Artiga de Lin, Protected natural area in Val d'Aran, Catalonia, Spain

Artiga de Lin is a protected natural area in Val d'Aran in the Catalan Pyrenees where forests, mountain streams, and hiking trails form the landscape. The terrain sits at about 1200 meters elevation and offers different ways to explore this mountain region.

The valley was included in Catalonia's PEIN by Decree 328/1992. It was first designated a Site of Community Importance and a Special Protection Area for Birds in 2003, and the ZEPA zone was extended as a Natura 2000 site by Government Agreement 112/2009 of 16 June. A special plan later fixed its definitive boundaries.

The name Artiga de Lin comes from the Aranese Occitan: "artiga" means a clearing won from the forest by slash-and-burn, and Lin is the old name of the valley. Today the high pastures are still grazed by the brown Pyrenean cow and the Aranese Tarascon sheep, and forestry work continues in the woods.

The area is easy to reach, but during summer months there are parking restrictions and visitors may need to use alternative transportation. It is wise to arrive early or visit outside peak season to avoid crowds.

The karst system of Aigualluts-Ulls d'Eth Joèu, listed as a geotope of interest, diverts water from the Mediterranean watershed to the Atlantic slope; this transfer is the main water input at the head of the Garonne. The valley itself is glacial in origin, with a U-shaped profile that continues below the old glacial cirques.