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Focus on Hautes-Pyrenees for property and holiday homes

The Hautes-Pyrenees is a department of the Midi-Pyrenees region of south west France.  It is located in the far south west corner of the region, bordering Spain in the south, the Aquitaine region in the west and Gers and Haute-Garonne departments of Midi-Pyrenees.

The department is just about split in two, with the southern half dominated by the Pyrenees Mountains and the foothills called the Baronnies, while the northern half is split between the Lannemezan plateau in the east and the department capital of Tarbes in the west.

The department offers a fantastic choice for anyone thinking about buying a property in the south west of France.

For skiers and snowboarders, the Hautes-Pyrenees contains the largest ski resort in the Midi-Pyrenees region at the Domaine de Tourmalet and also includes many other smaller resorts, such as Saint Lary Soulan and Cauterets.

Buying a property in ski resorts such as Saint Lary Soulan can pay dividends if you are intending to rent the property for some income, with two good seasons.  Obviously there is a premium to pay for ski area property, but compared to the Alps, Pyrenees ski resorts offer excellent value for money.

Bagneres de Bigorre is a popular town, with access to the nearby ski resorts and close to the pilgrimage capital, Lourdes.

Away from the ski areas, there is a wide choice.

On the Lannemezan Plateau, there are numerous small villages, some with very basic facilities while others offer the complete isolation that some come to France for.  Lannemezan is a busy market town with all facilities but little else to attract.  The Wednesday morning market is massive and takes over the whole of the centre of the town.

Tarbes, further to the west, is the capital of the Hautes-Pyrenees and the largest town in the department.  As you would expect, it offers every facility required, but also has a good central shopping area.  It is a large town, with a lot of industry and therefore not everyone’s idea of a great location for a second home.  It is however ideally situated for access to the Mountains and accessed by the A62 Autoroute that connects Toulouse and Biarritz.

Lourdes deserves an article in its own right!  There are two viewpoints on the town, one as an important religious site celebrating the miracles and healing waters of the Grotte de Massabielle.  The other view point is of tacky commercialism.  The town has many sights to see and is worth a visit to make up your own mind. 

Regarding a second home, the town receives around six million visitors each year and is only second to Paris in the number of hotel beds available.  Most of the pilgrim visitors come on organised coach tours, so buying here with a view to rent your property is placing yourself in a very competitive market that is also very busy.

I hope this brief introduction to the Hautes-Pyrenees has given you some insight in to the department and perhaps encouraged you to investigate further.  It is a fantastic region to live in, with a wide variety of landscapes and towns.  Tourism is a developing industry in the area with more and more British visitors.  The current low price and low interest rate climate may be a great time to find you small piece of the Pyrenees.

Have a look at the range of information pages available on Guide2MidiPyrenees about the Hautes-Pyrenees department.

Check our property listings to find your ideal new home in the Hautes-Pyrrenees.

Visiting the area to look for your new home?  Great accommodation available here.

We also have business listings to help you find your home in the Hautes-Pyrenees and property managers Les Bons Voisins will help you find and look after it.