Bagnères-de-Luchon (; oc, Banhèras de Luishon), also referred to as just Luchon, is a commune and

spa town A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath, Somerset, B ...

in the

Haute-Garonne Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a department in the Occitanie region of Southwestern France. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country' ...

department in the Occitanie region of south-western

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Luchonnais'' or ''Luchonnaises''. The commune has been awarded three flowers by the ''National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom'' in the ''Competition of cities and villages in Bloom''.

Geography

Bagnères-de-Luchon is located on the Spanish border some 50 km south-west of Saint-Gaudens and 40 km south of Montréjeau at the end of a branch line of the Southern railway at the foot of the central

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

. To the south the Luchonnais Mountains form a natural barrier and there is no crossing point into Spain. Access to the commune is by the D125 road from Salles-et-Pratviel in the north which passes through the town and continues south through the commune to its termination in the mountains. The D618A branches off the D125 south of the town and goes east to Saint-Mamet continuing to the Spanish border at the Col du Portillon leading to the

Val d'Aran Aran (; ; ) (previously officially called in Occitan Val d'Aran, Catalan: ''Vall d'Aran'', Spanish: ''Valle de Arán'') is an administrative entity (formerly considered a comarca) in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, consisting of the Aran Valley, in ...

. The D618 goes west from the town to Saint-Aventin. The D46 goes north-east to Sode. The D125C goes north by north-west to Moustajon. The town is located in a valley at the confluence of the L'One river from the west and the Pique river from the south. Numerous streams flow into these rivers including the Ruisseau de Sahage into L'One, the Ruisseau de Bagnartigue, the Ruisseau de Jean, the Lys, the Ruisseau des Barguieres, the Ruisseau de Laus d'Esbas, the Ruisseau de Garante, the Ruisseau de Sajust, the Ruisseau de Layrous, the Ruisseau de Roumingau, and the Ruisseau du Port de Venasque all flowing into the Pique. The Ruisseau de Bouneu forms much of the western border of the commune as it flows north to join the Lys. There are several high mountain lakes in the south of the commune which feed the Pique including the Boums de Port and the Étang de la Frèche.

Transport

The Gare de Luchon railway station is the

SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (; abbreviated as SNCF ; French for "National society of French railroads") is France's national state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the country's national rail traffic ...

terminal station for the Montréjeau to Gourdan-Polignan and Luchon line that also connects to

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and fr ...

via Montréjeau. On weekends (daily in summer), a night train connects Bagneres-de-Luchon directly to Paris. The Montréjeau to Bagnères-de-Luchon train line was suspended in 2014. The connection is now made by bus. A

Gondola lift A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate ...

since 1993 has connected Bagneres-de-Luchon to

Superbagnères Superbagnères is a ski resort above the town of Bagnères-de-Luchon in the French department of Haute-Garonne in the Midi-Pyrénées region. Overview The resort offers alpine ski slopes and cross-country skiing from 1440 to 2260 m. The reso ...

. It replaced the Chemin de fer de Luchon à Superbagnères (Luchon to Superbagnères railway)

rack railway A rack railway (also rack-and-pinion railway, cog railway, or cogwheel railway) is a steep grade railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with t ...

( Strub system) which operated from 1912 to 1966. There is also a small public aerodrome in the commune just east of the town where the Aeroclub de Luchon is based.

Climate

The commune is located on a slope that ensures a drier climate. Winter temperatures range from −10 to 10 degrees Celsius and summer temperatures range from 10 to 35 degrees Celsius. The northerly wind brings more anticyclonic conditions and south-west or north-west winds are very often a harbinger of a disturbance (rain or snow). Sometimes the north and south winds are reversed causing storms on the valley which are sometimes strong with hail due to the moist air in the south and dry air in the north.

Toponymy

The name ''Bagnères-de-Luchon'' comes in part from its

hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also called water cure, is a branch of alternative medicine (particularly naturopathy), occupational therapy, and physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment. The term ...

(''bagnères'' = baths) and the other part from a local god (''Lixon'' or ''Illixon''). After some confusion the ''Académie Julien Sacaze'' confirmed that ''Lixon'' is the correct Roman name for Luchon and not Ilixon.

