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Pierrefitte-Nestalas

Coordinates: 42°57′43″N 0°04′21″W / 42.9619°N 0.0725°W / 42.9619; -0.0725
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Pierrefitte-Nestalas
The town hall
The town hall
Coat of arms of Pierrefitte-Nestalas
Location of Pierrefitte-Nestalas
Map
Pierrefitte-Nestalas is located in France
Pierrefitte-Nestalas
Pierrefitte-Nestalas
Pierrefitte-Nestalas is located in Occitanie
Pierrefitte-Nestalas
Pierrefitte-Nestalas
Coordinates: 42°57′43″N 0°04′21″W / 42.9619°N 0.0725°W / 42.9619; -0.0725
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentHautes-Pyrénées
ArrondissementArgelès-Gazost
CantonLa Vallée des Gaves
IntercommunalityPyrénées Vallées des Gaves
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Noël Pereira da Cunha[1]
Area
1
1.76 km2 (0.68 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
1,111
 • Density630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
65362 /65260
Elevation452–701 m (1,483–2,300 ft)
(avg. 480 m or 1,570 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Pierrefitte-Nestalas is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.

Geography

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Pierrefitte-Nestalas is in the southern part of the Lavedan valley in the central French Pyrenees mountains. It is at the point of confluence of the Gave de Gavarnie and the Gave de Cauterets torrents, which converge to become the Gave de Pau. The town is surrounded by mountains such as the Hautacam and the Cabaliros. It is a necessary point of passage to gain access to either Cauterets or to the Pays Toy and Gavarnie beyond.

History

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The hamlet of Nestalas, with its medieval church, was a point along the ancient road leading from the Abbey of Saint-Savin up the Gave de Gavarnie to the thermal site of Luz-Saint-Sauveur.

The town later gained some measure of local prominence due to its position, and due to the abundance of water to power small mills. Thanks to hydro power, industrial activities such as chemical manufacturing, aluminum smelting and power generation were developed in Pierrefitte-Nestalas and the adjacent town of Soulom during the course of the twentieth century. This was also responsible for bringing the railroad to town.

Most of the large industrial facilities were closed or reconverted at the end of the twentieth century and the railroad line was closed. Today, many inhabitants work in Lourdes or other nearby towns. Tourism is central to the town's economy. Pierefitte-Nestalas also houses a mountain rescue unit.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.