Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Cantabrian Mountains , etymology=Named after the Cantabri , photo=Cordillera Cantábrica vista desde el Castro Valnera.jpg , photo_caption=Cantabrian Mountains parallel to the Cantabrian Sea seen from Castro Valnera in an east-west direction. In the background, t ...

Cap de Creus The Cap de Creus (Cabo de Creus in Spanish) is a peninsula and a headland located at the far northeast of Catalonia, some south from the French border. The cape lies in the municipal area of Cadaqués, and the nearest large town is Figueres, ...

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

Aneto Aneto (''pic d'Aneto'' in French, formerly ''pic de Néthou'') is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees and in Aragon, and Spain's third-highest mountain, reaching a height of . It stands in the Spanish province of Huesca, the northernmost of ...

microstate A microstate or ministate is a sovereign state having a very small population or very small land area, usually both. However, the meanings of "state" and "very small" are not well-defined in international law.Warrington, E. (1994). "Lilliputs ...

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

Crown of Aragon The Crown of Aragon ( , ) an, Corona d'Aragón ; ca, Corona d'Aragó, , , ; es, Corona de Aragón ; la, Corona Aragonum . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Ba ...

Kingdom of Navarre The Kingdom of Navarre (; , , , ), originally the Kingdom of Pamplona (), was a Basque kingdom that occupied lands on both sides of the western Pyrenees, alongside the Atlantic Ocean between present-day Spain and France. The medieval state too ...

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities of de ...

Pyrene Pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) consisting of four fused benzene rings, resulting in a flat aromatic system. The chemical formula is . This yellow solid is the smallest peri-fused PAH (one where the rings are fused through mor ...

Herodotus Herodotus ( ; grc, , }; BC) was an ancient Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus, part of the Persian Empire (now Bodrum, Turkey) and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria ( Italy). He is known for ha ...

Celtic Europe The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...

Silius Italicus Tiberius Catius Asconius Silius Italicus (, c. 26 – c. 101 AD) was a Roman senator, orator and epic poet of the Silver Age of Latin literature. His only surviving work is the 17-book ''Punica'', an epic poem about the Second Punic War and the l ...

Bebryx Bebrycius (Ancient Greek: Βεβρύκιος) or Bebryx, in Greek mythology, was a king and the father of Pyrene Pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) consisting of four fused benzene rings, resulting in a flat aromatic system. The ...

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

hospitality Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis, chevalier de Jaucourt describes ...

quest A quest is a journey toward a specific mission or a goal. The word serves as a plot device in mythology and fiction: a difficult journey towards a goal, often symbolic or allegorical. Tales of quests figure prominently in the folklore of eve ...

Geryon In Greek mythology, Geryon ( or ;"Geryon"
'' Labours. Hercules, characteristically drunk and lustful, violates the sacred code of hospitality and rapes his host's daughter. Pyrene gives birth to a serpent and runs away to the woods, afraid that her father will be angry. Alone, she pours out her story to the trees, attracting the attention of wild beasts who tear her to pieces. After his victory over Geryon, Hercules passes through the kingdom of Bebryx again, finding the girl's lacerated remains. As is often the case in stories of this hero, the sober Hercules responds with heartbroken grief and remorse at the actions of his darker self, and lays Pyrene to rest tenderly, demanding that the surrounding geography join in mourning and preserve her name: "struck by Herculean voice, the mountaintops shudder at the ridges; he kept crying out with a sorrowful noise 'Pyrene!' and all the rock-cliffs and wild-beast haunts echo back 'Pyrene!' … The mountains hold on to the wept-over name through the ages."

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic '' ...

connects the story of Hercules and Pyrene to

Lusitania Lusitania (; ) was an ancient Iberian Roman province located where modern Portugal (south of the Douro river) and a portion of western Spain (the present Extremadura and the province of Salamanca) lie. It was named after the Lusitani or Lus ...

, but rejects it as ''fabulosa'', highly fictional. Other classical sources derived the name from the Greek word for fire, grc, πῦρ (IPA: ). According to Greek historian

Diodorus Siculus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which s ...

"in ancient times, we are told, certain herdsmen left a fire and the whole area of the mountains was entirely consumed; and due to this fire, since it raged continuously day after day, the surface of the earth was also burned and the mountains, because of what had taken place, were called the Pyrenees."

Geography

Political divisions

The Spanish Pyrenees are part of the following

provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

, from west to east:

Girona Girona (officially and in Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in 2020. Girona is the capit ...

, Barcelona,

Lleida Lleida (, ; Spanish: Lérida ) is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida. Geographically, it is located in the Catalan Central Depression. It is also the capital city of the Segrià comarca, as ...

(all in Catalonia),

Huesca Huesca (; an, Uesca) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the comarca of Hoya de Huesca. In 2009 it had a population of 52,059, alm ...

(in

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...

),

Navarra Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

(in

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

). The French Pyrenees are part of the following ''

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety- ...

s'', from east to west:

Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales (; ca, Pirineus Orientals ; oc, Pirenèus Orientals ; ), also known as Northern Catalonia, is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France, adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. I ...

(also known as

Northern Catalonia Northern Catalonia, North Catalonia, ; french: Catalogne (du) Nord ; oc, Catalonha (del) Nòrd; es, Cataluña (del) Norte) French Catalonia or Roussillon refers to the Catalan-speaking and Catalan-culture territory ceded to France by Spain ...

),

Aude Aude (; ) is a department in Southern France, located in the Occitanie region and named after the river Aude. The departmental council also calls it " Cathar Country" ( French: ''Pays cathare'') after a group of religious dissidents active i ...

, Ariège,

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's ...

,

Hautes-Pyrénées Hautes-Pyrénées (; Gascon/Occitan: ''Nauts Pirenèus / Hauts Pirenèus'' awts piɾeˈnɛʊs es, Altos Pirineos; ca, Alts Pirineus alts piɾiˈneʊs English: Upper Pyrenees) is a department in the region of Occitania, southwestern France. ...

, and

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atla ...

(the latter two of which include the

Pyrenees National Park 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 C ...

). The independent principality of

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

is sandwiched in the eastern portion of the mountain range between the

Spanish 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 ...

and

French 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 ...

.

