- Laruns
French commune
nomcommune=Laruns
The Lacs d'Arrémoulit are located on the territory of the commune of Laruns
région=Aquitaine
département=Pyrénées-Atlantiques
arrondissement=Oloron-Sainte-Marie
canton=Laruns (chef-lieu )
insee=64320
cp=64440
maire=André Berdou
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm="none"
longitude=-0.416
latitude=42.983
alt moy=536 m
alt mini=458 m
alt maxi=2,973 m
hectares=24,896
km²=248.96
sans=1,425
date-sans=1999
dens=5.72
date-dens=1999Laruns is a
village and commune in the Pyrenees mountains of south-westernFrance . The village is situated at the confluence of two mountain streams, theGave d'Ossau and its tributary, the Valentin.cite book | first = Kev | last = Reynolds | title = The Pyrenees: The High Pyrenees from the Cirque De Lescun to the Carlit Massif | publisher = Cicerone Press | date = 2004 | isbn = 1852844205 | pages = 132 ]Formerly part of the province of Béarn, Laruns is now within the "département" of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, itself in France's Aquitaine "région". It forms part of the "arrondissement" of Oloron-Sainte-Marie, and is the "
chef-lieu " of the "canton" of Laruns.Geography
Laruns is geographically the third-largest "commune" in metropolitan France, after
Arles andSaintes-Maries-de-la-Mer . It includes a large area of upland, around and between the Gave d'Ossau and its tributaries, stretching as far as the border withSpain at theCol du Pourtalet , convert|30|km|abbr=on 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, convert|40|km|abbr=on 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 toArgelès-Gazost in the next major valley to the east. There are no direct roads westward from Laruns.Because of its large geographic size, the "commune" of Laruns contains several recognisably distinct communities in addition to the home village. These include: [ [http://laruns.haut.ossau.free.fr/villagea.html The villages of the city of Laruns] ]
* Pon, an area of Laruns
*Espalungue , an area of Laruns
*Gêtre , an area of Laruns
* Gabas, a hamlet below thePic 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
*Eaux-Chaudes , a spa situated at the southern entrance to theGorge du Hourat
*Artouste-Fabrèges , aski resort situated in the valley of theGave du Brousset , and the beginning of the summer scenic route to theLac d'Artouste via thePetit train d'Artouste
*Miegebat Neighboring "communes" and municipalities:
* North:Gère-Bélesten andAste-Béon
* East:Arrens-Marsous (Hautes-Pyrénées ),Louvie-Soubiron ,Béost andEaux-Bonnes
* West:Aydius ,Bedous ,Cette-Eygun ,Etsaut andUrdos
* South:Sallent de Gállego (Huesca,Spain ).ee also
*
Ossau Valley
*Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department References
External links
* [http://laruns.haut.ossau.free.fr/index1.html Laruns website]
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