Ariège
Encyclopedia
Ariège is a department in southwestern France named after the Ariège River
.
on 4 March 1790. It was created from the counties of Foix
and Couserans
.
Foix
is the administrative capital of the Ariège. It is an ancient medieval town with a fortress Chateau de Foix
perched on a hill overlooking it. The fortress has been attacked many times without capture, including an attempt by Simon de Montfort
. It has also been used as a prison, and the names of English Prisoners of War can still be seen on the cell walls. Another famous chateau in the Ariège is Montségur
, located on a rocky outcrop at a height of 1200 metres (3,900 ft). During the Albigensian Crusade
and siege of 1244 AD the chateau was largely destroyed, with more than two hundred Cathar
priests burnt at the stake as heretics. The chateau was gradually rebuilt by Royalists over a period of the next three hundred years.
The start of the seventeenth century saw the area ravaged by wars
between Protestants and Catholics. In 1621 Huguenot
forces ruined the church at La Tour-du-Crieu
. In 1629 Pamiers
was sacked by Henry of Condé following uprisings that left several hundred dead in the city. This was also the period during which the abbeys at Foix
, Tarascon-sur-Ariège
, Saint-Girons
, Saverdun
and Le Mas-d'Azil
were torched and destroyed.
The nineteenth century was a time of strong industrial growth, supported in Ariège by an abundant supply of water power. The department also benefitted from its significant reserves of iron ore. The growth of iron based industries were a feature of the period, with the establishment in 1817 of a steel manufacturing plant at Pamiers
which has been a principal driver of the local economy ever since. Other representative examples of the iron based industry that developed in Ariège during the nineteenth century include the forges at Montgaillard
and the blast furnace
s at Tarascon-sur-Ariège
.
Description of the department's industrial development during the nineteenth century should also include mention of the paper industry at Saint-Girons
and the textile industry in the Pays d'Olmes.
Towns of particular historical interest in the département include Pamiers
, host to a large commercial centre and three churches. Mirepoix
is a medieval town, as is Saint-Lizier
situated on a hilltop with winding streets, fine views and a church with cloisters that are noteworthy. Saint-Girons
is an agricultural centre with a Saturday market.
and is surrounded by the French departments of Haute-Garonne
, :Aude, and Pyrénées-Orientales
, as well as Spain and Andorra
on the south.
The geography is dominated by the Pyrenees
mountains, which form the border between France and Spain. There are hundreds of miles of well-marked paths which allow exploration of the magnificent Pyrenees mountains. The high mountains are easily accessible via good roads, cable cars or by foot. There are a number of lodges providing high level mountain accommodation that are comfortable, warm and with good meals.
There are also a number of fresh water lakes which provide a variety of activities including, walking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, sailboarding and picnicking.
The Ariege has several of its own downhill ski resorts, the three largest being Ax-Bonascre, Les Monts D'Olmes and Guzet. There are many cross country ski-ing resorts, one of the best being at Plateau de Beille, near Les Cabannes.
The Pyrenees mountain range forms a fantastic backdrop to the entire Ariège Department, rising some 10,000 feet (3000m) in the Montcalm Massif
, along the border with Andorra and Spain. The highest peaks are clearly visible visible from Toulouse
in the Haute Garonne. It is one of the least populated and most unspoiled regions of France. The locals enjoy keeping traditions alive, especially old farming techniques. Consequently, as fewer insecticides, for example, have been used, the flora and fauna of the area continue to be rich in both diversity and numbers. Butterflies are common and birds are numerous; particularly noticeable are large birds of prey, including the magnificent Griffon vultures.
There are also many unspoiled villages and hamlets tucked away in the valleys close to the department's border with Spain – Seix
, Cominac and Aulus Les Bain are examples – together with picturesque mountain villages, most notably Aleu
which comes alive in the holiday season.
dominance over rainfall, but other influences are felt:
There is no great tendency to summer drought as the flow of air from the north-west brings rain throughout the year. Rainfall is moderate on the foothills and in some sheltered valleys, measuring 700 to 1,000 mm per year, but increases significantly in the higher valleys with levels between 1,000 mm and 1,800 mm. The slopes exposed to the north-west, such as Aulus and Orlu
, are, as one would expect, the wettest, together with the frontal ridges that meet air flow from the southwest (giving rise to the Foehn effect). Snow cover is common over 1,000 metres, lasting several months above 1,500 to 2,000 metres. Some periglacial areas exist over 2,500 m but the only true glacier
in Ariège is that of Mont Valier
, near Castillon-en-Couserans
.