Physiographical divisions

Physiographically, the Pyrenees may be divided into three sections: the Atlantic (or Western), the Central, and the Eastern Pyrenees. Together, they form a distinct physiographic province of the larger Alpine System division. In the Western Pyrenees, from the Basque mountains near the

Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...

of the Atlantic Ocean, the average elevation gradually increases from west to east. The Central Pyrenees extend eastward from the

Somport Somport or Col du Somport, known also as the Aspe Pass or Canfranc Pass, (el. 1632 m.) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees on the border of France and Spain. Its name is derived from the Latin ''Summus portus''. It was one of the most po ...

pass to the

Aran Valley 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 ar ...

, and they include the highest summits of this range: * Pico de Aneto in the Maladeta ridge, * Pico Posets , *

Monte Perdido Monte Perdido (in Spanish; Mont Perdu in French; Mont Perdito in Aragonese;all four meaning ''lost mountain'') is the third highest mountain in the Pyrenees. The summit of Monte Perdido (3355 m), located in Spain, lies hidden from France ...

. In the Eastern Pyrenees, with the exception of one break at the eastern extremity of the ''Pyrénées Ariègeoises'' in the Ariège area, the mean elevation is remarkably uniform until a sudden decline occurs in the easternmost portion of the chain known as the Albères.

Foothills

Most

foothill Foothills or piedmont are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range, higher hill range or an upland area. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills and the adjacent topogra ...

s of the Pyrenees are on the Spanish side, where there is a large and complex system of ranges stretching from Spanish

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

, across northern Aragon and into Catalonia, almost reaching the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

coast with summits reaching . At the eastern end on the southern side lies a distinct area known as the

Sub-Pyrenees The Sub-Pyrenees ( ca, Subpirineu) are a mountainous region in Catalonia, Spain, forming a section of the southern foothills of the Pyrenees. They are located at the eastern end of the Pre-Pyrenees, west of the Catalan Transversal Range, betwee ...

. On the French side the slopes of the main range descend abruptly and there are no foothills except in the

Corbières Massif The Corbières Massif ( Catalan: ''Corberes''; french: Massif des Corbières, ) is a mountain range in the Pre-Pyrenees. It is the only true foothill of the Pyrenees on their northern side. Geography The Corbières are a mountain region in the ...

in the northeastern corner of the mountain system.

Geology

The Pyrenees are older than the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

: their

sediment Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand a ...

s were first deposited in coastal basins during the

Paleozoic The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838 by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and '' ...

and

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretace ...

eras. Between 100 and 150 million years ago, during the Lower Cretaceous Period, the

Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...

fanned out, pushing present-day Spain against France and applying intense compressional pressure to large layers of

sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles t ...

. The intense pressure and uplifting of the Earth's crust first affected the eastern part and moved progressively to the entire chain, culminating in the

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', "daw ...

Epoch. The eastern part of the Pyrenees consists largely of

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies underg ...

and

gneiss Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures an ...

ose rocks, while in the western part the granite peaks are flanked by layers of

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms when ...

. The massive and unworn character of the chain comes from its abundance of granite, which is particularly resistant to

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...

, as well as weak

glacial A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...

development. The upper parts of the Pyrenees contain low-relief surfaces forming a

peneplain 390px, Sketch of a hypothetical peneplain formation after an orogeny. In geomorphology and geology, a peneplain is a low-relief plain formed by protracted erosion. This is the definition in the broadest of terms, albeit with frequency the usage ...

. This peneplain originated no earlier than in

Late Miocene The Late Miocene (also known as Upper Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch, which lasted from 11.63 Ma (million years ago) to 5.333 Ma. The e ...

times. Presumably it formed at height as extensive sedimentation raised the local

base level In geology and geomorphology a base level is the lower limit for an erosion process. The modern term was introduced by John Wesley Powell in 1875. The term was subsequently appropriated by William Morris Davis who used it in his cycle of erosion ...

considerably.

Landscape

Conspicuous features of Pyrenean scenery are: * the absence of great lakes, such as those that fill the lateral valleys of the Alps * the rarity and relative high elevation of usable passes * the large number of the mountain torrents locally called '' gaves'', which often form lofty waterfalls, surpassed in Europe only by those of

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swed ...

* the frequency with which the upper end of a valley assumes the form of a semicircle of precipitous cliffs, called a

cirque A (; from the Latin word ') is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. Alternative names for this landform are corrie (from Scottish Gaelic , meaning a pot or cauldron) and (; ). A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landfo ...

. The highest waterfall is

Gavarnie Gavarnie (; oc, Gavarnia) is a former commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, Southwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Gavarnie-Gèdre.Gave de Pau The Gave de Pau () is a river of south-western France. It takes its name from the city of Pau, through which it flows. The river is long ( including the Gaves réunis), and its source is at the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees mountains. Th ...

; the

Cirque de Gavarnie __NOTOC__ The Cirque de Gavarnie is a cirque in the central Pyrenees, in Southwestern France, close to the border of Spain. It is within the commune of Gavarnie, the department of Hautes-Pyrénées, and the Pyrénées National Park. Major feat ...

, in the same valley, together with the nearby Cirque de Troumouse and

Cirque d'Estaubé The Cirque d'Estaubé is a cirque in the central Pyrenees in the Pyrenees National Park, forming the frontier between France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comp ...

, are notable examples of the

cirque A (; from the Latin word ') is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. Alternative names for this landform are corrie (from Scottish Gaelic , meaning a pot or cauldron) and (; ). A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landfo ...

formation. Low passes are lacking, and the principal roads and the railroads between France and Spain run only in the lowlands at the western and eastern ends of the Pyrenees, near sea level. The main passes of note are: * Col de la Perche (), towards the east, between the valley of the Têt and the valley of the Segre, * Col de Puymorens (), on

European route E09 The European route E9 is part of the United Nations international E-road network. It starts at Orléans, France, and goes south to Barcelona, Spain. France In France, the E9 follows these roads: *: Orléans - Vierzon *: Vierzon - Châteaurou ...

between France and Spain. * The nearby he Pas de la Casa or Port d'Envalira, the highest road pass in the Pyrenees at , and one of the highest points of the European road network, which provides the route from France to Andorra, * The Port de la Bonaigua (), in the middle of the range at the head of the Aran Valley. * Plan de Beret () * Col du Pourtalet (). * The Col de

Somport Somport or Col du Somport, known also as the Aspe Pass or Canfranc Pass, (el. 1632 m.) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees on the border of France and Spain. Its name is derived from the Latin ''Summus portus''. It was one of the most po ...

or Port de Canfranc (), where there were old

Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...

s. *

Col de la Pierre St Martin Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin (elevation ) is a mountain pass on the France-Spain border in the western Pyrenees in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (France) and Navarra (province), Navarra (Spain). The climb from the Spanish side was us ...

