Vall de Núria
Vall de Núria is a south-opening valley coming down from the crest of the Pyrenees within the municipality of Queralbs, province of Girona, community of Catalonia, Spain.
The floor of the valley lies about above sea level and is accessible from the south via a rack railway or by foot, and from France to the north by footpaths. There are no roads to access the valley. The place is historically notable for the 1931 drafting of the first Catalan Statute of Autonomy, in the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Núria.
The Virgin of Núria
According to tradition, Saint Giles arrived in the valley in approximately 700 AD and lived there for four years. He crafted an image of the Virgin Mary and hid it in a cave when forced to flee from persecution by the Arabs against Christians. Along with the image of the Virgin, he left a pot used for cooking, a cross, and a bell for calling shepherds to meals.According to tradition, a pilgrim named Amadéu began searching for the image in 1072, after having a prophetic dream. He built a small chapel for pilgrims, and found the image seven years later, next to the pot, the cross, and the bell, and he brought the objects to the chapel to be venerated.
The image has been dated to have been made during the 12th or 13th century. It is a wooden Romanesque carving. The primitive-looking polychrome statue retains its painting intact.
On July 13 1967, the statue was canonically crowned with a decree from Pope Paul VI.
The shepherds regarded the image of the Blessed Virgin as a patron saint of fertility. The canonical consecration of Our Lady of Núria was made in 1965. Her feast day is September 8. The name Núria is now a popular girl's name in Catalonia.
Climate
The elevated terrain of the Vall de Núria and its relative proximity to the Mediterranean result in a relatively humid high mountain climate. Winter is the season with the least precipitation and the most irregular weather, although it usually comes in the form of snow.The duration of snow covering the ground varies greatly from year to year. At the Núria sanctuary, in recent years, it has ranged from 62 to 64 days. At higher altitudes, the snow lasts considerably longer. In areas where snow accumulates, snowdrifts form, which may not fully melt until late summer.
Temperatures are cold or cool throughout the year, progressively dropping with altitude. January is typically the coldest month, while July and August are the warmest.