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 Occitanie 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 | Occitanie | 
| Department | Ariège | 
| Arrondissement | Foix | 
| Canton | Ax-les-Thermes | 
| Intercommunality | Vallées d'Ax | 
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2014–2020) | Arnaud Diaz | 
| Area1 | 26.12 km2 (10.08 sq mi) | 
| Population (2008)2 | 89 | 
| • Density | 3.4/km2 (8.8/sq mi) | 
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | 
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | 
| 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.

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
References
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