() * Puerto de Larrau () * The

Roncevaux Pass Roncesvalles Pass, Ronceval Pass or Roncevaux Pass (; ; ; elevation 1057 m) is a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees near the border between France and Spain. The pass itself is entirely in Spain. Location The pass is located between the towns ...

(), entirely in

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

(Spain) is an important point 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 Saint ...

pilgrimage route. Because of the lack of low passes a number of tunnels have been created, beneath the passes at Somport, Envalira, and Puymorens and new routes in the center of the range at Bielsa and

Vielha Vielha e Mijaran (; ca, Viella – Mitg-Aran ) is a municipality in Aran, Lleida, Spain. It was created in 1970 by the merger of the municipalities of Arròs e Vila, Betlan, Escunhau, Gausac, Vielha and Vilac: some of the former municipalities r ...

. A notable visual feature of this

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...

is La Brèche de Roland, a gap in the ridge line, whichaccording to legendwas created by

Roland Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...

.

Natural resources

The metallic

ore Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 April ...

s of the Pyrenees are not in general of much importance now, though there were

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in fr ...

mines at several locations in

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

, as well as at

Vicdessos Vicdessos is a former commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Val-de-Sos.Canigou The Canigó ( ca, Canigó, french: Canigou ; la, mons Canigosus or Canigonis) is a mountain located in the Pyrenees of southern France. The Canigó is located less than from the sea and has an elevation of . Due to its sharp flanks and its dra ...

in

Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales (; ca, Pirineus Orientals ; oc, Pirenèus Orientals ; ), also known as Northern Catalonia, is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France, adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. I ...

long ago.

Coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when dead ...

deposits capable of being profitably worked are situated chiefly on the Spanish slopes, but the French side has beds of

lignite Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible, sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35%, and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low hea ...

. The open pit of Trimoun near the commune of Luzenac (Ariège) is one of the greatest sources of

talc Talc, or talcum, is a clay mineral, composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. Talc in powdered form, often combined with corn starch, is used as baby powder. This mineral is used as a thickening agent ...

in Europe.

Mineral spring Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produces hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage under ...

s are abundant and remarkable, and especially noteworthy are the

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal (geology), geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...

s. The hot springs, among which those of

Les Escaldes Les Escaldes () or Escaldes is an urban area in Escaldes-Engordany parish, Andorra. It is located near the nation's capital, Andorra la Vella. Overview The name ''Les Escaldes'' comes from the presence of numerous hot springs, which produce high ...

in Andorra, Panticosa and Lles in Spain,

Ax-les-Thermes Ax-les-Thermes (; oc, Ax or ) is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Axéens'' or ''Axéennes''. The commune has been awarded one flower by the ...

,

Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon (; oc, Banhèras de Luishon), also referred to as just Luchon, is a commune and spa town in the Haute-Garonne department in the Occitanie region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Luchon ...

and

Eaux-Chaudes Eaux-Chaudes is a spa in the valley of the Gave d'Ossau in the French Pyrenees. Location The village is located beside the river, at the southern entrance to the Gorge du Hourat. It is separated from the spa town of Eaux-Bonnes by the Massif ...

in France may be mentioned, are

sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...

ous and mostly situated high, near the contact of the granite with the stratified rocks. The lower springs, such as those of

Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre (, literally ''Bagnères of Bigorre''; oc, label= Gascon, Banhèras de Bigòrra ) is a commune and subprefecture of the Hautes-Pyrénées Department in the Occitanie region of southwestern France. Name The town was kn ...

(

Hautes-Pyrénées Hautes-Pyrénées (; Gascon/Occitan: ''Nauts Pirenèus / Hauts Pirenèus'' awts piɾeˈnɛʊs es, Altos Pirineos; ca, Alts Pirineus alts piɾiˈneʊs English: Upper Pyrenees) is a department in the region of Occitania, southwestern France. ...

), Rennes-les-Bains (

Aude Aude (; ) is a department in Southern France, located in the Occitanie region and named after the river Aude. The departmental council also calls it " Cathar Country" ( French: ''Pays cathare'') after a group of religious dissidents active i ...

), and Campagne-sur-Aude (Aude), are mostly selenitic and not hot.

Climate

The amount of

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, Rain and snow mixed, sleet, snow, ice pellets, ...

the range receives, including rain and snow, is much greater in the western than in the eastern Pyrenees because of the moist air that blows in from the Atlantic Ocean over the

Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...

. After dropping its moisture over the western and central Pyrenees, the air is left dry over the eastern Pyrenees. The winter average temperature is . Sections of the mountain range vary in more than one respect. There are some

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...

s in the western and snowy central Pyrenees, but there are no glaciers in the eastern Pyrenees because there is insufficient snowfall to cause their development. Glaciers are confined to the northern slopes of the central Pyrenees, and do not descend, like those of the Alps, far down into the valleys but rather have their greatest lengths along the direction of the mountain chain. They form, in fact, in a narrow zone near the crest of the highest mountains. Here, as in the other great mountain ranges of central Europe, there is substantial evidence of a much wider expanse of glaciation during the

glacial period A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betw ...

s. The best evidence of this is in the valley of Argeles Gazost, between Lourdes and Gavarnie, in the ' of Hautes-Pyrénées. The annual snow-line varies in different parts of the Pyrenees from about above sea level. In average the seasonal snow is observed at least 50% of the time above between December and April.

