L'Hospitalet wants to become the French equivalent of La Seu d'Urgell for Pas de la Casa

L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre, located just a few kilometres from Pas de la Casa, aims to take advantage of Andorra's housing crisis by attracting workers who can no longer afford the Principality's high rental prices.

The French town's mayor, Arnaud Díaz, wants to transform the municipality and its surrounding area into a residential alternative for people working in Pas de la Casa, following a model similar to that of La Seu d'Urgell, the Spanish border town where many people employed in Andorra already live.

The proposal is based on a significant difference in housing costs. According to figures presented by the mayor, rents on the French side of the border can be up to 50% cheaper than in Andorra.

Speaking to RTVA, Díaz argued that the region has sufficient housing, infrastructure and public services to accommodate more residents, particularly in an area that has experienced population decline for years.

Four-bedroom apartments available for €580 a month

One of the main attractions of L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre is the affordability of its housing.

The municipality currently has around 30 residential units, although only one is available. The vacant property is a four-bedroom apartment with a monthly rent of €580, considerably below typical rental prices in Andorra.

Local authorities are also exploring the possibility of adding 21 more homes to the municipality's residential housing stock.

These currently abandoned properties are managed by the Ariège Public Housing Office, which will have to determine their future use.

If restored and made available for rent, the properties could significantly expand the local housing supply and encourage more workers employed in Pas de la Casa to settle on the French side of the border.

At present, six families living in L'Hospitalet have at least one member working in Pas de la Casa, a situation the municipality hopes to encourage on a larger scale.

France wants to attract workers and prevent school closures

Díaz's objective goes beyond offering cheaper housing. The mayor also wants to reverse population decline and protect essential public services, particularly schools and childcare facilities.

He believes Andorra's growing demand for affordable accommodation could become an opportunity for nearby French municipalities, including L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre, Mérens-les-Vals and Ax-les-Thermes.

"We are completely ready to absorb the demand. I'm not just talking about L'Hospitalet. There's Mérens, there's Ax-les-Thermes. We need life here. Every year, we fight to keep our schools open," Díaz explained.

The mayor considers it contradictory that businesses just a few kilometres away in Andorra need workers, while many employees struggle to find affordable accommodation, despite the availability of housing and public facilities across the French border.

He also pointed out that these municipalities already have schools and nurseries that could benefit from the arrival of new families connected to Andorra's labour market.

For local authorities, attracting cross-border workers could therefore contribute to both economic revitalisation and the long-term sustainability of public services.

The mayor wants to avoid the rent increases seen in La Seu d'Urgell

The French proposal draws inspiration from the residential and employment relationship that has developed between La Seu d'Urgell and Andorra.

However, Arnaud Díaz wants to prevent the arrival of cross-border workers from triggering a sharp increase in housing prices, as has happened in La Seu d'Urgell and parts of the Cerdanya region.

The mayor believes that attracting new residents and potentially recovering the 21 currently abandoned homes should not lead to significant rental increases.

He also argues that Pas de la Casa has a different geographical and economic reality from Andorra la Vella, making it possible to develop a cross-border housing model adapted to the specific characteristics of the northern border.

Nevertheless, the municipality's actual capacity to accommodate new residents will depend on housing availability, public services and future demand.

Simplifying procedures for workers who want to live in France

Another central element of the proposal is the need to simplify administrative procedures for workers who wish to live in France while remaining employed in Andorra.

Díaz is calling for closer cooperation between the authorities of both countries to facilitate cross-border mobility within the existing legal framework.

The mayor also believes that specific solutions should be explored for workers from countries outside the European Union, who may face additional administrative obstacles when attempting to establish residence in France.

The initiative could open up new housing opportunities for employees working in Pas de la Casa, while helping neighbouring French towns tackle depopulation and make better use of their existing infrastructure.

For now, the project remains dependent on the availability of additional housing and the ability of French and Andorran authorities to facilitate the necessary administrative arrangements.