Vielha, 9 miles from Baqueira is the principal town in the Val d'Aran and has developed into a substantial community with over 4,000 permanent inhabitants offering all the facilities you would expect. It is built around the junction of the river Garone and the river Nere.

There are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants as well as large supermarkets and commercial outlets. A good sized ice rink and swimming pool complex is also worth a visit.

Although not immediately obvious, there is an older part of the town with cobbled streets and architecture typical of the valley. Most of the tapas bars are in this area, offering great value for money. Bed and breakfast deals are a real option in Vielha, due to the amount of good quality restaurants at sensible prices.

Vielha had its own ski resort, until the mid-1980s. Although small, 'La Tuca' had excellent north facing slopes with some wonderful mostly off-piste skiing through the trees. The rapid expansion of Baqueira led to the closure of La Tuca but there are plans to reopen the resort in the next few years. There are also some smaller resorts such as Luchon within reasonable driving distance of Vielha.

Accommodation in Vielha: Sol Vielha, Husa Viella.