Flora and fauna

Flora

A still more marked effect of the preponderance of rainfall in the western half of the chain is seen in the vegetation. The lower mountains in the extreme west are wooded, but the extent of forest declines as one moves eastwards. The eastern Pyrenees are peculiarly wild and barren, all the more since it is in this part of the chain that granitic masses prevail. Also moving from west to east, there is a change in the composition of the flora, with the change becoming most evident as one passes the centre of the mountain chain from which point the

Corbières Massif The Corbières Massif ( Catalan: ''Corberes''; french: Massif des Corbières, ) is a mountain range in the Pre-Pyrenees. It is the only true foothill of the Pyrenees on their northern side. Geography The Corbières are a mountain region in the ...

stretch north-eastwards towards the central plateau of France. Though the difference in latitude is only about 1°, in the west the flora resembles that of central Europe while in the east it is distinctly Mediterranean in character. The Pyrenees are nearly as rich in

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

species as the Alps, and among the most remarkable instances of that

endemism Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

is the occurrence of the monotypic genus ''

Xatardia ''Xatardia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Apiaceae. It only contains one known species, ''Xatardia scabra''. It is native to the eastern part of the Pyrenees between France and Spain. The genus name of ''Xat ...

'' (family

Apiaceae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus '' Apium'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plant ...

), which grows only on a high alpine pass between the Val d'Eynes and Catalonia. Other examples include '' Arenaria montana'', '' Bulbocodium vernum'', and ''

Ranunculus glacialis ''Ranunculus glacialis'', the glacier buttercup or glacier crowfoot, is a plant of the family Ranunculaceae. It is a 5-10(-20) cm high perennial herb. Often with a single relatively large (1.8 - 3.8 cm) flower, with 5 petals first white late ...

''. The genus most abundantly represented in the range is that of the

saxifrage ''Saxifraga'' is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 465 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages or rockfoils. The Latin word ''saxifraga'' means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin ' ("rock" o ...

s, several species of which are endemic here.

Fauna

In their

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is ''funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

the Pyrenees present some striking instances of

endemism Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

. The

Pyrenean desman The Pyrenean desman also called Iberian desman (''Galemys pyrenaicus'') is a small semiaquatic, globally threatened mammal related to moles and shrews, and, along with the Russian desman (''Desmana moschata''), is one of the two extant members ...

is found only in some of the streams of the northern slopes of these mountains; the only other

desman The desman, a snouted and naked-tailed diving insectivore of the tribe Desmanini (also considered a subfamily, Desmaninae), belongs to one of two Eurasian species of the mole family, Talpidae. This tribe consists of two monotypic genera of semi ...

, the

Russian desman The Russian desman (''Desmana moschata'') (russian: выхухоль ''vykhukhol'') is a small semiaquatic mammal that inhabits the Volga, Don and Ural River basins in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. It constructs burrows into the banks of pon ...

, is confined to the

Volga The Volga (; russian: Во́лга, a=Ru-Волга.ogg, p=ˈvoɫɡə) is the longest river in Europe. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catchm ...

river basin in southern Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The Pyrenean brook salamander (''Calotriton asper''), an endemic amphibian, also lives in streams and lakes located at high altitudes. Among other peculiarities of Pyrenean fauna are blind insects in the

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as se ...

rns of Ariège, the principal genera of which are '' Anophthalmus'' and ''Adelops''. The Pyrenean ibex, an endemic subspecies of the Iberian ibex, became extinct in January 2000; another subspecies, the western Spanish ibex, was introduced into the area, with the population numbering over 400 individuals as of 2020. The native

brown bear The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is kn ...

population was hunted to near-extinction in the 1990s, but its numbers rebounded in 1996 when three bears were brought from

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

. The bear population has bred successfully, and there are now believed to be about 15 brown bears in the central region around Fos, with only four native ones still living in the

Aspe Valley The Aspe Valley is a valley in the French part of the Pyrenees, department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Geography It is one of the three valleys located in the historic region of upper Béarn, along with the Ossau Valley to the east and Barétou ...

.

Protected areas

Principal nature reserves and national parks: *

Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park The Ordesa Valley is a glacial valley in Aragon, in the Spanish Pyrenees which forms part of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. It was first discovered in 1820, but not mapped in detail until approximately the 1920s. The valley is abou ...

(Spain) * Pyrénées National Park (France) *

Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park ''Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici'' National Park ( ca, Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, es, Parque Nacional de Aiguas Tortas y Lago de San Mauricio), is one of the fifteen Spanish national parks, and the only one ...

(Spain) * Posets-Maladeta Natural Park (Spain) In 1997, part of the Pyrenees (including Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park and Pyrenees National Park) was inscribed on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

for its spectacular geologic landforms and testimony to the unique "

transhumance Transhumance is a type of pastoralism or nomadism, a seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. In montane regions (''vertical transhumance''), it implies movement between higher pastures in summer and lower vall ...

" agricultural system.

Demographics and culture

The Pyrenean region possesses a varied ethnology,

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging fro ...

and history: see

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

;

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...

; Ariège; Basque Country;

Béarn The Béarn (; ; oc, Bearn or ''Biarn''; eu, Bearno or ''Biarno''; or ''Bearnia'') is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Ba ...

; Catalonia;

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

;

Roussillon Roussillon ( , , ; ca, Rosselló ; oc, Rosselhon ) is a historical province of France that largely corresponded to the County of Roussillon and part of the County of Cerdagne of the former Principality of Catalonia. It is part of the re ...

. For their history, see also

Almogavars Almogavars ( es, almogávares, an, almugávares, ca, almogàvers and pt, almogávares ar, Al-Mugavari) is the name of a class of light infantry soldier originated in the Crown of Aragon used in the later phases of the Reconquista, during t ...

,

Marca Hispanica The Hispanic March or Spanish March ( es, Marca Hispánica, ca, Marca Hispànica, Aragonese and oc, Marca Hispanica, eu, Hispaniako Marka, french: Marche d'Espagne), was a military buffer zone beyond the former province of Septimania, esta ...

. The principal languages spoken in the area are Spanish, French, Aragonese, Catalan (in

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

and in Northern and

Southern Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

), and

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

. Also spoken, to a lesser degree, is the Occitan language, consisting of the Gascon and

Languedocien Languedocien (French name, ), Languedocian or Lengadocian (), is an Occitan dialect spoken in rural parts of southern France such as Languedoc, Rouergue, Quercy, Agenais and Southern Périgord. It is sometimes also called Languedocien-Guyennais ...

dialects in France and the

Aranese Aranese ( oc, aranés) is a standardized form of the Pyrenean Gascon variety of the Occitan language spoken in the Val d'Aran, in northwestern Catalonia close to the Spanish border with France, where it is one of the three official languages ...

dialect in the

Aran Valley 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 ar ...

