Dept 09 Rank #2 / 96
Ariège
Occitanie · Nearest city: Foix → Toulouse (~45 min)
🚄 TGV ⚠ High variance
Pyrenean valleys, cave art site (Niaux), Sabarthès gorges
Why this score · reflects your priorities
Ariège combines abundant sunshine, Pyrenean scenery and affordable property with low hazard exposure, and only its thin tourist draw holds it back. L'Ariège combine un ensoleillement généreux, des paysages pyrénéens et un immobilier abordable avec une faible exposition aux risques, et seul son faible attrait touristique la freine.
Top communes
Communes
Loading commune-level data…
Climate
Sunshine
2,259h/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p85 of 96
Sunny days
194/yr
days >50% sunlit
p85 of 96
Rain days
112/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 fewer rain days each year.
p29 of 96
Annual rainfall
755mm/yr
total volume
p65 of 96
Heavy rain
5/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
p58 of 96
Torrential
0.2/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
p57 of 96
Hot days >30°
25/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 fewer hot days each year.
p63 of 96
Winter mildness
5/10
1.3 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.3 °C per year.
p29 of 96
Wind
2.3m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p11 of 96
Muggy days
10/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 more muggy days each year.
p84 of 96
Avg max temperature · °C
6
J
8
F
12
M
15
A
19
M
22
J
25
J
25
A
20
S
16
O
10
N
7
D
2050 outlook TRACC +2.7°C · vs 1976-2005
Hot days ≥35°C ~+3 days · +2 so far
Tropical nights ~+9 nights · +2 so far
Frost days ~-25 days · -11 so far
Dry-soil days ~+34 days
Landscape
Landscape score
8/10
p91 of 96
Max elevation
3,143m
p91 of 96
Forest cover
66.8%
p90 of 96
Characteristics
⛰ Mountains🏞 Dramatic landscape
Pyrenean valleys, cave art site (Niaux), Sabarthès gorges
Identity
Ariège is the birthplace of Benoît XII (évêque).
Notable figures born here
Benoît XII — évêquePierre Bayle — philosopheGabriel Fauré — compositeurFabien Barthez — footballeurAnne de Foix — souverainCharles de Freycinet — ingénieurGermaine de FoixThéophile Delcassé — journalistePerrine Laffont — skieurJacques Dupont — coureur cycliste sur piste
Terroir & appellations
Ariège lies within protected appellation areas, including Ariège, Cathare, Tomme des Pyrénées.
AriègeCathareTomme des PyrénéesComté tolosan Haute-GaronneComté TolosanComté tolosan BigorreComté tolosan CantalComté tolosan Pyrénées AtlantiquesComté tolosan Tarn et GaronneCanard à foie gras du Sud-OuestPorc du Sud-OuestJambon de Bayonne
Distinctions
- Pierre Bayle
- Aristide Bergès
- Parc aux bambous
- Jardin de l'abbaye de Combelongue
Station classée de tourisme (47)
Risks
Safety score
8/10
Flood risk
Moderate
% communes flood-exposed (GASPAR union)
p59 of 96
Fire risk
Very low
Copernicus FWI · fire-weather index
p4 of 96
Seismic exposure
Very high
% in a seismic zone (most of France is)
p80 of 96
Major risks present
Share of the department's communes listing each risk category
Earthquake Very high 100% p80 of 96
Severe weather Very high 100% p90 of 96
Wildfire Very high 86.5% p83 of 96
Flooding High 69% p64 of 96
Ground movement High 65.6% p45 of 96
Subsidence & cavities High 65.6% p54 of 96
Hazardous-materials transport Low 31.9% p30 of 96
Dam failure Low 27.9% p87 of 96
+2 more
Avalanche Low 26.7% #2 most exposed of 96
Industrial hazard Very low 14.1% p87 of 96
Transport
Transport
8/10
4.5 h to Paris · TGV + closeness
TGV access
Yes
Direct TGV station
Highways
1
A66
Work locally
33.2%
work in own commune
Nearest hubs
🏙 Nearest city
Foix → Toulouse (~45 min)
✈ Airport
Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) · ~80 km
🚄 To Paris via TGV
4.5h direct
🛣 Highways
A66
Services
Healthcare
6/10
APL 3.8
p62 of 96
Schools
5/10
Brevet 85%
p29 of 96
Fiber coverage
94%
p22 of 96
Intl schools
0schools
None in department
p11 of 96
People
Population
159,765
p6 of 96
Density
33/km²
Rural
-60% vs median 81
32 387
Pop trend
+0.2%/yr
0 pts vs median · p49
Median income
$23,700
standard of living · $/yr
p5 of 96
Poverty rate
19.0%
below 60% of median living standard
p89 of 96
Unemployment
13.5%
active population out of work
p87 of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 17 residents
p78 of 96 · 9,326 beds
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
17%
15-24
12%
25-39
13%
40-54
14%
55-69
19%
70+
25%
Office professionals
11.0%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
p20 of 96
Remote work
6.7%
télétravail · works without commuting
p94 of 96
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
11%
At-home trades
Farmers
3.8%
Artisans & shopkeepers
9.5%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professions incl. nurses, teachers
25.4%
Clerical & service staff
30.4%
Manual workers
20%
Real estate
Median
$1,540/m²
$650 $2,770
House $1,570 Apt $1,510
-0.2%/yr 2023–25
Median surface
—m²
Taxe foncière
47.46%
typical commune rate · TFPB
p64 of 96
Price distribution across communes · $/m²
Loading commune price distribution…
On the market — explore listings