History

The town has existed for more than 2,000 years. The presence of a population has been attested since

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...

times at least in the Saint-Mamet Cave. The presence of

Stone circle A stone circle is a ring of standing stones. Most are found in Northwestern Europe – especially in Britain, Ireland, and Brittany – and typically date from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, with most being built from 3000 BC. The ...

s also attests to an ancient occupation. In 76 BC

Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...

, returning from a policing expedition in Spain (where he founded the city of

Pamplona Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region. Lying at near above ...

named after him), stopped in the area and founded the new city of ''Lugdunum Convenarum'' where he brought together the scattered ''Convènes'' tribe: this was the future

Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (, literally ''Saint-Bertrand of Comminges''; Gascon: ''Sent Bertran de Comenge'') is a commune (municipality) and former episcopal see in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. It is a member of the ' ...

. One of his soldiers who suffered from a skin disease immersed himself in the thermal waters of Luchon and its "Onésiens" baths where he discovered their thermal properties. After 21 days (the traditional and still current duration of a cure) he came out completely healed. In 25 BC

Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...

Claude dug three pools and developed thermal baths. The baths had a modest motto: "Balneum Lixonense post Neapolitense primum" (the Luchon baths are the best after those of Naples) which is still today the motto of the town.

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...

spoke of the region his "Commentaries". The invasions of the

Goths The Goths ( got, 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰, translit=''Gutþiuda''; la, Gothi, grc-gre, Γότθοι, Gótthoi) were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Euro ...

and

Visigoths The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is k ...

passed through the region as well as the incursions of the

Moors The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinc ...

. People took refuge in the high valleys of Larboust or Oueil. Traces of these invasions remain in some local myths and legends.

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first E ...

and Gaston Phoebus gave the area a special status of a border

March March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March ...

with a certain amount of autonomy between France and Spain. The area was relatively untouched by the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagen ...

, as well as by the suppression of Catharism and the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...

. People remained loyal to a 'modified' Catholicism, which it took the bishops of

Saint-Béat Saint-Béat (; Gascon: ''Sent Biat'') is a former commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Saint-Béat-Lez.Saint-Béat Saint-Béat (; Gascon: ''Sent Biat'') is a former commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Saint-Béat-Lez.hospitallers The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic Church, Catholic Military ord ...

of St. John of Jerusalem installed a commandery at Frontés, between

Montauban Montauban (, ; oc, Montalban ) is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department, region of Occitania, Southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse. Montauban is the most populated town in Tarn-et-Garonne, ...

and Juzet-de-Luchon. The goal was to control the passage to the mountain, which was a secondary road on the

Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Sai ...

, and to organize hospices for pilgrims and merchants who risked their lives in winter. The building of the ''Hospice de France'' dates from this period and is the only trace remaining of the Knights Hospitaller. The opening of the

Port de Venasque The Port de Venasque () is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees. It lies on the border between France and Spain and is a popular border crossing point for mountaineers and walkers. It can be reached in about two to three hours from the Hospice de Fran ...

Pass followed later. Then commenced a continuous struggle for centuries between the Knights hospitaller and the people who were guided by their priests. The objective quickly became more economic than religious and it was not a question of sharing taxes. Finally the order abandoned the region. There have always been very few nobles in the region where the peasantry has always fought for their survival. The old treaties of ''Lies et passeries'' gave the people of both sides of the mountain free movement and free trade even if the kingdoms were at war. Any boycott would have little support as it would easily decimate the population. These treaties were systematically renewed and imposed on kings and bishops. A popular form of elected representation existed: the ''consuls''. It was thus possible to speak of Pyrenean republics. The kings of France sought to put an end to this situation which seemed to them abnormal. In 1759 Baron Antoine Mégret d'Étigny, intendant of Gascony, was sent to Luchon. He began by creating a passable road using collective labour and expropriations. He was forced to appeal to a company of

dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...

s to hold the population in check as they were unaccustomed to such authoritarian treatment. In 1761 he reorganized the baths and gave them a foundation for their future development. In 1763 Marshal

Duke of Richelieu Duke of Richelieu (french: duc de Richelieu) was a title of French nobility. It was created on 26 November 1629 for Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu (known as Cardinal Richelieu) who, as a Roman Catholic clergyman, had no issue to pass it dow ...

came to take the waters and he returned in 1769 with much of the Court. The spa was launched. The Baron also developed forestry to provide timber for the navy and charcoal for forges. He died in 1767 at the age of 47, ruined and disgraced. His successor gave his name to the Alleys of Étigny, the main artery of the town, and in 1889 a statue in his likeness was still displayed in front of the baths. The

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

and the French empires had little impact in Luchon. Many famous visitors came to Luchon, attracted by the popularity of the thermal waters which was launched by the

Empress Eugenie An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (empr ...

or by the beginnings of "Pyreneism" by Count Russell-Killough.

Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...

José-Maria de Heredia José-Maria de Heredia (22 November 1842 – 3 October 1905) was a Cuban-born French Parnassian poet. He was the fifteenth member elected for seat 4 of the Académie française in 1894. Biography Early years Heredia was born at Fortuna ...

(who also lived in Marignac, a village near Luchon where he was inspired by the Pic du Gar for his collection of poems ''Les Trophées''), Prince

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A neph ...

, the Prince Imperial,

Edmond Rostand Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand (, , ; 1 April 1868 – 2 December 1918) was a French poet and dramatist. He is associated with neo-romanticism and is known best for his 1897 play '' Cyrano de Bergerac''. Rostand's romantic plays contrasted with ...

Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...

Guy de Maupassant Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (, ; ; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, as well as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives, destin ...

Octave Mirbeau Octave Mirbeau (16 February 1848 – 16 February 1917) was a French novelist, art critic, travel writer, pamphleteer, journalist and playwright, who achieved celebrity in Europe and great success among the public, whilst still appealing to the ...

, and

Stephen Liégeard Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

. Moulay Mohammed (the future Mohammed V of Morocco),

Alfonso XIII of Spain Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alf ...

Sacha Guitry Alexandre-Pierre Georges "Sacha" Guitry (; 21 February 188524 July 1957) was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre. He was the son of a leading French actor, Lucien Guitry, and follo ...

, Francis Carco, and

François Mauriac François Charles Mauriac (, oc, Francés Carles Mauriac; 11 October 1885 – 1 September 1970) was a French novelist, dramatist, critic, poet, and journalist, a member of the'' Académie française'' (from 1933), and laureate of the Nobel Prize ...

were some of the more illustrious guests. The arrival of the railway in 1873 and the construction of the casino in 1880 further developed the popularity of the town where upscale and cosmopolitan tourists came until the

Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in th ...

. Social benefits such as paid leave and social security then democratized the tourist population. A hydroelectric power plant was in place as early as 1890 by the ''La Luchonnaise'' company. The

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

made the town one of its obligatory stages since its inception. The opening of the mountain hotel of

(finished work in 1922), then connected by a rack railway and today by gondola, completed the spa town with a winter sports resort. In the

1968 Winter Olympics The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (french: Les Xes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. Frenchm ...

, Ingrid Lafforgue was successful. Her twin sister Britt Lafforgue was successful at the

FIS Alpine World Ski Championships The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships is an alpine skiing competition organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS). History The inaugural world championships in alpine skiing were held in 1931. During the 1930s, the event was held annuall ...

. The commune was mentioned with the nickname "Queen of the Pyrenees" by Vincent de Chausenque in 1834 in his book ''Les Pyrénées ou voyages pédestres'' (''The Pyrenees or Hiking journeys''). Luchon mineral water has been marketed throughout France. Excavations have uncovered traces of three large pools lined with marble with circulating hot air and steam.

Cyclone Xynthia Cyclone Xynthia was an exceptionally violent European windstorm which crossed Western Europe between 27 February and 1 March 2010. It reached a minimum pressure of on 27 February. In France—where it was described by the civil defence as the m ...

at the end of February 2010 caused the death of 50 people in France and hit Luchon and its region. The winds blew at 200 km/h on the peaks which caused substantial damage.

Heraldry

Administration

List of successive

mayors In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

;

Mayors In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

from 1919

Twin towns

Bagnères-de-Luchon has twinning associations with: *

Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa ...

(United Kingdom) since 1953. *

Sitges Sitges (, , ) is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in Spain, renowned worldwide for its Film Festival, Carnival, and LGBT Culture. Located between the Garraf Massif and the Mediterranean Sea, it is known for its beaches, nights ...

(Spain) since 1981. *

Benasque Benasque (; in Benasquese dialect: ''Benás''; an, Benás) () is a town in the comarca of Ribagorza, province of Huesca, ( Spain). It is the main town in the Benasque Valley, located in the heart of the Pyrenees and surrounded by the highest ...

(Spain) since 1990. * Vielha (Spain) since 1990.

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 2,312 inhabitants. As of 2018, the commune had 2,293 inhabitants. Bagnères-de-Luchon monument aux morts

Economy

Hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also called water cure, is a branch of alternative medicine (particularly naturopathy), occupational therapy, and physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment. The term ...

(Thermes de Luchon) *

Winter sports Winter sports or winter activities are competitive sports or non-competitive recreational activities which are played on snow or ice. Most are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally, such games were only played in cold a ...

(

) *

Mineral water Mineral water is water from a mineral spring that contains various minerals, such as salts and sulfur compounds. Mineral water may usually be still or sparkling (carbonated/effervescent) according to the presence or absence of added gases. T ...

* Tourism

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments: * The Villa Pyrène at 13 Allée des Bains (19th century) * The Villa Luisa at Boulevard Charles-Tron (1884) * The Villa Edouard at 2 Boulevard Edmond-Rostand (1864) * The Château Lafont at Allées d'Etigny (18th century) houses the Pays de Luchon museum. * The Chalets Spont at 56 Allées d'Etigny (19th century) * The Charles Tron Residence at 1 Avenue Galliéni (1854) * The Villa Santa Maria at 14 Boulevard Henri-de-Gorsse (1840) * The Chambert Thermal Baths at Cours de Quinconces (1854). The Baths contain two items that are registered as historical objects: ** A

Sarcophagus A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Gre ...

(

Gallo-Roman Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, language, morals and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context ...

) ** An

Altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in pagan ...

and

(

) * The Casino (1878) was built in brick-stone in a conventional classical historicist style and expanded in 1929 with the addition of Art Deco decor on the front facade. The Casino Park is designed around a serpentine body of water with an artificial cave. * A

(

) * A Stone row (

) ;Other sites of interest * The

Arboretum de Jouéou The Arboretum de Jouéou (1.9 hectares), also known as the Arboretum Henri Gaussen, is an arboretum located on the Route de l'Hospice de France in Bagnères-de-Luchon, Haute-Garonne, Midi-Pyrénées, France. It is open daily. The arboretum was c ...

* The Léon-Elissalde Aeronautical Museum at the Aerodrome ;Civil heritage Photo Gallery File:Bagnères-de-Luchon villa Pyrène (2).JPG, The Villa Pyrène File:Bagnères-de-Luchon villa Édouard.JPG, The Villa Édouard File:Bagnères-de-Luchon villa Luisa (1).jpg, The Villa Luisa File:Bagnères-de-Luchon résidence Tron.JPG, The Charles Tron Residence File:Bagnères-de-Luchon château Lafont plaque (1).JPG, Plaque on the Chateau Lafont File:Bagnères-de-Luchon chalet Spont.JPG, The Chalet Spont File:Bagnères-de-Luchon casino (3).JPG, The Casino File:Bagnères-de-Luchon montagnes depuis casino.JPG, The mountains from the Casino File:Bagnères-de-Luchon parc (2).JPG, The Lake in Quinconces Park File:Bagnères-de-Luchon halles (3).JPG, The covered market File:Moulin à Scie (Luchon) - Fonds Ancely - B315556101 A MALBOS 1 011.jpg, Sawmill in Luchon near 1840 by Eugène de Malbos

