L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre

L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
A general view of L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
Location within Midi-Pyrénées region  L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre
Coordinates: 42°35′30″N 1°48′14″E / 42.5917°N 1.8039°ECoordinates: 42°35′30″N 1°48′14″E / 42.5917°N 1.8039°E
Country	France
Region	Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées
Department	Ariège
Arrondissement	Foix
Canton	Ax-les-Thermes
Intercommunality	Vallées d'Ax
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Arnaud Diaz
Area^1	26.12 km^2 (10.08 sq mi)
Population (2008)^2	89
• Density	3.4/km^2 (8.8/sq mi)
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. ^2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre (L'Espitalet in Occitan) is a commune in the Ariège department of southwestern France. L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre literally translates to "The Hospital Near Andorra".

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.^[1][2] Avalanches have from time to time cut the N20, the main road through the commune, the most recent case being in 2008.^[3]

Transport

The Gare d'Andorre - L'Hospitalet – served by TER Midi-Pyrénées 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.

Interior of the parish church at L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre.

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
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

• Communes of the Ariège department
• Gare de L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre

References

• INSEE

1. Risques avalanches . (French)
2. Notice sur les avalanches constatées et leur environnement, (French)
3. L'Hospitalet. La RN 20 coupée à cause d'une avalanche, 17 Dec 2008. . (French)