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.
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 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Occitania |
| Department | Ariège |
| Arrondissement | Foix |
| Canton | Haute-Ariège |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Arnaud Diaz[1] |
| Area 1 | 26.12 km2 (10.08 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 105 |
| • Density | 4.0/km2 (10/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 09139 /09390 |
| Elevation | 1,279–2,816 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. | |
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
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 129 | — |
| 1968 | 161 | +24.8% |
| 1975 | 186 | +15.5% |
| 1982 | 171 | −8.1% |
| 1990 | 146 | −14.6% |
| 1999 | 166 | +13.7% |
| 2008 | 89 | −46.4% |
See also
References
External links
- L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre on French IGN mapping portal
- L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre Official Village website
- Trophée de l’Isard race page
