L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre

L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
A general view of L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
Location of L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
Coordinates: 42°35′30″N 1°48′14″E / 42.5917°N 1.8039°E / 42.5917; 1.8039
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentAriège
ArrondissementFoix
CantonHaute-Ariège
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Arnaud Diaz[1]
Area
1
26.12 km2 (10.08 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)[2]
85
 • Density3.3/km2 (8.4/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
09139 /09390
Elevation1,279–2,816 m (4,196–9,239 ft)
(avg. 1,446 m or 4,744 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre (French pronunciation: [lɔspitalɛ pʁɛ lɑ̃dɔʁ], literally L'Hospitalet near the Andorra; Occitan: L'Espitalet) is a commune in the Ariège department of southwestern France.

The area has a history of vulnerability to winter avalanches: one such in 1895 killed 12 (nearly 10% of the commune's population at the time), and much destruction was also caused in 1906 and 1929.[3][4] Avalanches have from time to time blocked the N20, the main road through the commune, the most recent case being in 2008.[5]

Transport

The Andorre-L'Hospitalet station – served by TER Occitanie regional trains between Toulouse and Latour-de-Carol and the overnight Intercités de nuit service between Paris and Latour-de-Carol – is an important international transport node for the nearby principality of Andorra, to which the station is connected by a bus link.

Local government

The village has a Mairie from which local government is organised. There is an elected mayor. The office is currently held by Arnaud Diaz.

Community facilities

There is a hotel in the village centre, the Hôtel du Puymorens, which has both a bar and a restaurant open to non-residents, and available to local residents. There is also a small guest house in the main street, operated as part of the French Gîtes system, with a small shop for essential supplies. There are few businesses trading in the village, although there is a small engineering company. There is a primary school, whose buildings include a residential youth centre for visiting groups. A school bus visits L'Hospitalet daily to transport older children to secondary school.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the only organised religion in the community. There is a parish church, with churchyard, in the main street. Although the village has no resident priest, services are held regularly.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 161—    
1975 186+2.08%
1982 171−1.19%
1990 146−1.96%
1999 166+1.44%
2007 98−6.38%
2012 91−1.47%
2017 95+0.86%
2023 85−1.84%
Source: INSEE[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations de référence 2023" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 18 December 2025.
  3. ^ Risques avalanches "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link). (in French)
  4. ^ Notice sur les avalanches constatées et leur environnement, [1] (in French)
  5. ^ L'Hospitalet. La RN 20 coupée à cause d'une avalanche, 17 Dec 2008. [2]. (in French)
  6. ^ Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023, INSEE