. An important feature of rural life in the Pyrenees is '

transhumance Transhumance is a type of pastoralism or nomadism, a seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. In montane regions (''vertical transhumance''), it implies movement between higher pastures in summer and lower vall ...

', the moving of livestock from the farms in the valleys up to the higher grounds of the mountains for the summer. In this way the farming communities could keep larger herds than the lowland farms could support on their own. The principal animals moved were

cows Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...

and

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated sh ...

, but historically most members of farming families also moved to the higher pastures along with their animals, so they also took with them

pigs The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...

,

horses The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...

and

chickens The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

. Transhumance thus took the form of a mass biannual migration, moving uphill in May or June and returning to the farms in September or October. During the summer period, the families would live in basic stone cabins in the high mountains. Nowadays, industrialisation and changing agriculture practices have diminished the custom. However, the importance of transhumance continues to be recognised through its celebration in popular festivals.

Scientific facilities

Pic du Midi Observatory

The

Pic du Midi Observatory The Pic du Midi de Bigorre or simply the Pic du Midi (elevation ) is a mountain in the French Pyrenees. It is the site of the Pic du Midi Observatory. Pic du Midi Observatory The Pic du Midi Observatory (french: Observatoire du Pic du Mi ...

is an astronomical observatory located at 2877 metres on top of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre in the French Pyrenees. Construction of the observatory began in 1878 and the 8 metres dome was completed in 1908. The observatory housed a powerful mechanical equatorial reflector which was used in 1909 to formally discredit the Martian canal theory. A 1.06-metre (42-inch) telescope was installed in 1963, funded by NASA and was used to take detailed photographs of the surface of the Moon in preparation for the Apollo missions. Other studies conducted in 1965 provided a detailed analysis of the composition of the atmospheres on Mars and Venus, this served as a basis for Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists to predict that these planets had no life. Since 1980, the observatory has had a 2-metre telescope, which is the largest telescope in France. Overtaken by the giant telescopes built in recent decades, today the observatory is widely open to amateur astronomy.

Odeillo solar furnace

The

Odeillo solar furnace The Odeillo solar furnace is the world's largest solar furnace. It is situated in Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via, in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, in the south of France. It is high and wide, and includes 63 heliostats. It was built between ...

is the world's largest solar furnace. It is situated in Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via, in the department of

Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales (; ca, Pirineus Orientals ; oc, Pirenèus Orientals ; ), also known as Northern Catalonia, is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France, adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. I ...

, in south of France. Built between 1962 and 1968, it is 54 metres (177 ft) high and 48 metres (157 ft) wide, and includes 63 heliostats. The site was chosen because of the length and the quality of sunshine with direct light (more than 2,500 h/year) and the purity of its atmosphere (high altitude and low average humidity). This furnace serves as a science research site studying materials at very high temperatures. Temperatures above 3,500 °C (6,330 °F) can be obtained in a few seconds, in addition it provides rapid temperature changes and therefore allow studying the effect of thermal shocks.

Urban areas

No big cities are in the range itself. The largest urban area close to the Pyrenees is

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 from Par ...

(

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's ...

), France with a population of 1,330,954 in its metropolitan area. On the Spanish side

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 ...

, (

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

) is the closest city with a population of 319,208 in its metropolitan area. Inside the Pyrenees the main towns are

Andorra la Vella Andorra la Vella french: Andorre-la-Vieille is the capital of the Principality of Andorra. It is located high in the east Pyrenees, between France and Spain. It is also the name of the parish that surrounds the capital. , the city has a p ...

(22,256) and

Escaldes-Engordany Escaldes-Engordany () is one of the 7 parishes of Andorra. The Escaldes-Engordany parish was founded on 14 June 1978 and has the second largest population after Andorra la Vella. The parish is composed of the areas of les Escaldes, Engordany, El ...

(14 367) in Andorra,

Jaca Jaca (; in Aragonese: ''Chaca'' or ''Xaca'') is a city of northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca, located near the Pyrenees and the border with France. Jaca is an ancient fort on the Aragón River, situated at the crossing of two great ea ...

(12,813) and

La Seu d'Urgell La Seu d'Urgell (; es, Seo de Urgel, formerly in ca, Urgell}) is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of ...

(12 252) in Spain, and

Lourdes Lourdes (, also , ; oc, Lorda ) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for the Châ ...

(13,976) and

Foix Foix (; oc, Fois ; ca, Foix ) is a commune, the former capital of the County of Foix. It is the capital of the department of Ariège as it is the seat of the Préfecture of that department. Foix is located in the Occitanie region of south ...

(10,046) in France.

Highest summits

The following is the complete list of the summits of the Pyrenees above 3,000 metres: #

Aneto Aneto (''pic d'Aneto'' in French, formerly ''pic de Néthou'') is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees and in Aragon, and Spain's third-highest mountain, reaching a height of . It stands in the Spanish province of Huesca, the northernmost of ...

(3,404 m) (Aragon) # Posets (3,375 m) (Aragon) #

Monte Perdido Monte Perdido (in Spanish; Mont Perdu in French; Mont Perdito in Aragonese;all four meaning ''lost mountain'') is the third highest mountain in the Pyrenees. The summit of Monte Perdido (3355 m), located in Spain, lies hidden from France ...

(3,355 m) (Aragon) #

Punta de Astorg Point of Astorg (, , ) is a peak in the Spanish Pyrenees which rises to 3,354 m above sea level, in the Maladeta massif. It is the second highest peak in the massif, after Aneto (3,404 m) and the fourth highest peak in the Pyrenees, behind Anet ...

(3,355 m) (Aragon) # Pico Maldito (3,350 m) (Aragon) # Espalda del Aneto (3,350 m) (Aragon) # Pico del Medio (3,346 m) (Aragon) #

Espadas Peak The Espadas Peak ( es, Pico Espadas or ''Pico de la Espada'') is a mountain on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, in Grist, Sahún municipality, in the north of Ribagorza comarca, Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ...

