Hautes-Pyrénées (; Gascon/

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language Occitan (; o ...

: ''Nauts Pirenèus / Hauts Pirenèus'' awts piɾeˈnɛʊs es, Altos Pirineos; ca, Alts Pirineus alts piɾiˈneʊs English: Upper Pyrenees) is a

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the region of

Occitania Occitania ( oc, Occitània , , or ) is the historical region in Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe where the Occitan language, Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is sometimes still used as a second language. This ...

, southwestern France. In 2019, its population was 229,567;Populations légales 2019: 65 Hautes-Pyrénées
INSEE its

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

is Tarbes. It is named after the Pyrenees mountain range.

History

Historically the area broadly covered by the ''département'' known as

Bigorre Bigorre ({{IPA-fr, biɡɔʁ; Gascon: ''Bigòrra'') is a region in southwest France, historically an independent county and later a French province, located in the upper watershed of the Adour, on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, part of t ...

, a territory at times independent but later part of

Gascony Gascony (; french: Gascogne ; oc, Gasconha ; eu, Gaskoinia) was a province of the southwestern Kingdom of France that succeeded the Duchy of Gascony (602–1453). From the 17th century until the French Revolution (1789–1799), it was part o ...

province. Large parts of the area were held by the English after the Treaty of Brétigny, 1360. In the 16th century, it was part of the Huguenot domain of the monarchs of

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

, brought to France by Henri IV. For its early history, see

and

. The ''département'' of Hautes-Pyrénées was created at the time of the French Revolution, on 4 March 1790, through the influence of French politician Bertrand Barère, a member of the

Convention Convention may refer to: * Convention (norm), a custom or tradition, a standard of presentation or conduct ** Treaty, an agreement in international law * Convention (meeting), meeting of a (usually large) group of individuals and/or companies in a ...

Geography

Hautes-Pyrénées consists of several distinct geographical areas. The southern portion, along the border with Spain, consists of mountains such as the Vignemale, the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, and the Neouvielle and Arbizon ranges. A second area consists of low-altitude rolling hills. The Northern part of the '' département'' consists of largely flat agricultural land. Hautes-Pyrénées has two small territorial

exclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

s—a remnant from the Middle Ages—located within the neighboring ''département'' of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Principal towns

The greater Tarbes area is the economic and administrative focus of the ''département'', while Lourdes, the second-biggest city in Hautes-Pyrénées, is dedicated almost exclusively to the religious pilgrimage industry. As of 2019, there are 7 communes with more than 5,000 inhabitants:

Demographics

Population development since 1801:

Politics

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

Current National Assembly Representatives

Tourism

The Western Pyrenees National Park covers a significant area, and includes well-known attractions such as the

Cirque de Gavarnie __NOTOC__ The Cirque de Gavarnie is a cirque in the central Pyrenees, in Southwestern France, close to the border of Spain. It is within the commune of Gavarnie, the department of Hautes-Pyrénées, and the Pyrénées National Park. Major feat ...

and the

Pont d'Espagne Pont d'Espagne is a stone-built bridge that spans the Gave de Marcadau at the point where it meets the Gave de Gaube, near one of its sources high in the French Pyrenees. It is a protected area of the Pyrénées in the Pyrénées National Park. T ...

. 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 Cauterets (; in Occitan ''Cautarés'', in Catalan ''Cautarés'', in Aragonese ''Cautarès'') is a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department and the region of Occitanie in south-western France. Geography Cauterets ...

, Luz-Saint-Sauveur and

Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre (, literally ''Bagnères of Bigorre''; oc, label= Gascon, Banhèras de Bigòrra ) is a commune and subprefecture of the Hautes-Pyrénées Department in the Occitanie region of southwestern France. Name The town was known ...

. A notable lake in the area is

Lac Bleu d'Ilhéou Lac Bleu d'Ilhéou is a lake in Hautes-Pyrénées, France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Am ...

, southwest of

. There are a number of popular ski resorts in Hautes-Pyrénées such as Barèges-

La Mongie The village of La Mongie is at altitude. There are also residences at 1850 and the Tourmalet building at 1900. It lies below the Col du Tourmalet . It is in the canton of Campan in the Midi-Pyrénées region (department 65) of France and aroun ...

Gavarnie Gavarnie (; oc, Gavarnia) is a former commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, Southwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Gavarnie-Gèdre.Luz-Ardiden Luz Ardiden is a ski resort in the Pyrenees. It is situated in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, in the Occitanie Region. The ski resort lies at a height of 1720 meters and was opened on January 16, 1975. In recent years the road to Luz Ardiden h ...

Hautacam Hautacam is a ski resort in the Pyrenees. It is situated in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, in the Midi-Pyrénées region. In road bicycle racing, the ascent to Hautacam is known as a tough climb, which is used occasionally in the Tour de Fra ...

, Piau-Engaly and

Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan (; oc, Sent Lari e Sola) is a communes of France, commune of Southwestern France, located in the Hautes-Pyrénées departments of France, department, Occitania (administrative region), Occitania. Geography Saint-Lary is locate ...

. 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. The region's premier avant-garde 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. 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,

References

External links

*
Departmental Council of Hautes-Pyrénées website
*
Prefecture website

Pyrenees National Park
*
Photography Panoramics 360° website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hautes-Pyrenees 1790 establishments in France Departments of Occitania (administrative region) States and territories established in 1790