Àreu

Areu is the last village of the Vall Ferrera.

It is completely surrounded by very high mountains. Here, we can find the river of Vallferrera whose water descends from the biggest mountains of the Pyrenees. This river flows into the Noguera Pallaresa.

Areu is situated at 1,220 metres at the foot of the Monteixo (2,905 metres). Here we can visit the church of Sant Climent where the carving of the romanesque virgen, XII century, Sta. Maria de la Torre, stands out. In the same square, a gothic wayside cross (XV century) and the wrought iron sculpture “Forging the time”. We should also point out the village’s old blacksmith’s workshop.

Further north we encounter the Força de Areu, old walled village in the shape of a castle. Of the old fort only the romanesque church of Sant Feliu remains, with a spectacular pebbled pavement and an excellent viewpoint over the valley.

On the other hand, Areu has the Museo de la Madera (the Museum of Wood), where we can visit Areu’s wood workshop (video), the flour windmill and a little hydroelectric power plant which supplied the village in former times.