Tarbes

**Tarbes** () is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. It is part of the historical region of Gascony and is the capital since 1790 of the Hautes-Pyrénées department.

It is the second largest metropolitan area of the old Midi-Pyrénées region, after Toulouse.

## Name

The city is named for the first time during the 5th century like _Civitas Turba ubi castrum Bigorra_. It is also an important city of the _Novempopulania_. Gregory of Tours, in the 7th century, called the city as _Talvam vicum_.

During the Middle Ages, the city was named as _Tarbe_ (1214), _Tursa_, _Tarvia_ (1284) and also _Tarbia_.

## History

A small town founded in the 3rd century B.C. became a Roman colony under the name of _Tarba_. It was destroyed by the Vikings in 840 and rebuilt by the Bishop of Bigorre or Tarbes.

From the twelfth century on, Tarbes became the capital of the County of Bigorre. During the religious wars, the cathedral was burnt in 1569 by Protestants but the bishop had it rebuilt in 1652.

In 1790, Tarbes became the capital of the new department of Hautes-Pyrénées.

## Geography

Tarbes is located in the southwest of France, at the foot of the Pyrenees, in a fertile plain of the valley of the river Adour, at  to the northeast of Lourdes,  to the southeast of Auch,  to the east of Bayonne and  to the southwest of Toulouse.

It has an area of  and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

Two rivers flow through the city: the Adour by the east and the Échez by the west.

### Neighboring municipalities

The following municipalities (_communes_) are around Tarbes:
- To the north: Andrest, Bazet (going to Bordeaux)
- To the northeast: Orleix, Aureilhan (going to Auch)
- To the east: Séméac (going to Saint-Gaudens, Toulouse)
- To the southeast: Soues, Barbazan-Debat
- To the south: Laloubère, Horgues (going to Bagnères-de-Bigorre)
- To the southwest: Juillan, Ossun, Hibarette, Odos (going to Lourdes, Argelès-Gazost)
- To the west: Ibos (going to Pau, Bayonne)
- To the northwest: Bordères-sur-l'Échez, Oursbelille

### Climate

Tarbes has an oceanic climate with relatively hot summers, mild winters and abundant rainfall, **Cfb** in the Köppen climate classification.

## Population

The inhabitants of Tarbes are known, in French, as _Tarbais_ (women: _Tarbaises_).

The city of Tarbes has a population, in 2014, of 40,900; its population density is of  inhabitants/km<sup>2</sup>.

**Evolution of the population in Tarbes**

## Administration

Tarbes is the prefecture of the Hautes-Pyrénées department since 1790. It is also the capital of three _Cantons_:
1. Tarbes-1, formed with a part of Tarbes (13,514 inhabitants) <small>(2014)</small>
1. Tarbes-2, formed with a part of Tarbes (13,402 inhabitants) <small>(2014)</small>
1. Tarbes-3, formed with a part of Tarbes (13,984 habitants) <small>(2014)</small>

It is part of the intercommunality _Le Grand Tarbes_ ().

### Sister cities

Tarbes is twinned with:
- Huesca, Spain, since 7 May 1964
- Altenkirchen, Germany, since 24 June 1972

## Transport

The _Gare de Tarbes_ railway station offers direct connections with Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Bayonne and other cities in the region. There is a motorway that connects Tarbes with Bayonne and Toulouse. Tarbes is also served by the small Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport situated 10 kilometers away of the city centre.

## Education

- Institut national polytechnique de Toulouse

## Related pages

- Arrondissement of Tarbes
- Communes of the Hautes-Pyrénées department

## Other websites

- City Council website
- Office de Tourisme - Tarbes
- Grand Tarbes website
- Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées) Information

## Infobox (french commune)

- **name**: Tarbes
- **native name**: Tarba
- **commune status**: Prefectures in France, Prefecture and Communes of France, commune
- **image coat of arms**: Blason ville Tarbes.svg
- **image coat of arms size**: 73px
- **image**: Jardin massey tarbes 6.jpg
- **caption**: Tarbes, Jardin Massey, Musée des Beaux-Arts
- **arrondissement**: Tarbes
- **canton**: Chief town of 3 cantons
- **intercommunality**: Le Grand Tarbes
- **mayor**: Gérard Trémège
- **term**: 2014-2020
- **elevation m**: 304
- **elevation min m**: 284
- **elevation max m**: 326
- **area km2**: 15.33
- **population demonym**: Tarbais(es)
- **population**: 40900
- **population date**: 2014
- **insee**: 65440
- **postal code**: 65000
- **website**: [http://www.tarbes.fr/ www.tarbes.fr]