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments: * The Chapel of Saint Etienne Portal at Quartier de Barcugnas (12th century). The Chapel contains a Statuette of the Virgin and child (14th century) which is registered as an historical object. * The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (1847) is a Romanesque Revival building built on the site of the old Romanesque church. The murals are by Romain Cazes. The Church contains two items that are registered as historical objects: ** A Chalice (17th century) ** A Bronze Bell called ''Abraham'' (1596) ;Religious heritage picture gallery File:Bagnères-de-Luchon chapelle Barcugnas (1).JPG, The Chapel of Saint Etienne File:Bagnères-de-Luchon église.JPG, The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption File:Bagnères-de-Luchon église portail.JPG, The Portal of the Church File:Bagnères-de-Luchon église orgue.jpg, The Church Organ File:Bagnères-de-Luchon église chaire.jpg, The Pulpit File:Bagnères-de-Luchon église chapelle sacré-coeur (1).jpg, The Chapel of the Sacred Heart in the Church File:Bagnères-de-Luchon église vitraux détail.JPG, Stained glass in the Church File:Bagnères-de-Luchon église nef.JPG, The Church nave

Thermal springs

Bagnères-de-Luchon is celebrated for its thermal springs. There are 48 springs which vary in composition but are chiefly impregnated with sodium sulphate, and range in temperature from 17 °C to 65 °C. The discovery of numerous Roman remains attests to the antiquity of the baths which are identified with the ''Onesiorum

Thermae In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout ...

'' of

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called " Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could s ...

. Their revival in modern times dates from the latter half of the 18th century, and was due to Antoine Mégret d'Étigny, intendant of

Auch Auch (; oc, label= Gascon, Aush ) is a commune in southwestern France. Located in the region of Occitanie, it is the capital of the Gers department. Auch is the historical capital of Gascony. Geography Localization Hydrography The ...

. There is a more modern entrance to the baths next to the older buildings. The bathing experience consists of repeated spells within a hot sulphurous atmosphere in caves that run approximately 100 metres inside the Superbagnères mountain in a cool swimming pool within the entrance building. It was these sulphur springs that led to a twinning of the settlement with

in 1952. Bagnères-de-Luchon is celebrated as a fashionable resort. Of the promenades, the finest and most frequented are the Allées d'Étigny, an avenue planted with lime-trees, at the southern extremity of which is the Thermes, or hot baths. The road is lined with bars and restaurants. ;Thermal Baths Picture Gallery File:Etablissement (thermal), Luchon, septembre 1899 (2654646757).jpg, The Baths in 1899 File:Bagnères-de-Luchon Thermes 4723.JPG, The Thermal Baths File:Bagnères-de-Luchon Thermes 40834.JPG, Stained glass in the baths File:Bagnères-de-Luchon Thermes 4724.JPG, Stained glass in the baths File:Mme Gardriol en chaise, Luchon, 9 juillet 1899 (2553851366).jpg, alt=A scene from 1899 Luchon, with a woman in a wheelchair accompanied by a male attendant., A scene from 1899 Luchon, with a woman in a wheelchair accompanied by a male attendant.

Cultural events and festivities

* Film festivals: the Luchon Television Film Festival * The Festival of Flowers. * The Rencontres lyriques de Luchon (Music Festival of Luchon).

In literature and film

Bagnères-de-Luchon is mentioned briefly in the short ghost Story, "Cannon Alberic's Scrap-Book" by M.R. James published in ''Ghost Stories of an Antiquary'' in 1904. It is also the setting for an early scene in François Mauriac's novel ''Le Noeud de Vipères'', published in 1932. The town is the setting and subject for the 2018 film ''Things Fall Where They Lie''.//https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5243582/

Sports

is a

ski resort A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area – a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In Nort ...

located on the territory of Saint-Aventin commune to the south-west of the town only accessible from Bagnères-de-Luchon. Historically it was connected to the town by a railway being the second resort in France to install a rack railway but today it is connected with a

gondola lift A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate ...

. Each cabin holds up to four people and takes about ten minutes to reach the summit, running in summer as well as winter. It is not possible to ski back down to Luchon, except in times of exceptional snow for talented locals who know the woods. superbagneres1.jpg, Ski slopes in the summer superchapel.jpg, Superbagneres Chapel Cycling is a popular sport in the region in the summer. The climbs of Superbagnères,

Col de Peyresourde The Col de Peyresourde ( oc, Còth de Pèira Sorda) (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees on the border of the department of Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées in France. It is situated on the D618 road between Bagnères-de-L ...