Temperatures are mild in the foothills, e.g. at the city of Foix
(400 metres) the average is 5 °C in January and 19 °C in July. However, they decline rapidly with elevation, e.g. at l'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
(1,430 m) it is 0 °C in January and 14 °C in July.
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The inhabitants of the department are called Ariégeois.
The department has 151,477 inhabitants, or 146,289 as the population without double counting
.
The populations of the arrondissements (double-counting) are :
The populations of the principal towns (double-counting) are :
The Ariège Chamber of Commerce and Industry is situated at Foix. The department’s Economic Development Agency (ARIEGE EXPANSION) is at Verniolle
. The department has established three ‘business incubators’ to support enterprise in Ariège.
, although in recent years the right has managed to make some inroads.
Nevertheless, the department remains one of the most left-wing departments in France, and the left holds all but three of the department's 22 cantons.
The President of the General Council is Augustin Bonrepaux of the Socialist Party
.
and has retained many hallmarks of the Gascon
culture and Gascon language
.
Ariégeois gastronomy is based on the cooking of Pyrenean regional food, such as cheese or charcuterie
from the mountain country. The Azinat is the local and typical dish of Ariege. The department is also well advanced in the field of organic farming.
The following table indicates the main communes of Ariège in which the number of second homes amounts to more than 10% of total dwellings.
Ariège River
The Ariège is a 164 km long river in southern France, right tributary of the Garonne. Its source is in the Pyrenees, where it forms part of the border with Andorra...
.
History
Ariège is one of the original 83 departments created during the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
on 4 March 1790. It was created from the counties of Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
and Couserans
Couserans
Couserans is a small former province of France located in the Pyrenees mountains. Today Couserans makes up the western half of the Ariège département, around the towns of Saint-Girons and Saint-Lizier. A small part of Couserans is also in the extreme south of Haute-Garonne, just across the border...
.
Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
is the administrative capital of the Ariège. It is an ancient medieval town with a fortress Chateau de Foix
Château de Foix
The Château de Foix is a castle which dominates the town of Foix in the French département of Ariège. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. It has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture....
perched on a hill overlooking it. The fortress has been attacked many times without capture, including an attempt by Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester
Simon IV de Montfort, Seigneur de Montfort-l'Amaury, 5th Earl of Leicester , also known as Simon de Montfort the elder, was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
. It has also been used as a prison, and the names of English Prisoners of War can still be seen on the cell walls. Another famous chateau in the Ariège is Montségur
Montségur
The Château de Montségur is a former fortress near Montségur, a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France. Its ruins are the site of a razed stronghold of the Cathars. The present fortress on the site, though described as one of the "Cathar castles," is actually of a later period...
, located on a rocky outcrop at a height of 1200 metres (3,900 ft). During the Albigensian Crusade
Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc...
and siege of 1244 AD the chateau was largely destroyed, with more than two hundred Cathar
Cathar
Catharism was a name given to a Christian religious sect with dualistic and gnostic elements that appeared in the Languedoc region of France and other parts of Europe in the 11th century and flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries...
priests burnt at the stake as heretics. The chateau was gradually rebuilt by Royalists over a period of the next three hundred years.
The start of the seventeenth century saw the area ravaged by wars
Huguenot rebellions
The Huguenot rebellions, sometimes called the Rohan Wars after the Huguenot leader Henri de Rohan, refers to events of the 1620s in which French Protestants , mainly located in southwestern France, revolted against royal authority...
between Protestants and Catholics. In 1621 Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
forces ruined the church at La Tour-du-Crieu
La Tour-du-Crieu
La Tour-du-Crieu is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of La Tour-du-Crieu are called Critouriens.-References:*...
