French Andorra offers one of those small, precise stamp programs that remains focused on celebrating the country’s culture and history. Rarely does it fly off into non-Andorran topics. One of the reoccurring themes I look forward to is the annual art stamp. This year features Emma Regada, a multi discipline artist who grew up in Andorra.  Past artists included Jaume Riba (2023), Nerea Aixàs (2022) and Judit Gaset’s fabulous El Joc del Temps (2021). 

Judit Gaset 2021 is still my favourite Andorra stamp

 The first stamp this year is a big nope for me – apologies Andorra, but the prospect of crossing a 603-metre-long and at times 158 metres above the valley floor, on a bendy, floaty kind of bridge makes my entire body clench. I’ll stick with admiring the stamp. But what a view it must have! 

Keep your feet planted on the ground and enjoy 2024.

Catpaw

January

Tibeta de Canillo Bridge

1 stamp, sheets of 12
offset

This bridge was completed in 2022 and is the second longest footbridge in the world. And yes, my knees turned to rubber when I researched this bridge. 

Designer: Stéphanie Ghinéa. 
Photographer: Àlex Tena

Release date: January 3, 2024

February

Emma Regada – Sense tocar asfalt
“Without Touching the Asphalt”

1 stamp, sheets of 9
offset

…  artist Emma Regada, who created a performance entitled “Without Touching the Asphalt”, an action in the form of a walking route with two mountain stones as sandals. The artist walked from Plaza Guillemó in Andorra la Vella to the exhibition hall of the Central Park, passing through Plaza del Poble, to demonstrate “the difficulty of crossing a city without touching the asphalt”. In a nutshell.” Notes on the Anthropocene” invites us to appreciate the natural beauty of Andorra and to remember the importance of our community for the preservation of the vast and precious natural heritage, on which our country is fortunate to be able to count. Andorra stamp – Emma Regada – Sense tocar asfalt – La Poste

Designer: Stéphanie Ghinéa. 
Photographer: Emma Regada
“With sculpture I create pieces, with performance I create myself”  Artísta | emmaregada

Release date: February 3, 2024

March

Forn Vilaginés

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

This stamp celebrates a small establishment Forn Vilaginés in Escaldes, which baked an Andorran favourite coca masegada. 

The coca (plural coques) is a type of pastry that’s traditional all around the Mediterranean. Although its exact origins have been lost in the mists of time, it’s thought to have come from dough left over in kneading troughs. Housewives took advantage of this leftover dough, baking it flat and even sprinkling it with sugar, serving it to finish off a meal.

The image shows the founder of the bakery and coca masegadas. The establishment closed in 2022.

Designer: Stéphanie Ghinéa using photos from the VILAGINES family 

Release date: March 9, 2024

April

Cursa popular del dia de l’esport per a tothom 2024 / 13th Popular Race of the Sports Day for All 

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

Routes – Illa Carlemany Popular Race – Sports Day for everyone | State Secretariat for Sports – Government of Andorra (esportperatothom.ad)

Designers: Roger CORTÈS
Layout Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: April 27, 2024 

13th People’s Race of the Sports Day for All

1 stamp, sheets of 15

In April, the Andorrean government sponsors a sports day aimed at encouraging people to participate in sports and exercise. 2024 was the 13th year for the race. Two races are run, the first for adults which covers 5 kilometres and the second for children at 2 kilometres.  

Designer: Roger Cortés 
Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: April 27, 2024 

May

EUROPA 2024: Underwater Flora and Fauna

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

• common trout (Salmo trutta fario) – also called the river trout River Brown Trout (Subspecies Salmo trutta fario) · iNaturalist
• rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) – Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (inaturalist.org)

Designer: Itziar Badenas 
Badenas also designed last year’s Casa Rossell Museum and Casa D’Areny-Plandolit Foundation stamp. 
Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: May 11, 2024 

June

The Rossa Taxi

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

The Rossa taxi began service in 1950-1951 and in its decades of service traveled over 1.5 million kilometres. It transported passengers all over Andorra and beyond the country’s borders including bi-weekly trips Toulouse, France,  Italy (Sanremo-Venice-Rome-Milan), Germany, Austria (Vienna), Belgium, Denmark and England.  

The Rossa (Mercedes-Benz, model 220 DL) is now part of the Andorra Car Museum collection.

