Hautes-Pyrénées (; Gascon/Occitan: Nauts Pirenèus / Hauts Pirenèus ; ; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, southwestern France. The department is bordered by Pyrénées-Atlantiques to the west, Gers to the north, Haute-Garonne to the east, as well by the Spanish province of Huesca in the autonomous community of Aragon to the south. In 2023, its population was 231,349;

{| class=wikitable

! Commune

! Population (2023)

|-

| Tarbes

| style="text-align: center;" | 44,399

|-

| Lourdes

| style="text-align: center;" | 13,266

|-

| Aureilhan

| style="text-align: center;" | 8,031

|-

| Bagnères-de-Bigorre

| style="text-align: center;" | 7,114

|-

| Lannemezan

| style="text-align: center;" | 5,811

|-

| Bordères-sur-l'Échez

| style="text-align: center;" | 5,399

|-

| Séméac

| style="text-align: center;" | 5,236

|}

Demographics

Population development since 1801:

Politics

The president of the Departmental Council is Michel Pélieu, first elected in 2011.

Current National Assembly Representatives

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!colspan="2"|Constituency!!Member!!Party

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hautes-Pyrénées's 1st constituency

| Sylvie Ferrer

| La France Insoumise

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hautes-Pyrénées's 2nd constituency

| Denis Fegne

| Socialist Party

|}

Tourism

The Western Pyrenees National Park covers a significant area, and includes well-known attractions such as the Cirque de Gavarnie and the Pont d'Espagne. The entire area is a favorite destination of hikers and mountain enthusiasts.

The area has been known, perhaps since Antiquity, for its hot springs, and several towns were built around these, most notably Cauterets, Luz-Saint-Sauveur and Bagnères-de-Bigorre.

A notable lake in the area is Lac Bleu d'Ilhéou, southwest of Cauterets.

There are a number of notable ski resorts in Hautes-Pyrénées such as Barèges-La Mongie, Gavarnie, Luz-Ardiden, Cauterets, Hautacam, Piau-Engaly and Saint-Lary-Soulan.

The area is a nearly-permanent fixture on the Tour de France's itinerary, with significantly difficult passes such as the Tourmalet, the Aubisque and the Soulor.

A jazz festival is held each year in Luz-Saint-Sauveur: Jazz a Luz. Tarbes hosts an annual horse festival, Equestria, and a Tango festival, Tarbes en Tango.

<gallery>

File:Lourdes Sanctuaires 01.jpg|Lourdes sanctuary

File:Picdumidi.jpg|Pic du Midi de Bigorre

File:Le Vignemale.jpg|Vignemale

File:Lac du Milieu de Bastan Hautes Pyrénées 02 BLS.JPG|Middle of Lake Bastan, shortly before sunset

File:Gavarnie-Cirque.JPG|Cirque de Gavarnie

File:Paysage enneigé des Hautes-Pyrénées.jpg|Pyrenees under snow near Cauterets

</gallery>

See also

  • Cantons of the Hautes-Pyrénées department
  • Communes of the Hautes-Pyrénées department
  • Arrondissements of the Hautes-Pyrénées department

References

  • Departmental Council of Hautes-Pyrénées website
  • Prefecture website
  • Pyrenees National Park
  • Photography Panoramics 360° website