. In 1629 Pamiers
Pamiers
Pamiers is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Although Pamiers is the largest city in Ariège, the capital is the smaller town of Foix...
was sacked by Henry of Condé following uprisings that left several hundred dead in the city. This was also the period during which the abbeys at Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
, Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Tarascon-sur-Ariège are called Tarasconnais.-External links:*...
, Saint-Girons
Saint-Girons
Saint-Girons is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Saint-Girons, Ariège, in the Ariège department* Saint-Girons-d'Aiguevives, in the Gironde department...
, Saverdun
Saverdun
Saverdun is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Saverdun are called Saverdunois.Saverdun gave its name to the former city of Verdun, Quebec, Canada, now a borough of Montreal, which was founded in 1671 by Zacharie Dupuis, a native of...
and Le Mas-d'Azil
Le Mas-d'Azil
Le Mas-d'Azil is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
were torched and destroyed.
The nineteenth century was a time of strong industrial growth, supported in Ariège by an abundant supply of water power. The department also benefitted from its significant reserves of iron ore. The growth of iron based industries were a feature of the period, with the establishment in 1817 of a steel manufacturing plant at Pamiers
Pamiers
Pamiers is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Although Pamiers is the largest city in Ariège, the capital is the smaller town of Foix...
which has been a principal driver of the local economy ever since. Other representative examples of the iron based industry that developed in Ariège during the nineteenth century include the forges at Montgaillard
Montgaillard, Ariège
Montgaillard is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:...
and the blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
s at Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Tarascon-sur-Ariège are called Tarasconnais.-External links:*...
.
Description of the department's industrial development during the nineteenth century should also include mention of the paper industry at Saint-Girons
Saint-Girons, Ariège
- Climate :-Sport:Stage 8 of the 2009 Tour de France finishes in Saint-Girons, after travelling 176 km from Andorra-la-Vella.-Gallery:...
and the textile industry in the Pays d'Olmes.
Towns of particular historical interest in the département include Pamiers
Pamiers
Pamiers is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Although Pamiers is the largest city in Ariège, the capital is the smaller town of Foix...
, host to a large commercial centre and three churches. Mirepoix
Mirepoix, Ariège
Mirepoix is a communes in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-History:The original town was virtually destroyed by flooding of the Hers-Vif river on 16 June 1289...
is a medieval town, as is Saint-Lizier
Saint-Lizier
Saint-Lizier is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-History:Saint-Lizier has a rich history stretching back to pre Gallo-Roman times. In 72 BC, Pompey, returning from his triumphs in Spain against Sertorius, stopped here. He gathered together the ancient tribes of the area...
situated on a hilltop with winding streets, fine views and a church with cloisters that are noteworthy. Saint-Girons
Saint-Girons, Ariège
- Climate :-Sport:Stage 8 of the 2009 Tour de France finishes in Saint-Girons, after travelling 176 km from Andorra-la-Vella.-Gallery:...
is an agricultural centre with a Saturday market.
Geography
The department is part of the current region of Midi-PyrénéesMidi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...
and is surrounded by the French departments of Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
, :Aude, and Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales is a department of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. It also surrounds the tiny Spanish enclave of Llívia, and thus has two distinct borders with Spain.- History :...
, as well as Spain and Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
on the south.
The geography is dominated by the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
mountains, which form the border between France and Spain. There are hundreds of miles of well-marked paths which allow exploration of the magnificent Pyrenees mountains. The high mountains are easily accessible via good roads, cable cars or by foot. There are a number of lodges providing high level mountain accommodation that are comfortable, warm and with good meals.
There are also a number of fresh water lakes which provide a variety of activities including, walking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, sailboarding and picnicking.
The Ariege has several of its own downhill ski resorts, the three largest being Ax-Bonascre, Les Monts D'Olmes and Guzet. There are many cross country ski-ing resorts, one of the best being at Plateau de Beille, near Les Cabannes.
The Pyrenees mountain range forms a fantastic backdrop to the entire Ariège Department, rising some 10,000 feet (3000m) in the Montcalm Massif
Montcalm Massif
The Montcalm Massif is a mountain massif located in the Pyrenees, at the border between France and Spain, it has an altitude of 3077 metres above sea level....
