19.Iulie.2012;
Bagnères-de-Luchon (pronounced: [baɲɛːʁ də lyʃɔ̃]) (Occitan: Banhèras de Luishon), also referred to as Luchon, is a spa town and a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.
Geography
Bagnères-de-Luchon is located 87 m. S.S.W. of Toulouse, at the end of a branch line of the Southern railway from Montréjeau. The town is situated at the foot of the central Pyrenees in a beautiful valley at the confluence of the One and the Pique.
Thermal springs;
Bagnères-de-Luchon is celebrated for its thermal springs. The springs, which number forty eight, vary in composition, but are chiefly impregnated with sodium sulfate, and range in temperature from 62 to 150 Fahrenheit. The discovery of numerous Roman remains attests the antiquity of the baths, which are identified with the Onesiorum Thermae of Strabo. Their revival in modern times dates from the latter half of the 18th century, and was due to Antoine Mégret d'Étigny, intendant of Auch.
Within the town today (2006), a more modern entrance to the baths sits alongside the older buildings. The bathing experience consists of repeated spells within a hot, sulphurous atmosphere in caves that run approximately 100 metres inside the Superbagnères mountain, and in a cool swimming pool within the entrance building. It was these sulphur springs that led to a twinning of the settlement with Harrogate in 1952.
Population
Historical populations
Year Pop. ±%
1793 1,164 —
1800 1,080 −7.2%
1806 1,396 +29.3%
1821 1,683 +20.6%
1831 2,077 +23.4%
1836 2,385 +14.8%
1841 2,629 +10.2%
1846 2,770 +5.4%
1851 2,770 +0.0%
1856 3,016 +8.9%
1861 3,294 +9.2%
1866 3,921 +19.0%
1872 3,829 −2.3%
1876 4,012 +4.8%
1881 4,256 +6.1%
1886 3,729 −12.4%
1891 3,528 −5.4%
1896 3,720 +5.4%
1901 3,260 −12.4%
1906 3,465 +6.3%
1911 3,415 −1.4%
1921 3,635 +6.4%
1926 3,820 +5.1%
1931 3,884 +1.7%
1936 3,591 −7.5%
1946 4,105 +14.3%
1954 3,666 −10.7%
1962 3,888 +6.1%
1968 4,123 +6.0%
1975 3,484 −15.5%
1982 3,498 +0.4%
1990 3,094 −11.5%
1999 2,903 −6.2%
2008 2,622 −9.7%
Sights;
Bagnères-de-Luchon is celebrated as a fashionable resort. Of the promenades, the finest and most frequented are the Allées d'Étigny, an avenue planted with lime-trees, at the southern extremity of which is the Thermes, or hot baths. The road is lined with bars and restaurants.
Sports;
Superbagnères, located on the territory of the commune, to the south-west of the town, is a ski resort. Historically it was connected to the town by a railway, and it was the second resort in France to install a lift, but today it is connected with a gondola lift. Each cabin holds up to four people and takes about ten minutes to reach the summit, running in the summer as well as the winter. It is not possible to ski back down to Luchon, except in times of exceptional snow for talented locals who know the woods.
Cycling is a popular sport in the region in the summer. The climbs of Superbagnères, Col de Peyresourde, Port de Balès, Col de Menté, Col du Portillon and the Col de Portet d'Aspet are all nearby.
The Tour de France route often passes through Luchon, due to its location deep between two cols. List of stage winners and stage starts in Luchon:
1910 - Lapize
1911 - Duboc
1912 - Defraye
1913 - Thys
1914 - Lambot (July 8) - Stage start from Luchon on July 10
1919 - Barthélémy
1920 - Lambot
1921 - Heusghem
1922 - Alavoine
1923 - Alavoine
1924 - Bottecchia
1925 - Benoit
1926 - L. Buysse
1927 - Frantz
1928 - Fontan
1929 - Cardona
1930 - Binda
1931 - A. Magne
1932 - Pesenti
1933 - Louyet
1934 - Vignoli
1935 - S. Maes
1936 - Ducazeaux
1937 - Meulenberg
1938 - F. Vervaecke
1947 - Bourlon
1949 - Robic
1951 - Koblet
1953 - Robic
1954 - Bauvin
1956 - Schmitz
1958 - Bahamontès
1960 - Gimmi
1961 - Stage start, after arrival at Superbagnères
1962 - Stage start, after arrival at Superbagnères
1963 - Ignolin
1964 - Poulidor
1966 - Mugnaini
1967 - Manzanèque
1969 - Delisle
1971 - Fuente
1972 - Merckx
1973 - Ocaña
1979 - Bittinger
1980 - Martin
1983 - Millar
1989 - Stage start (July 12), after arrival at Superbagnères (July 11)
1997 - Stage start
1998 - Massi
2006 - Stage start (July 14, Bastille Day)
2010 - Voeckler
2012 - Voeckler
In Superbagnères:
1961 - Massignan
1962 - Bahamontès
1971 - Fuente
1979 - Hinault
1986 - LeMond
1989 - Millar (July 11)
In addition to the Tour, the pro series race Route du Sud is also partnered with Luchon, with a stage finish in Superbagneres in 2008 and Luchon in 2009.
Luchon is also a mountain biking destination. Its position at the confluence of two valleys gives a wide variety of routes up into the mountains – although most of them start with a large climb (although the gondola can carry mountain bikes). There is one mountain biking guiding organisation based in Luchon itself, and another further down the valley. (See external links).
Luchon also offers a golf course, tandem paragliding (from Superbagnères), tennis courts, and an airfield with gliding.