, Port de Balès,

Col de Menté The Col de Menté (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees in the department of Haute-Garonne in France. It is situated on the D44 road between Saint-Béat and the D618 (at the bottom of the Col de Portet d'Aspet) and connects th ...

, Col du Portillon and the

Col de Portet d'Aspet The Col de Portet d'Aspet (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees in the department of Haute-Garonne in France. It is situated on the D618 road between Aspet and Saint-Girons and connects the Ger and Bouigane valleys, on the s ...

are all nearby. Bagnères-de-Luchon has been a permanent stage on the

since its inception in 1910. luchongolf1

In addition to the Tour de France the pro series race ''Route du Sud'' also passes through Luchon with a stage finishing in Superbagnères in 2008 and Luchon in 2009. Luchon is also a mountain biking destination. Its position at the confluence of two valleys gives a wide variety of routes up into the mountains – although most of them start with a large climb (the gondola can carry mountain bikes). There is one mountain biking guide organisation based in Luchon itself and another further down the valley. (See external links). Luchon also offers a golf course, tandem paragliding (from Superbagnères), tennis courts, and an aerodrome with

gliding Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word ''soaring'' is a ...

. Luchon has a nine-hole golf course close to the town centre. It dates to the early 1900s, making it one of the oldest golf courses in the department. In 2008 the "Club de Golf Luchon" celebrated its 100-year anniversary.

Notable people linked to the commune

* Antoine Mégret d'Étigny (1719–1767), intendant of the generality of Gascony, Béarn, and Navarre. The commune named the ''Allées d'Étigny'', the main street in the town, after him and a statue stands in front of the thermal baths. * Nérée Boubée (1806–1862), naturalist, entomologist, geologist, and teacher at the University of Paris, died at Luchon. * Théodore Gobley (1811–1876), pharmacist and chemist, member of the

Académie Nationale de Médecine Situated at 16 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the Académie nationale de médecine (National Academy of Medicine) was created in 1820 by King Louis XVIII at the urging of baron Antoine Portal. At its inception, the instituti ...

, established the chemical structure of phospholipids, died in Bagnères-de-Luchon on 1 September 1876 at the Hôtel des Bains, cour d'Etigny, where he was staying with his family. * Stéphen Liégeard (1830–1925), French writer and poet, author of ''Twenty days as a tourist in Luchon country'' (1874) *

Auguste Scheurer-Kestner Auguste Scheurer-Kestner (11 February 1833 in Mulhouse (Haut Rhin) – 19 September 1899 in Bagnères-de-Luchon (Haute Garonne)) was a chemist, industrialist, a Protestant and an Alsatian politician. He was the uncle by marriage of the wife ...

(1833–1899), chemist and Senator, died in Bagnères-de-Luchon. * Jean-Marie Mengue (1855–1939), sculptor, born in Bagnères-de-Luchon. * Henri Gadeau de Kerville (1858–1940), zoologist, botanist, and archaeologist, died in Bagnères-de-Luchon. * Henry de Gorsse or Henri de Gorsse (1868–1936), man of letters, playwright, screenwriter, and songwriter, born at Luchon. *

(1868–1918), playwright who spent 22 summers in Luchon in his youth where he composed ''Les Musardises''. In

Cyrano de Bergerac Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist. A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th cen ...

, Act IV, Scene VI, the author was inspired by the place names in the Luchon Valley, among others, to name his Gascon cadets: there is one called a "Knight of Antignac-Juzet". *

Jules Brévié Joseph-Jules Brévié (12 March 1880 – 28 July 1964) was a French colonial administrator who became governor-general of French West Africa from 1930 to 1936, and then governor-general of French Indochina from 1937 to 1939. He promoted liberal and ...