, along the border with Andorra and Spain. The highest peaks are clearly visible visible from Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
in the Haute Garonne. It is one of the least populated and most unspoiled regions of France. The locals enjoy keeping traditions alive, especially old farming techniques. Consequently, as fewer insecticides, for example, have been used, the flora and fauna of the area continue to be rich in both diversity and numbers. Butterflies are common and birds are numerous; particularly noticeable are large birds of prey, including the magnificent Griffon vultures.
There are also many unspoiled villages and hamlets tucked away in the valleys close to the department's border with Spain – Seix
Seix
Seix is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Seix are called Seixois....
, Cominac and Aulus Les Bain are examples – together with picturesque mountain villages, most notably Aleu
Aleu
Aleu is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Aleu are called Aleudiens....
which comes alive in the holiday season.
Climate
Ariège stands on the eastern limit of oceanicOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
dominance over rainfall, but other influences are felt:
- MediterraneanMediterranean climateA Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
– particularly visible in the vegetation of the foothills and of the valley of the Ariège river towards Tarascon, and in the Pays de Sault;
- ContinentalContinental climateContinental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
– in the Pyrenean valleys, with many storms and big differences of temperature between day and night.
There is no great tendency to summer drought as the flow of air from the north-west brings rain throughout the year. Rainfall is moderate on the foothills and in some sheltered valleys, measuring 700 to 1,000 mm per year, but increases significantly in the higher valleys with levels between 1,000 mm and 1,800 mm. The slopes exposed to the north-west, such as Aulus and Orlu
Orlu, Ariège
Orlu is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Orlu are called Orlunais.-References:*...
, are, as one would expect, the wettest, together with the frontal ridges that meet air flow from the southwest (giving rise to the Foehn effect). Snow cover is common over 1,000 metres, lasting several months above 1,500 to 2,000 metres. Some periglacial areas exist over 2,500 m but the only true glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
in Ariège is that of Mont Valier
Mont Valier
Mont Valier is a mountain in Ariège in the Pyrenees.Its name comes from Valerius , the mythical first bishop of Couserans, who made an ascent of the peak. Bernard de Marmiesse, another bishop of Couserans, had a marble cross erected on the peak in 1670.- Geography :Mont Valier belongs to the...
, near Castillon-en-Couserans
Castillon-en-Couserans
Castillon-en-Couserans is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.Pierre Soulé , U.S. politician and diplomat, was born there.-Population:-References:*...
.
Temperatures are mild in the foothills, e.g. at the city of Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
(400 metres) the average is 5 °C in January and 19 °C in July. However, they decline rapidly with elevation, e.g. at l'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.The commune has a history of vulnerability to avalanches in winter. Avalanches hit the commune in 1895 killing 12, and again in 1906 and 1929. Avalanches have also closed the RN-20 road.-Population:-References:*...
(1,430 m) it is 0 °C in January and 14 °C in July.
Demographics
The department has 151,477 inhabitants, or 146,289 as the population without double counting
Population without double counting
Population without double counting is an English translation of the phrase Population sans doubles comptes.In France, for the purposes of the census, the INSEE has defined several population indicators that allow people who live in more than one place to be counted in each place, to study and keep...
.
The populations of the arrondissements (double-counting) are :
- Foix – 53,595
- Pamiers – 69,664
- Saint Girons – 28,218
The populations of the principal towns (double-counting) are :
- Pamiers – 15,702
- Foix – 9,994
- Lavelanet – 7,068
- Saint Girons – 7,019
Economy
The Ariege department is a largely unknown department which is situated next to the Aude in the most southern part of the Midi-Pyrenees region and shares its borders with the Aude, Andorra, Haute Garonne and the Pyrenees Orientales. This is predominantly a farming area as the soil is rich and fertile and yet more than 50% of the Ariège is mountainous, with 490 965 hectares being covered by forests.| Data | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses created | 814 | 2005 |
| Number of businesses | 19 750 | 15 November 2006 |
| Rate of business creation | 10.4 % (Ariège) 9.3 % (Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity... ) 9.3 % (France) |
2003 |
| Unemployment rate | 10.4 % (Ariège) 9.1 % (Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity... ) 9 % (France) |
September 2006 |
| Value of Exports | 450 M€ | 2005 |
| Value of Imports | 368 M€ | 2005 |
| source : Ariège Expansion |
The Ariège Chamber of Commerce and Industry is situated at Foix. The department’s Economic Development Agency (ARIEGE EXPANSION) is at Verniolle
Verniolle
Verniolle is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Verniolle are called Verniollais.-References:*...
