.3

|May mean C = 6.4

|Jun mean C = 10.3

|Jul mean C = 13.5

|Aug mean C = 13.3

|Sep mean C = 10.2

|Oct mean C = 6.6

|Nov mean C = 2.0

|Dec mean C = -0.2

|year mean C = 5.3

|Jan low C = -4.3

|Feb low C = -4.8

|Mar low C = -3

|Apr low C = -1.4

|May low C = 2.1

|Jun low C = 5.4

|Jul low C = 7.9

|Aug low C = 7.7

|Sep low C = 5.3

|Oct low C = 2.6

|Nov low C = -1.1

|Dec low C = -3.2

|year low C = 1.2

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 87.3

|Feb precipitation mm = 50.8

|Mar precipitation mm = 66.2

|Apr precipitation mm = 109.3

|May precipitation mm = 122.1

|Jun precipitation mm = 107.3

|Jul precipitation mm = 81.0

|Aug precipitation mm = 92.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 95.6

|Oct precipitation mm = 102.0

|Nov precipitation mm = 117.7

|Dec precipitation mm = 94.8

|year precipitation mm = 1126.6

|source 1 = ACDA{{cite web

|url=http://opengis.uab.cat/wms/ACDA/index.htm

|title=Andorra La Vella 1981-2010 averages

|publisher=ACDA

|access-date=20 June 2021

|url-status=live

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620165015/http://opengis.uab.cat/wms/ACDA/index.htm

|archive-date=20 June 2021

}}|date=June 2015}}

Demographics

=Languages=

French is the main language of communication next to the official language, Catalan.{{cite web|url=http://www.romaniaminor.net/ianua/ianua04/ianua04_08.pdf|format=PDF|title=El català a Andorra: tota una lluita|first=Guillem|last=Molla|publisher=Universitat de Girona|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022071534/http://www.romaniaminor.net/ianua/ianua04/ianua04_08.pdf|archivedate=2013-10-22}}