(1880–1964), colonial administrator, Governor-General of French West Africa (AOF), and of French Indochina, Minister, born in Bagnères-de-Luchon. * Georges Lucien Guyot (1885–1973), wildlife artist, his work "Bear of the Pyrénées" is in the Thermal Baths grounds. * Jean Arlaud (1896–1938), doctor and mountaineer. * Lys Gauty (1908–1994), singer, took over management of the Luchon Casinor in 1950 and created the Festival of the Voice. *

Michel Warlop Michel Maurice Armand Warlop (23 January 1911 – 6 March 1947) was a French classical and jazz violinist professionally active from 1929 to 1947. Early life and education Michel Warlop (Michou to his friends) was a child prodigy who began mu ...

(1911–1947), jazz violinist, died in Bagnères-de-Luchon. *

Guy Lapébie Guy Lapébie (28 November 1916 – 8 March 2010) was a French cyclist, who won two gold and one silver medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics. After World War II he became a professional road racer. Lapébie's elder brother was Tour de France w ...

(1916–2010), racing cyclist, died in Bagnères-de-Luchon. * Alexis Kanner (1942–2003), Anglo-Canadian actor, born in Bagnères-de-Luchon. * Britt Lafforgue and Ingrid Lafforgue, ski champions, born in 1948 in Bagnères-de-Luchon. * Nicole Peyrafitte, multi-disciplinary artist, born in 1960 in Bagnères-de-Luchon.

Literature

Bagnères-de-Luchon is a location mentioned in the

M.R. James Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), and of Eton College (1918–1936). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridg ...

ghost story

Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book "Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book" is a horror story by British writer M. R. James, which was written in 1894 and published the following year in the ''National Review''. It was included in his first short story collection, '' Ghost Stories of an Antiq ...

published in

Ghost Stories of an Antiquary ''Ghost Stories of an Antiquary'' is a horror short story collection by British writer M. R. James, published in 1904 (some had previously appeared in magazines). Some later editions under this title contain both the original collection and its s ...

in 1904.

Bibliography

* Nérée Boubée, ''Promenade de Bagnères au lac d'Oô''. Reprinted 2009, Éditions Aux pages d'antan, 88 p. * Anne Dupic, ''Économie et démographie dans la commune de Bagnères-de-Luchon, 1815–1870'', mém. de maitrise, Université Toulouse II, 1976 (in particular noted the difficulty of measuring the true impact of tourism development for the local population). * Philippe Francastel, ''Luchon et ses vallées'', Éditions Privat, 1999 * Philippe Francastel, ''Le Pays de Luchon – poésie et lumière'', Atlantica, 2004 * Jean-Bernard Frappé, ''Autrefois Bagnères de Luchon'', 2 tomes, Atlantica, 2001 * Henri Gadeau de Kerville, ''Autour du canton de Bagnères-de-Luchon (France et Espagne)'', Toulouse, Privat, 1928 * Henri Gadeau de Kerville, ''Bagnères-de-Luchon et son canton (Haute-Garonne)'', Toulouse, Édouard Privat, 1925 ; Lorisse, 2003 * Alban et André Leymarie, ''Le Chemin de fer à crémaillère de Luchon à Superbagnères, 1912–1966'', Éditions Lacour-Olle, 2006 * Henri Pac, ''Luchon et son passé'', Éditions Privat, 1984 * Anne Samson, ''Thermes tragiques'', (a detective novel set in Luchon) * Patrick Turlan, ''Bagnères-de-Luchon à la Belle époque''. Pau, imprimerie Ipadour, 1999, 63 pp., any reproductions of old postcards of Luchon. Preface by Henri Dénard (General Councilor for the Canton of Luchon). * Patrick Turlan, ''La fête des fleurs de Bagnères-de-Luchon à la Belle époque''. Pau, imprimerie Ipadour, 1999, 32 pp., any reproductions of old postcards of Luchon. History of Guides... Preface by Jean Peyrafitte (former senator-mayor of Luchon). *Ernest Philippe Lambron
''Les Pyrénées et les eaux thermales sulfurées de Bagnères-de-Luchon''
N. Chaix, Paris, 1863–1864, 1152 pages, consulted on 6 June 2014

References

External links

Tourism office website

Bagnères-de-Luchon official website

Aeroclub de Luchon website

Bagnères-de-Luchon on Géoportail
National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
''Bagnères-de-Luchon'' on the 1750 Cassini Map
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bagneresdeluchon Communes of Haute-Garonne Spa towns in France Comminges