. The department has established three ‘business incubators’ to support enterprise in Ariège.
Politics
The department has two parliamentary constituencies and twenty-two cantons. Broadly speaking, Ariège has been firmly held by the Socialist Party since the days of the Third RepublicFrench Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
, although in recent years the right has managed to make some inroads.
Nevertheless, the department remains one of the most left-wing departments in France, and the left holds all but three of the department's 22 cantons.
The President of the General Council is Augustin Bonrepaux of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
.
| Party | seats | |
|---|---|---|
| • | Socialist Party Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... |
18 |
| Union for a Popular Movement Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... |
2 | |
| Miscellaneous Right | 1 | |
| • | Miscellaneous Left | 1 |
Culture
The region was originally part of AquitaineAquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
and has retained many hallmarks of the Gascon
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
culture and Gascon language
Gascon language
Gascon is usually considered as a dialect of Occitan, even though some specialists regularly consider it a separate language. Gascon is mostly spoken in Gascony and Béarn in southwestern France and in the Aran Valley of Spain...
.
Ariégeois gastronomy is based on the cooking of Pyrenean regional food, such as cheese or charcuterie
Charcuterie
Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork. Charcuterie is part of the garde manger chef's repertoire...
from the mountain country. The Azinat is the local and typical dish of Ariege. The department is also well advanced in the field of organic farming.
Tourism
According to the general census of the population of 8 March 1999, 26.5 % of available housing in the department consists of second homes.The following table indicates the main communes of Ariège in which the number of second homes amounts to more than 10% of total dwellings.
| Year | Town | Population without double-counting | Number of dwellings | Second homes | % of dwellings being second homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Suc-et-Sentenac Suc-et-Sentenac Suc-et-Sentenac is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Suc-et-Sentenac are called Sucatels.-References:*... |
||||
| 2004 | Ustou (Guzet-neige) Ustou Ustou is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.The commune of Ustou comprises several villages: Saint-Lizier, Le Trein, Sérac; and numerous hamlets, including: Escots, Bieille, Rouzes.-Population:... |
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| 2004 | Couflens Couflens Couflens is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:... |
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| 2006 | Boussenac Boussenac Boussenac is a commune in the Ariège department of southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Boussenac are called Boussenacais.... |
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| 2005 | Quérigut Quérigut Quérigut is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants are called Quérigutois.-References:*... |
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| 2007 | Ascou Ascou Ascou is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Ascou are called Ascounais.... |
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| 2004 | Ax-les-Thermes Ax-les-Thermes Ax-les-Thermes is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France.It lies at the confluence of the Ariège River with three tributaries, 26 miles SSE of Foix by rail... |
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| 1999 | Aulus-les-Bains Aulus-les-Bains Aulus-les-Bains is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.Situated at the head of the Garbet valley and beneath Guzet Neige ski resort, the village is best known for the thermal springs and spa complex. There are several Belle Époque buildings, some still offering hotel... |
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| 2007 | Saint-Lary Saint-Lary, Ariège Saint-Lary is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.It is located on the former Route nationale 618, the "Route of the Pyrenees".-Population:Inhabitants of Saint-Lary are called Saint-Hilariens.-References:*... |
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| 2007 | Sentein Sentein Sentein is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Sentein are called Sentenois.... |
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| 1999 | Biert Biert Biert is a commune in the Ariège department of southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Biert are called Biertois.... |
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| 2005 | Montferrier Montferrier Montferrier is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:... |
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| 2007 | Soulan Soulan Soulan is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Soulan are called Soulanais.... |
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| 2004 | Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi Pyrénées region in southwestern France.-Population:The inhabitants of Rabat are called "Rabatols" in Occitan or Rabatois.-Name:... |
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| 2007 | Seix Seix Seix is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Seix are called Seixois.... |
