Pontarlier

**Pontarlier** is a French commune in the Doubs department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, in eastern France near the border with Switzerland. It is a subprefecture in the department and is also the capital of the *arrrondissement* of Pontarlier.

Pontarlier is the third *commune* of the department by its population, after Besançon and Montbéliard.

## Geography
The city of Pontarlier is in the west of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, in the southwestern part of the Doubs department.

The *commune* of Pontarlier has an area of . The city is on a plateau and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

The Doubs river flows through the city.

The city of Pontarlier is surrounded by the *communes*:

### Climate
The Köppen climate classification type for Pontarlier is an "Oceanic climate" (also known as Maritime Temperate climate) and of the subtype **Cfb**.

## Population
The inhabitants of Pontarlier are known, in French, as *Pontissaliens* (women: *Pontissaliennes*).

With a population of 17,413, Pontarlier has a population density of  inhabitants/km2.

**Evolution of the population in Pontarlier**

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 bar:1975 at: 17983 fontsize:S text: 17,983 shift:(-15,5)
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 bar:1990 at: 18104 fontsize:S text: 18,104 shift:(-15,5)
 bar:1999 at: 18360 fontsize:S text: 18,360 shift:(-15,5)
 bar:2006 at: 18778 fontsize:S text: 18,778 shift:(-15,5)
 bar:2011 at: 17998 fontsize:S text: 17,998 shift:(-15,5)
 bar:2014 at: 17413 fontsize:S text: 17,413 shift:(-15,5)

## Administration 
Pontarlier is a subprefecture of the Doubs department, the capital of the *arrondissement* of Pontarlier and the administrative centre () of the canton Pontarlier formed by 10 *communes*, including Pontarlier, with 26,699 inhabitants (2014).

It is part of the intercommunality *Le Grand Pontarlier* ().

### Twinned and partner towns 
Pontarlier is twinned with:

*  Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, since 1964;
*  Zarautz, Spain, since 1994;
*  Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, since 2003.

## Places of interest
Some interesting places in Montbéliard are:
* The *Château de Sandon*.
* *Porte Saint-Pierre* and Triumphal Arch (18th century).
* The *Saint-Bénigne de Pontarlier* church.
* The *Fort de Joux* castle.

## Gallery 

File:Porte Saint Pierre, vue de l'intérieur de la cité.jpg|*Porte Saint-Pierre*.
File:Pontarlier - Église Saint-Bénigne 1.jpg|*Saint-Bénigne* church.
File:Demeure de Sandon - img 41660.jpg|The *Château de Sandon*.
File:Pontarlier2.jpg|The city hall of Pontarlier.
File:Pontarlier5.jpg|*Rue de la République*, Pontarlier.

## Related pages
* Arrondissement of Pontarlier
* Communes of the Doubs department

## References
## Other websites
* Ville de Pontarlier official website 
* Pontarlier tourism website 
* Communauté de communes du Grand Pontarlier