Designer: OROBITG

Release date: June 3, 2024

Carme Travesset (1925-2022) – Madame Aparicio

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

Teacher and first woman elected into office in Andorra. 
Mourning for the death of the first woman to be elected in an election – Altaveu, the digital newspaper of Andorra

Designer: Xavi Casals Sires  
Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: June 8, 2024

July

Diptych – Rouillac & Encamp 
Town twinning

2 stamps, 8 stamps on sheet (2x 5)
offset

The towns of Rouillac, France and Encamp, Andorra were twinned July 14, 1968. It became official when March 20, 1969 and ratified by both town councils on August 28, 1992. In Europe, about 20,000 towns have been twinned. 

Diptych is an art style that has two independent images or panels that when put together creates a whole scene. 

Designer: Conxita Boncompte
Boncompte is both a painter and art historian.

Perspective has never helped me to solve a composition; it represents a technical vision that is not mine. The outburst of colors that I pour onto my canvases is the dream that allows me to survive in a hostile patriarchal environment. Between the bright colors and the lack of perspective, motifs and patterns emerge, images that I have seen or copied from museums around the world. PRESENTATION | Ció Boncompte

Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: July 6, 2024 

Madriu Valley – Perafita-Claror

1 stamp, sheets of 9
offset

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. 

The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is a microcosm of the way the inhabitants have harvested the scarce resources of the high Pyrenees over the past millennia to create a sustainable living environment in harmony with the mountain landscape. The valley is a reflection of an ancient communal system of land management that has survived over 700 years. Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley – UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Designer: Naiara Galdós
Layout Stéphanie Ghinéa. 

Release date: July 13, 2024

September

Cantharellus lutescens

1 stamp, sheets of 12
intaglio

The chanterelle (cantharllus lutescens, from the Greek Catharellus, diminutive of Kántharos; glass; from the Latin Lustescens; which turns yellow), is a fungus that belongs to the genus Craterellus. Also called yellow chanterelle, yellow craterella or simply craterella, in Catalan rossinyolic camagroc, camasec, rossinyol de pi, vaqueta de pi, misto, picornell de càrritx, picornell de pi i ginesterola de pi. It is a fungus that lives in coniferous forests, mainly Scots pine and is edible. It grows by forming large mossy colonies, making them easy to find. It has a greyish-brown, funnel-shaped cap 3 to 6 cm in diameter. The underside, of a soft orange colour, at first smooth and then veined, without defined lamellae, unites continuously with the tip of the same colour. The flesh is elastic, dries easily and then releases an intense scent of meat broth. Once dried, it can also be ground. It can also be stored frozen. Andorra stamp – Camagroc – Cantharellus lutescens – La Poste

Craterellus lutescens: The Ultimate Mushroom Guide (ultimate-mushroom.com)

Designer and engraver: André Lavergne  
Layout Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: September 7, 2024

Estany d’Anrodat

1 stamp, sheets of 10
offset

Designer: LLuis Casavella  
Layout Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: September 21, 2024 

October

10 Years of the Euro in Andorra

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

Designer: Pere Moles  
Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa. 

Release date: October 10, 2024 

150th UPU Anniversary

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

On October 9, 1874, 22 countries came together to sign the Treaty of Bern, creating the General Postal Union, which later became the Universal Postal Union. A century and a half later, the UPU now unites the postal networks of 192 member countries. Andorra stamp – 150th anniversary of the UPU – La Poste

Designer: Francisco Ribó 
Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa 

Release date: October 10, 2024

November

Digital Postal Museum of Andorra

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

The Andorra Postal Museum began transitioning to a digital format in 2022. As of December 2023, the physical museum closed its doors. While it is devastating to lose the physical space, having the museum transition to an on-line format allows visitors from around the world to enjoy the beauty and history of Andorra’s philatelic past.  You can visit it here Postal Museum of Andorra 

The museum includes a section on Andorra’s Spanish post office.

Designer: Clara Vives  
Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa 

Release date: November 12, 2024 

The King’s Cake (Tortell de reis) – Christmas 2024

1 stamp, sheets of 15
offset

The King’s Cake (Tortell de reis in Catalan) is typical of Catalan cuisine. Ring-shaped, made of puff pastry or other, and stuffed with marzipan, with candied fruit, pine nuts and icing sugar on top, decorated with a golden cardboard crown in the center of the cake. In recent times Tortells de reis stuffed with chocolate or cream, among other things, have also been popularized. The standard size is about 50 centimeters in diameter, which is 8 parts, although nowadays there are many dimensions. It is traditional to eat it on January 6 to celebrate the Day of the Kings (Epiphany), this cake contains two hidden surprises: a dried bean and a figurine (normally of one of the kings). According to tradition, whoever finds the figurine in his share is crowned, while whoever finds the bean must pay for the cake. Andorra Stamp – Tortell de Reis – La Poste

Designer/engraver: Line Filhon  
Layout: Stéphanie Ghinéa

Release date: November 12, 2024