We leave the Geiercamp and the province of Navarra in bright sunshine and blue skies. A short briefing on what to expect today and then we're off. Unfortunately, the wild horses have left us overnight. Cows have taken their place instead. Our destination today is the region of Aragon.
Valle de Hecho
Today's stage takes us into the Valle de Hecho, parts of which belong to the Western Valles Nature Park.
The deeply carved valleys were formed by glaciers. Again and again we see streams, small rivers and lakes with crystal-clear water. And today we drive through the first tunnels, namely the Tunel de Cotefablo with a length of 680m and the Tunel de Gavin.
The landscape is very green and characterized by deciduous forests. The round bales of straw are everywhere. While yesterday was characterized by many people, this region can almost be described as lonely.
But the inhabitants of the valley are of a completely different kind. The Valle de Hecho is known for its griffon vultures, which hover on the cliffs in the morning and evening hours. Our expectations are not disappointed. We soon see the majestic birds circling above us. It's a little strange. Especially when you realize their size. An adult griffon vulture grows up to 110 cm tall and has a wingspan of up to 2.7 meters.
Estacion International de Canfranc
In this remote area at an altitude of almost 1200m, you would expect anything but a large international train station. But that's exactly what we come across. This is the wondrous Estacion International de Canfranc.
The impressive building looks as if it has been torn out of time. A richly decorated 3-storey palace with 356 windows and 156 doors. From a distance, it could be mistaken for an old factory or power station. Stone, glass and marble form a mixture of Art Nouveau and Classicism. The 250 m long platform is unparalleled in Europe.
The train station in Canfranc was built by Alfonso XII and inaugurated in 1928. It was intended to connect France (Paris) with Spain (Madrid). And thus facilitate trade between Spain and Western Europe.
The construction of this railroad line was a gigantic achievement. The tunnel and bridge construction took 7 years.
The challenge lay in the different track gauges. France has standard gauge with 1435mm and in Spain broad gauge with 1668mm is standard. The train could therefore not simply pass through. All passengers had to change to a train with the other gauge and all goods had to be reloaded. Consequence: huge handling facilities.
This station is said to have been the second largest and highest station in Europe when it was built, after Leipzig, a full 250 meters long. The whole thing was an island station between the two tracks. Standard gauge on one side, narrow gauge on the other. All travelers get off, complete their border formalities in the station building and get back on a train on the other side.
It is said to be the filming location for Doctor Zhivago.
But the station never quite fulfilled its purpose. The train was simply too slow on the winding and steep route. And train services were discontinued from time to time. For example, in 1936-40 because of the Spanish Civil War.
During the Second World War, this route was the main transshipment point for Nazi gold to Portugal and Spain in exchange for war-related raw materials such as tungsten.
When the bridge on the French side collapsed in 1970. When the l'Estanguet bridge collapsed on the French side in 1970, it was never rebuilt. At the same time, international traffic was stopped completely.
The gigantic planning error becomes all the more apparent when you realize that the town only has 540 inhabitants. However, the station was planned for thousands of travelers, day after day. It has been undergoing restoration and redesign since 2018. There are plans for a luxury hotel and a center for pilgrims.
There are now 6 to 8 regional trains a day here. That's it.
Today we spend the night at the small, unspoiled Viu Ordesa campsite. So it's off to the shower first.
English 
German 
Italian 
French 
Japanese 
Dutch 
Spanish
Recent Comments