(3,332 m) (Aragon) #

Cilindro de Marboré Cilindro de Marboré (3,328 m) (also known as Pico Cilindro and Pic du Cylindre) is a mountain in the Monte Perdido massif in the Pyrenees. It is one of the three mountains comprising ''Las Tres Sorores'' (the three sisters), the others being Mon ...

(3,325 m) (Aragon) #

Maladeta Maladeta (3,312 m) is a mountain in the Pyrenees, close to the highest peak in the range, Aneto. It is located in the Natural Park of Posets-Maladeta in the town of Benasque in Province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. Its northern slope contains the ...

(3,312 m) (Aragon) #

Vignemale The Vignemale (; Occitan: ''Vinhamala'', Aragonese: ''Comachibosa'', Catalan: ''Vinyamala''), at 3,298 metres, is the highest of the French Pyrenean summits (the highest in the whole of the range is Pic d'Aneto). It lies on the border between ...

(3,298 m) (Aragon-France) # Pico Coronas (3,293 m) (Aragon) #

Pico Tempestades Pico Tempestades is a Spanish mountain which is part of Pyrenees range of mountains. It is located in Benasque Valley. Consequently, it is placed in the north-east of Huesca and in the north-east of Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Arag� ...

(3,290 m) (Aragon) # Clot de la Hount (3,289 m) (Aragon-France) #

Soum de Ramond Soum de Ramond, also known as Pico de Añisclo in Spanish and Aragonese, is a mountain of 3,263 metres in the Monte Perdido massif in the Aragonese Pyrenees in northern Spain. It is one of the three mountains comprising ''Las Tres Sorores'', the ...

(3,259 m) (Aragon) # 1st Western Peak Maladeta (3,254 m) (Aragon) # Pic de Marboré (3,252 m) (Aragon-France) # Cerbillona (3,247 m) (Aragon-France) #

Perdiguero Perdiguero is a Pyrenean summit, culminating at , located on the French-Spanish border. Topography Located between the Spanish municipality of Benasque and the commune of Oô, near Bagnères-de-Luchon in the Comminges between the department o ...

(3,221 m) (Aragon-France) # 2nd Western Peak Maladeta (3,220 m) (Aragon) # Pic de Montferrat (3,219 m) (Aragon-France) #

Pico Russell Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribe ...

(3,205 m) (Aragon) #

Pointe Chausenque La Pointe Chausenque, culminating at 3,204 m is a summit in the Massif du Vignemale in the French Pyrenees. Topography Virtually as high as the glacier d'Ossoue to the south, it dominates from 600 m le glacier des Oulettes to the north.It is t ...

(3,204 m) (France) # Piton Carré (3,197 m) (France) #

Pic Long Pic Long (3,192 m) is the highest mountain in the Néouvielle massif in the Pyrenees. It is located in the commune of Saint-Lary-Soulan within the department of the Hautes-Pyrénées Hautes-Pyrénées (; Gascon/Occitan: ''Nauts Pirenèus / ...

(3,192 m) (France) # 3rd Western Peak Maladeta (3,185 m) (Aragon) # Pic Schrader (3,177 m) (Aragon-France) # Campbieil (3,173 m) (France) # Pic de la cascade oriental (3,161 m) (Aragon-France) # Les Jumeaux Ravier (3,160 m) (Aragon) # Grand Tapou (3,160 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic Badet (3,150 m) (France) # Balaïtous (3,144 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic du Taillon (3,144 m) (Aragon-France) #

Pica d'Estats Pica d'Estats (or ''The States Peak'') ( Catalan: ''Pica d'Estats'', French: ''Pic d'Estats'') is a mountain in the Montcalm Massif, Pyrenees. on the Spanish– French border, and is the highest mountain in Catalonia. This mountain is includ ...

(3,143 m) (Catalonia-France) # Punta del Sabre (3,136 m) (Aragon) # Diente de Alba (3,136 m) (Aragon) #

Pic de la Munia The Pic de la Munia culminating at is the highest point of the three cirques of Troumouse, Barroude and Barrosa. It is located on the border between France (Hautes-Pyrénées department) and Spain (Huesca province). Toponymy ''Era Munia'' c ...

(3,134 m) (Aragon-France) # Pointe de Literole (3,132 m) (Aragon-France) #

Pic Verdaguer Pic Verdaguer or Pic de Verdaguer is a mountain of the Montcalm Massif. Located in the Pyrenees, at the border between France and Spain, it has an altitude of above sea level.. This mountain is included in the Parc Natural de l'Alt Pirineu toge ...

(3,131 m) (Catalonia-France) # Pic du Milieu (3,130 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic des Gourgs Blancs (3,129 m) (Aragon-France) # Les Veterans (3,125 m) (Aragon) #

Pico Pavots Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribe ...

(3,121 m) (Aragon) # Pic de Royo (3,121 m) (Aragon-France) # Punta Ledormeur (3,120 m) (Aragon-France) # Pico Alba (3,118 m) (Aragon) # Pic des Crabioules (3,116 m) (Aragon-France) # Seil Dera Baquo (3,110 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic de Maupas (3,109 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic Lézat (3,107 m) (France) # Western Crabioules (3,106 m) (Aragon-France) # Pico Brulle (3,106 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic de la cascade occidental (3,095 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic de Néouvielle (3,091 m) (France) # Serre Mourene (3,090 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic de Troumouse (3,085 m) (Aragon-France) # Pico Posets (3,085 m) (Aragon) # Infierno central (3,083 m) (Aragon) # Pics d'Enfer (3,082 m) (France) # Pico de Bardamina (3,079 m) (Aragon) # Pic de la Paul (3,078 m) (Aragon) #

Pic de Montcalm Pic de Montcalm is a French pyrenean summit, culminating at , located in the Ariège department, Midi-Pyrénées region of France. Topography Located in the Ariège south of Auzat in the Vicdessos, it lies slightly north of the Franco-Sp ...

(3,077 m) (France) # Infierno oriental (3,076 m) (Aragon) # Pic Maou (3,074 m) (France) # Infierno occidental (3,073 m) (Aragon) # Épaule du Marboré (3,073 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic du port de Sullo (3,072 m) (Catalonia-France) # Frondella NE (3,071 m) (Aragon) # Grand pic d' Astazou (3,071 m) (Aragon-France) #

Pico de Vallibierna Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribei ...

