Laruns (; ) is a commune in the

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon language, Gascon Occitan language, Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; ) is a Departments of France, department located in the Regions of France, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the southwest corner of metropolitan ...

department in south-western

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

.INSEE commune file
/ref> It is situated at the confluence of two mountain streams, the Gave d'Ossau and its tributary, the Valentin. Formerly part of the province of Béarn, Laruns is now within the ''département'' of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, itself in France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine ''région''. It forms part of the ''arrondissement'' of Oloron-Sainte-Marie, and of the canton of Oloron-Sainte-Marie-2.

Geography

Laruns is geographically the third-largest commune in metropolitan France, after

Arles Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...

and

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (, alternatively with the definite article Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, "(the) Saint Marys of the Sea", locally Les Saintes, ; Provençal: ''Lei Santei Marias de la Mar'' or ''Li Sànti Marìo de la Mar'' ), is the c ...

. It includes a large area of upland, around and between the Gave d'Ossau and its tributaries, stretching as far as the border with

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

at the Col du Pourtalet, to the south of the village of Laruns. The principal artery of communications through the ''commune'' is the D934 road, which runs south from the town of Pau, to the north, to the Col du Pourtalet. The D918 road branches off the D934 in Laruns village, and follows the Valentin before crossing the Col d'Aubisque to

Argelès-Gazost Argelès-Gazost (; ) is a commune and a subprefecture of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France. The Pyrénées Animal Park is located in Argelès-Gazost. Population Climate See also *Communes of the Hautes-Pyrénées de ...

in the next major valley to the east. There are no direct roads westward from Laruns. Because of its large geographic size, Laruns contains several recognisably distinct communities in addition to Laruns itself. These include:The villages of the city of Laruns
/ref> * Pon, an area of Laruns * Espalungue, an area of Laruns * Gêtre, an area of Laruns * Gabas, a hamlet below the Pic du Midi d'Ossau, and where the valley road is crossed by the GR10 long-distance footpath that runs the length of the Pyrenees * Geteu, a former commune merged into Laruns in 1828 * Goust, on a small plateau above Laruns * Eaux-Chaudes, a spa situated at the southern entrance to the Gorge du Hourat * Artouste-Fabrèges, 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 North Am ...

situated in the valley of the Gave du Brousset, and the beginning of the summer scenic route to the Lac d'Artouste via the Petit train d'Artouste * Miegebat Neighboring communes and municipalities: * North: Gère-Bélesten and Aste-Béon * East: Arrens-Marsous (

Hautes-Pyrénées Hautes-Pyrénées (; Gascon/ Occitan: ''Nauts Pirenèus / Hauts Pirenèus'' awts piɾeˈnɛʊs ; alts piɾiˈneʊs ) is a department in the region of Occitania, southwestern France. The department is bordered by Pyrénées-Atlantiques to t ...

), Louvie-Soubiron, Béost and Eaux-Bonnes * West: Aydius,

Bedous Bedous (; Gascon language, Gascon: ''Bedós'') is a Communes of France, commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departments of France, department in southwestern France. It is the birthplace of Pierre Laclède, the Frenchman who founded the U.S. ci ...

, Cette-Eygun,

Etsaut Etsaut (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. Its station on the Pau–Canfranc railway was closed after an accident in 1970. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The fol ...

and

Urdos Urdos (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. Its station on the Pau–Canfranc railway was closed after an accident in 1970. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The foll ...

* South:

Sallent de Gállego Sallent de Gállego (in Aragonese language, Aragonese: ''Sallent de Galligo'' or ''Sallén de Galligo'') is a municipality located in the Huesca (province), province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. The town is located in the central Pyrenees besides th ...

(

Huesca Huesca (; ) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon between 1096 and 1118. It is also the capital of the Spanish Huesca (province), ...

References

External links

Laruns website

{{Authority control Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiques