The Andorra–France border extends for in southern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
(
Ariège and
Pyrenees-Orientales départements
A department (, ) is an administrative or political division in several countries. Departments are the first-level divisions of 11 countries, nine in the Americas and two in Africa. An additional 10 countries use departments as second-level div ...
) and northern and north-eastern
Andorra
, image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg
, symbol_type = Coat of arms
, national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...
.
The border is France's third-shortest, after its borders with
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
and the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
(the latter on the
Caribbean island of
Saint Martin).
Specifications
The border's western extremity starts at the western Andorra–
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
–France
tripoint
A tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints as of 2020. Nearly half are situated in rivers, l ...
, located at the summit of the
Pic de Médécourbe (42°36'13"N 1°26'33" E). It then follows a general north-east direction before switching south-eastwards to the eastern Andorra–Spain–France tripoint 42°30'09"N 1°43'33" E).
Most of the Franco-Andorran border is determined by custom – there is no international treaty formally fixing the course of the border, except for the cases below.
In 2001, a bilateral treaty between France and Andorra rectified and amended the border slightly. It provided for the exchange of two equal plots of land of 15,925 m² each, to enable Andorra to construct on its assigned plot a viaduct linking the
Envalira tunnel to the French
RN22.
The French town of
Porta, in the Pyrénées-Orientales département, challenged the land swap at the Judicial Division of the
French Council of State, contesting that it was contrary to
French Constitution
The current Constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic , and it replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946 with the exception of the preamble per a Consti ...
: it claimed not to have been consulted before the border treaty was drafted and approved. The Council of State dismissed the application, ruling that the treaty had been ratified by law and that therefore it was not for the Council to rule on the legality of the law. Moreover, there is no legal requirement for the state to consult with municipalities adjoining a border when adjusting the border.
In May 2015 the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...
adopted a cooperation programme to improve environmental protection along Andorra's borders with Spain and France.
Border controls
There are full, stringent passport checks at the border, as Andorra is neither in the
Schengen Area nor in the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
. Prior to 2017, most European passport holders were subject only to minimum visual passport checks when entering and leaving the Schengen Area, taking less than 5 seconds. Following several terrorist attacks in Europe, the Schengen Borders Code was amended in 2017 to require that the passports of all travellers (including those entitled to free movement between the two countries concerned) be machine-scanned upon entering and leaving the Schengen Area to check against various criminal databases. This process can take up to 30 seconds per traveller and has led to long delays at all borders between Schengen and non-Schengen countries, both at airports and at road and rail borders.
The only road border between the two countries is east of
Pas de la Casa
El Pas de la Casa (; french: 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 th ...
, at nearly 2,000 metres above sea level. There is no rail crossing point, though a bus service connects the Pas de la Casa to the train station in the French border town of
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre (, literally ''L'Hospitalet near the Andorra''; oc, L'Espitalet) is a commune in the Ariège department of southwestern France. L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre literally translates to "The Hospital Near Andorra".
...
).
Helicopters may fly between Andorra and non-Andorran airports with international border control facilities. The most frequent flights connect Andorra with the airports in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
and
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...
.
There is an agreement signed in 2003 between France, Spain and Andorra on the movement and residence in Andorra of citizens of third countries. It stipulates that the three countries must coordinate their visa requirements (in practice, that Andorra adopt the Schengen visa requirements already adhered to by both France and Spain) and that Andorra accept entry only of those who have right of entry of Spain or France. Andorra is allowed to permit long stays for any person. Travellers requiring a Schengen visa to enter the Schengen Area may enter Andorra using this visa, but it must be a multiple-entry visa, as entering Andorra entails leaving the Schengen Area.
French communes and Andorran parishes along the border
From west to east:
French side – 9 towns:
7 in Ariège:
Auzat
Auzat (; Languedocien: ''Ausat'') is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Auzatois'' or ''Auzatoises''.
The commune has been awarded one flower by ...
,
Lercoul,
Siguer
Siguer (; oc, Siguèr) is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.
Population
Inhabitants of Siguer are called ''Siguerois''.
See also
*Communes of the Ariège department
The following is a list of the 327 communes ...
,
Gestiès,
Aston,
Mérens-les-Vals and
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre (, literally ''L'Hospitalet near the Andorra''; oc, L'Espitalet) is a commune in the Ariège department of southwestern France. L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre literally translates to "The Hospital Near Andorra".
...
; 2 in Pyrénées-Orientales:
Porté-Puymorens
Porté-Puymorens (; ca, Portè) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.
Geography
Porté-Puymorens is located in the canton of Les Pyrénées catalanes and in the arrondissement of Prades. Porté-Puymorens s ...
and
Porta.
Andorran side – 4 parishes:
La Massana
La Massana (; originally ''La Maçana'') is one of the seven parishes of the Principality of Andorra. It is located in the northwest of the country. La Massana is also the name of the main town of the parish. The name Massana derives from the Lat ...
,
Ordino
Ordino () is the most northerly parish in the Principality of Andorra. It's mostly the main area of Valira del Nord or ''Valira d'Ordino'' river valley. Ordino is also the name of the main town of the parish. Other settlements in the parish are El ...
,
Canillo
Canillo () is one of the parishes of Andorra. Canillo is also the name of the main town of the parish. The parish is considered the religious center of Andorra with the Sanctuary and Chapel of Our Lady of Meritxell, patron saint of Andorra, and co ...
and
Encamp
Encamp () is one of the parishes of Andorra, located on the Valira d'Orient river. It is also the name of the main town in the parish. Other settlements include Vila, El Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, El Tremat, La Mosquera and Les Bons. As of 20 ...
.
See also
*
Andorra–Spain border
The border between Andorra and Spain is in the Pyrenees between northern Spain and southern Andorra. It is long. It is an external border of the EU, as well as an external border of the Schengen area, as Andorra is neither part of the EU nor ...
*
France–Spain border
The France–Spain border (; ) was formally defined in 1659. It separates the two countries from Hendaye and Irun in the west, running through the Pyrenees to Cerbère and Portbou on the Mediterranean Sea.
Features Main border
The Franco-Sp ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andorra-France border
European Union external borders
Borders of France
Borders of Andorra
International borders