(3,067 m) (Aragon) # Pico Marcos Feliu (3,067 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic des Spijeoles (3,066 m) (France) #

Pico Jean Arlaud Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribei ...

(3,065 m) (Aragon) # Tuca de Culebras (3,062 m) (Aragon-France) # Grand Quayrat (3,060 m) (France) # Pic Maubic (3,058 m) (France) #

Pico Gran Eriste Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribe ...

(3,053 m) (Aragon) # Garmo negro (3,051 m) (Aragon) # Pic du Portillon (3,050 m) (Aragon-France) # Pico Argualas (3,046 m) (Aragon) # Baudrimont NW (3,045 m) (Aragon) # Pic de Eristé sur (3,045 m) (Aragon) # Pic Camboue (3,043 m) (France) # Trois Conseillers (3,039 m) (France) # Pico Aragüells (3,037 m) (Aragon) # Pico Algas (3,036 m) (Aragon) # Turon de Néouvielle (3,035 m) (France) # Pic de Batoua (3,034 m) (Aragon) # Gabietou occidental (3,034 m) (Aragon-France) #

Comaloforno Comaloforno is a mountain of the Pyrenees, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. With an elevation of above sea level, it is the highest summit of the Besiberri Massif. This mountain is within the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. See ...

(3,033 m) (Catalonia) # Petit Vignemale (3,032 m) (France) # Gabietou oriental (3,031 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic de Bugarret (3,031 m) (France) # South Besiberri Massif (3,030 m) (Catalonia) # Pic de l'Abeille (3,029 m) (Aragon-France) # Baudrimont SE (3,026 m) (Aragon) # Pic Béraldi (3,025 m) (Aragon) # Pico de la Pez (3,024 m) (Aragon) # Pic de Lustou (3,023 m) (France) # Pic Heid (3,022 m) (France) # Pic de Crabounouse (3,021 m) (France) # Pico de Clarabide (3,020 m) (Aragon-France) #

Pico del puerto de la pez Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribei ...

(3,018 m) (Aragon-France) # Dent d'Estibère male (3,017 m) (France) #

North Besiberri Massif North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

(3,014 m) (Catalonia) # Punta Alta Massif (3,014 m) (Catalonia) # Petit Astazou (3,012 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic Ramougn (3,011 m) (France) # Pico de Gias (3,011 m) (Aragon) # Tuc de Molières (3,010 m) (Catalonia-Aragon) # Tour du Marboré (3,009 m) (Aragon-France) # Pic Belloc (3,008 m) (France) # Pic Forqueta (3,007 m) (Aragon) # Pic d'Estaragne (3,006 m) (France) # Pico de Boum (3,006 m) (Aragon-France) # Casque du Marboré (3,006 m) (Aragon-France) # Arnales (3,006 m) (Aragon) #

Grande Fache La Grande Fache, Gran Facha or Cuspide de Bachimaña is a summit in the Pyrenees, culminating at 3,005 m, situated on the France, French-Spain, Spanish border and on the pyrenean drainage divide, watershed. Topography It rises at the centre of ...

(3,005 m) (Aragon-France) # Pico Robiñera (3,005 m) (Aragon) # Pic de Saint Saud (3,003 m) (France) # Middle Besiberri S (3,003 m) (Catalonia) # Middle Besiberri N (3,002 m) (Catalonia) # Pointe Célestin Passet (3,002 m) (Catalonia) # Punta de las Olas (3,002 m) (Aragon) # Frondella SW (3,001 m) (Aragon)

Notable summits below 3,000 metres

File:Gentau Pic du Midi Ossau.jpg, Pic du Midi d'Ossau reflected in the lac Gentau File:Lac Ansabere01-Aspe-4643~2015 07 28.JPG, Aiguilles d'Ansabère and Mesa de los Tres Reyes reflected in the lake of Ansabère File:Gavarnie recti small Wikimedia Commons.jpg,

Gavarnie Gavarnie (; oc, Gavarnia) is a former commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, Southwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Gavarnie-Gèdre.Pic de Palas (2,974 m) * Pic de Comapedrosa (2,942 m) - highest point of

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

* Pic Carlit (2,921 m) *

Puigmal The Peak of Puigmal (), also called Puigmal d'Er, is a mountain in the Pyrenees, in the Spanish- French border, within the limits of the municipality of Queralbs and the commune of Err. Its summit is above sea level, one of the highest peak ...

(2,913 m) * Cotiella (2,912 m) * Pic de Sanfonts (2,894 m) * Pic d'Envalira (2,827 m) * Collarada (2,886 m) *

Pic du Midi d'Ossau The Pic du Midi d'Ossau (2,884 m) is a mountain rising above the Ossau Valley in the French Pyrenees. Despite possessing neither a glacier nor, in the context of the range, a particularly high summit, its distinctive shape makes it a symbol o ...

(2,885 m) *

Pic du Midi de Bigorre The Pic du Midi de Bigorre or simply the Pic du Midi (elevation ) is a mountain in the French Pyrenees. It is the site of the Pic du Midi Observatory. Pic du Midi Observatory The Pic du Midi Observatory (french: Observatoire du Pic du Mi ...

(2,876 m) * Mont Valier (2,838 m) * Petit Pic du Midi d'Ossau (2,812 m) * Pic du Canigou (2,786 m) *

Peña Telera Peña, meaning "rocky outcrop" or "rocky summit" in the Spanish language (Aragonese: ''Penya'', Catalan: ''Penya''). It may refer to: Mountains *Peña Montañesa, a mountain in the Pre-Pyrenees, Aragon, Spain * Peña de los Enamorados, a mountain ...

(2,764 m) * Casamanya (2,740 m) * Cambre d'Aze (2.726 m) *

Cap de la cometa del forn A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal s ...

(2,691 m) * Visaurin (2,668 m) * Pic del Port Vell (2,655 m) *

Aspe peak Aspe peak (also known as Pico de la Garganta de Aísa) is a mountain in the western Pyrenees of Huesca; which is situated on the west side of the Aragon Valley near the towns of Villanúa (to the south) and Canfranc (to the east). The peak is ...

