Família Jordino

Família Jordino is a group of seven outdoor sculptures by French artist Rachid Khimoune, set in a meadow beside the historic Iron Route near Llorts. The figures stand together as a family gathered in Andorra for Christmas, although each character is imagined as having come from a different city around the world. Their names and origins—Jeanne from Saint Petersburg, Aeyko from Tokyo, Felipe from Mexico, Richard from London, Izis from Cairo, Jean-Baptiste from Monaco and Titi from Paris—give visitors a playful starting point for interpreting the group.

Khimoune describes the figures as “extra-terrestrials” because they were formed from moulds of urban ground taken in different cities. The surfaces and forms connect the people to the earth beneath cities, while their placement in a mountain valley gives them a new shared home. The artist leaves the story open and invites viewers to imagine how the seven are connected. That invitation makes the sculpture especially approachable for families: children can choose a favourite figure, invent relationships among them and notice how different shapes and textures make each character distinct. There is no single puzzle or official narrative visitors must solve.

The group forms part of the Iron Route’s open-air sculptural itinerary, created in connection with Andorra’s history of mining and iron production. The valley’s iron industry was one of the country’s important economic activities from the early seventeenth to the late nineteenth century. The route follows paths once used to move materials and products and includes the Llorts mine, the carriers’ path, historic buildings, forged objects and works by several contemporary artists. Família Jordino does not depict a specific mining scene; rather, it brings a modern, international family into a landscape shaped by the older movement of people and materials through the valley.

The sculptures stand in a meadow near Pont de les Moles, where paths meet along the Valira del Nord. They are reached on foot as part of the route between Llorts and La Cortinada. The official Iron Route can be explored freely, either in full or in sections. Andorra Museums lists 1.5 kilometres from the sculpture stretch to the Llorts mine and 4.5 kilometres from La Cortinada to the mine. The route is not circular, so walkers who leave a car at one end need to plan a return trip or use another transport arrangement. Distance and total time vary according to the chosen segment and stops.

The approach is a walk on mountain paths rather than a vehicle-accessible exhibit with a visitor entrance. Wear comfortable shoes and take care on uneven or wet ground. The route follows the river and includes natural surfaces that can be slippery after rain, snow or frost. In summer, the official guidance recommends a hat and water and notes there are no drinking-water sources along the itinerary. Conditions at the valley floor may differ from those higher on the mountain, but rain, ice and strong sun can all affect comfort. Check local information before setting out if you have mobility concerns or are travelling with small children.

There is no ticket desk or staffed timetable for the sculpture group in the official listing. As an outdoor work along a walking route, it can be viewed when the path is accessible, subject to weather, maintenance and any temporary restrictions. This does not mean nearby attractions are open at the same times: the Llorts Mine, museums and visitor offices have their own operating hours and admission rules. The sculpture itself is a separate stop, and a visit does not include mine entry, guided interpretation or access to indoor facilities.

Give the figures time to reveal their character. Walk around the group, compare the silhouettes and materials, and consider the idea that each has travelled from a different city before meeting in this meadow. The variety of forms is part of the effect: they read as a family through their shared grouping, not because they look alike. Khimoune’s story makes geography personal, linking Saint Petersburg, Tokyo, Mexico City, London, Cairo, Monaco and Paris to one small spot in Ordino. Visitors can enjoy that contrast without knowing anything about the artist beforehand.

Other Iron Route artworks lie nearby, including A casa da terra e do fogo by Alberto Carneiro and Endless by Mark Brusse. Those are separate works by different artists and should not be confused with the seven Jordino figures. Continuing along the trail gives a broader view of how stone, iron, water and the valley landscape have inspired the route’s artists. Follow the official route rather than crossing private fields or approaching the riverbanks away from marked paths. If you are planning to see several sculptures, allow extra time for photographs and reading the interpretive material.

Families can turn the stop into a low-key storytelling activity: assign each figure a voice, imagine how the family met, or use the artist’s list of cities as a geography prompt. Keep children on the path and away from steep or slippery edges near the river. The statues are public artworks, not climbing equipment; avoid mounting them or applying anything to their surfaces. Visitors should leave the meadow as they found it, take rubbish away and respect other walkers using the shared route.

Família Jordino is a compact destination with a memorable idea at its centre: seven people from far-apart cities meet as one family in a Pyrenean valley. Its outdoor setting, open-ended story and connection to the Iron Route make it easy to combine with a gentle walk and other cultural stops. Plan the route as a non-circular hike, bring water and suitable footwear, and confirm access conditions in poor weather. The figures themselves have no posted daily opening schedule; the path is the key to reaching them.