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| 2005 | Massat Massat Massat is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.It is situated on the former Route nationale 618, the "Route of the Pyrenees".-History:... |
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| 2004 | Ercé Ercé Ercé is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants are called Ercéens.-References:*... |
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| 1999 | Saurat Saurat Saurat is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Saurat are called Sauratois.... |
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| 1999 | Auzat Auzat Auzat is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Auzat are called Auzatois.... |
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| 2005 | Soueix-Rogalle Soueix-Rogalle Soueix-Rogalle is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Soueix-Rogalle are called Soueissois.-References:*... |
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| 2004 | Les Cabannes Les Cabannes, Ariège Les Cabannes is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*... |
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| 2006 | Castillon-en-Couserans Castillon-en-Couserans Castillon-en-Couserans is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.Pierre Soulé , U.S. politician and diplomat, was born there.-Population:-References:*... |
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| 2005 | Savignac-les-Ormeaux Savignac-les-Ormeaux Savignac-les-Ormeaux is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Savignac-les-Ormeaux are called Savignacois.-References:*... |
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| 2004 | Vicdessos Vicdessos Vicdessos is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Vicdessos are called Vicdessosiens.-References:*... |
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| 2007 | Serres-sur-Arget Serres-sur-Arget Serres-sur-Arget is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Serres-sur-Arget are called Serrésiens.-References:*... |
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| 2006 | Daumazan-sur-Arize Daumazan-sur-Arize Daumazan-sur-Arize is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*... |
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| 2006 | Moulis Moulis, Ariège Moulis is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Geography:Moulis is situated on the D618 road, which follows the Lez river valley from Castillon-en-Couserans to Saint Girons... |
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| 2007 | Bélesta Bélesta, Ariège Bélesta is a commune in the Ariège department of southwestern France.-Population:-References:*... |
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Famous people
- Fabien BarthezFabien BarthezFabien Alain Barthez is a former French footballer goalkeeper who won honours with Manchester United and the French national team, with whom he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 and reached the final of the 2006 World Cup. He shares the record for the most World Cup finals clean sheets...
, football player, winner of the World Football Cup 1998 and born at LavelanetLavelanetLavelanet is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France.-Population:Its inhabitants are called Lavelanetiens.-Tour de France:... - Pierre BaylePierre BaylePierre Bayle was a French philosopher and writer best known for his seminal work the Historical and Critical Dictionary, published beginning in 1695....
(1647–1706), philosopher and writer, born at Carla-BayleCarla-BayleCarla-Bayle is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France. It was the birthplace of Pierre Bayle , philosopher and writer.-History:It was originally named Carla-le-Comte, and was renamed Carla-Bayle after Pierre Bayle....
(then known as Carla-le-Comte; the commune changed its name in his honour) - Théophile DelcasséThéophile DelcasséThéophile Delcassé was a French statesman.-Biography:He was born at Pamiers, in the Ariège département...
(1852–1923), politician, minister, ambassador, born at Pamiers - Jacques Dupont (born in 1928), cyclist, holder of the Olympic record, born at Lézat-sur-LèzeLézat-sur-LèzeLézat-sur-Lèze is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Geography:The Lèze forms part of the commune's southern border, flows northward through the commune, then forms part of its northern border.-Population:-References:*...
- Gabriel FauréGabriel FauréGabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
(1845–1924), composer, born at Pamiers - Jacques Fournier (1285–1342), bishop of Pamiers then of Mirepoix, pope under the name Benedict XII from 1336 to 1342 (Avignon), born at CantéCantéCanté is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
near SaverdunSaverdunSaverdun is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Saverdun are called Saverdunois.Saverdun gave its name to the former city of Verdun, Quebec, Canada, now a borough of Montreal, which was founded in 1671 by Zacharie Dupuis, a native of... - Claude PiquemalClaude PiquemalClaude Piquemal was a French athlete who mainly competed in the 100 metres.He competed for a France in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Paul Genevay, Bernard Laidebeur and Jocelyn Delecour.Piquemal and...
(born in 1939), athlete and sprinter, Olympic medalist, born at SiguerSiguerSiguer is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Siguer are called Siguerois....
See also
- Cantons of the Ariège department
- Communes of the Ariège department
- Arrondissements of the Ariège department