(2,645 m) * Pic dels Aspres (2,562 m) *

Pedraforca Pedraforca is a mountain in the Pre-Pyrenees, located in the comarca of Berguedà. The mountain's rare form, along with the fact that it is not visibly connected to any other adjacent mountains or ridges, has made it one of the most famous and emb ...

(2,506 m) * Pic d'Anie (2,504 m) *

Pic de Pedraforca Pedraforca is a mountain in the Pre-Pyrenees, located in the comarca of Berguedà. The mountain's rare form, along with the fact that it is not visibly connected to any other adjacent mountains or ridges, has made it one of the most famous and emb ...

(2,498 m) * Pic de Madrès (2,469 m) * Mesa de los Tres Reyes (2,428 m) * Grande Aiguille d'Ansabère (2,376 m) * Pic du Soularac (2,368 m) * Pic du Saint Barthélémy (2,348 m) *

Peña Montañesa The Peña Montañesa ( an, Penya Montanyesa) is a conspicuous rocky mountainous outcrop of the Pre-Pyrenees. It is located east of the valley of the Cinca, in the Sobrarbe comarca, Aragon, Spain. The ridge's highest summit is 2295 m high. Th ...

(2,291 m) * Peña Foratata (2,282 m) * Pic des Trois Seigneurs (2,199 m) * Pic d'Orhy (2,017 m) *

Chamanchoya Txamantxoia or Maze ( es, Chamanchoya) (1,945 m) is a mountain in the Pyrenees. It is located between the Ansó Valley in Aragon and the Belagua Valley in Navarre, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat ...

(1,935 m) * Otsogorrigaina (1,922 m) * Pic de Cagire (1,912 m) *

Pic du Gar Pic du Gar is a mountain of the Pyrenees. It is located near Saint-Béat, Haute-Garonne département, in the Comminges natural region. The limestone mountain has an altitude of above sea level. Despite its relatively low altitude, the Pic du Ga ...

(1,785 m) * Urkulu (1,419 m) *

Larrun Larrun (modern French: ''La Rhune'', IPA: a'run - 'good pasture', possibly a folk etymology, in French until the 20th century: ''Larhune'' ) is a mountain (905 m) at the western end of the Pyrenees. It is located on the border of France and Sp ...

(905 m)

Sports and leisure

Both sides of the Pyrenees are popular spots for winter sports such as

alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...

and

mountaineering Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, a ...

. The Pyrenees are also a good place for athletes, such as Gary Wood, to do high-altitude training in the summertime, such as by bicycling and cross-country running. In the summer and the autumn, the Pyrenees are usually featured in two of cycling's grand tours, the Tour de France held annually in July and the Vuelta a España held in September. The stages held in the Pyrenees are often crucial legs of both tours, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to the region. Three main long-distance footpaths run the length of the mountain range: the GR 10 (France), GR 10 across the northern slopes, the GR 11 (Spain), GR 11 across the southern slopes, and the Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne, HRP which traverses peaks and ridges along a high altitude route. In addition, there are numerous marked and unmarked trails throughout the region. ''Pirena (race), Pirena'' is a dog-mushing competition held in the Pyrenees.

Ski resorts

Skiing, Ski resorts in the Pyrenees include: * Alp 2500 (Spain) * Arette (France) * Astún (Spain) * Artouste (France) *

Ax-les-Thermes Ax-les-Thermes (; oc, Ax or ) is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Axéens'' or ''Axéennes''. The commune has been awarded one flower by the ...

(France) * Baqueira-Beret (Spain) * Boí Taüll Resort (Spain) * La Mongie, Bareges-La Mongie (Tourmalet) (France) * Luz Ardiden (France) * Bourg-d'Oueil (France) * Cauterets (France) * Candanchú (Spain) * Cerler (Spain) * Espot Esquí (Spain) * Font-Romeu (France) * Formigal (Spain) * Gavarnie GèdrePays Toy Ski Resort

archive
(France) * Gourette (France) * Guzet-Neige (France) * Hautacam (France) * La Molina (ski resort), La Molina (Spain) * La Pierre Saint Martin * Le Mourtis (France) * Les Angles, Pyrénées-Orientales, Les Angles (France) * Luchon-Superbagnères (France) * Luz-Ardiden (France) * Nistos cap nestes (France) * Panticosa-Los Lagos (Spain) * Pas de la Casa (Andorra) * Peyragudes (France) * Piau-Engaly (France) * Port Ainé (Spain) * Port del Comte (ski resort), Port del Comte (Spain) *

Somport Somport or Col du Somport, known also as the Aspe Pass or Canfranc Pass, (el. 1632 m.) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees on the border of France and Spain. Its name is derived from the Latin ''Summus portus''. It was one of the most po ...

(France-Spain) * Saint Lary (France) * Soldeu, Soldeu / El Tarter (Andorra) * Superbagnères (France) * Tavascan (Spain) * Vall de Núria (Spain) * Vallnord (Andorra) * Vallter 2000 (Spain)

References

External links

*
Official website
of France's

Pyrenees National Park 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 C ...

*
Archives of Pyrenees-Atlantiques department

Great Routes: Pirineos
from a website of the Instituto de Turismo de España
Les Amis du Livre Pyrénéen (bibliography and history of the Pyrenees)
{{Authority control Pyrenees, Mountain ranges of Europe Geography of Southern Europe Geography of Southwestern Europe Geography of Western Europe Landforms of Ariège (department) Mountain ranges of Aragon Mountain ranges of Catalonia Mountain ranges of the Basque Country (autonomous community) Landforms of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Landforms of Pyrénées-Orientales Landforms of Haute-Garonne Landforms of Hautes-Pyrénées Landforms of Andorra Green Spain Physiographic provinces Mountain ranges of Occitania (administrative region) Mountain ranges of Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Etymology

Geography

Political divisions

Physiographical divisions

Foothills

Geology

Landscape

Natural resources

Climate

Flora and fauna

Flora

Fauna

Protected areas

Demographics and culture

Scientific facilities

Pic du Midi Observatory

Odeillo solar furnace

Urban areas

Highest summits

Notable summits below 3,000 metres

Sports and leisure

Ski resorts

See also

References

Further reading

External links