Boí is the lowest and quietest of the Romanesque villages in this Pyrenean valley, and its church of Sant Joan stands among old stone houses a little above the road. It is one of the nine churches in the Vall de Boí listed by UNESCO, and unlike the better-known Taüll it has a quieter, more domestic feel. The nave is plain, the tower is square and slim, and a porch along the side gives the building the look of a country chapel rather than a monument. Painted decoration survives inside, including scenes on the walls, though much of what you see is a careful reproduction while the original fragments are kept in museums in Barcelona and Lleida.
The valley road is the thing to enjoy. From Vielha, the main town of the Val d'Aran with a little over five thousand people, you ride through the long tunnel and out onto the southern side of the range, then follow the Noguera de Tor river down to the junction at Barruera. The last section into Boí is narrow, slowly climbing, with a few blind bends and occasional shreds of gravel from spring rock falls. The scenery tightens up as you go, with steep meadows, fir woods and, behind the village, a wall of granite peaks marking the edge of the national park of Aigüestortes.
Fuel is the practical issue. There is nothing in Boí itself and little in the neighbouring villages, so fill the tank at Vielha or at El Pont de Suert, which sits lower down at the valley mouth. Cafes in the valley tend to cater to walkers and skiers, and they open early and close early.
The valley is cold and often wet in winter and early spring, and snow can linger in the upper section. The best riding months run from June to October, with September offering clear light and a hint of autumn colour in the beech and birch. Thunderstorms build over the peaks on hot afternoons in July, so plan to be down in the valley before they break.