Dept 64 Rank #21 / 96
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Nearest city: Pau / Bayonne TGV
🚄 TGV
Basque coast, Pyrenees foothills, Rhune mountain, Atlantic cliffs
Why this score · reflects your priorities
Pyrénées-Atlantiques pairs Pyrenean-and-coastal scenery, good healthcare and a strong tourist draw with muggy summers and heavy rainfall as drawbacks. Les Pyrénées-Atlantiques associent des paysages entre Pyrénées et océan, un bon accès aux soins et un fort attrait touristique, avec pour handicaps des étés moites et des pluies abondantes.
Top communes
Communes
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Climate
Sunshine
2,017h/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p54 of 96
Sunny days
168/yr
days >50% sunlit
p63 of 96
Rain days
138/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 1 fewer rain days each year.
p96 of 96
Annual rainfall
1,256mm/yr
total volume
#1 wettest of 96
Heavy rain
16/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
p99 of 96
Torrential
0.9/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
p90 of 96
Hot days >30°
20/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p46 of 96
Winter mildness
8/10
3.8 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.3 °C per year.
p83 of 96
Wind
1.9m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: windier by 0.05 m/s per year.
p3 of 96
Muggy days
21/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: about 1 more muggy days each year.
#3 muggiest 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 ~+4 days · +2 so far
Tropical nights ~+13 nights · +2 so far
Frost days ~-16 days · -8 so far
Dry-soil days ~+35 days
Landscape
Landscape score
7/10
p82 of 96
Max elevation
2,973m
p88 of 96
Forest cover
44.5%
p72 of 96
Characteristics
⛰ Mountains
Basque coast, Pyrenees foothills, Rhune mountain, Atlantic cliffs
Identity
Pyrénées-Atlantiques is the birthplace of Maurice Ravel (compositeur).
Notable figures born here
Maurice Ravel — compositeurPierre Bourdieu — philosopheCharles XIV Jean de Suède — monarqueDidier Deschamps — footballeurFrédéric Bastiat — philosopheMichel Sogny — compositeurBixente Lizarazu — footballeurFrançois Bayrou — maireRené Cassin — juristeLouis Barthou — historien
Terroir & appellations
Pyrénées-Atlantiques lies within protected appellation areas, including Piment d'Espelette, Irouléguy, Jurançon.
Piment d'EspeletteIrouléguyJurançonMadiranPacherenc du Vic-BilhBéarnKintoaJambon du KintoaOssau-IratyJambon noir de BigorrePorc noir de BigorreSel de Salies-de-Béarn
Distinctions
- Francis Jammes
- Gaston Fébus
- Jeanne d'Albret
- Edmond Rostand
- +1 more
- Villa Arnaga
- Domaine national du château de Pau
- Jardins du château de Viven
Station classée de tourisme (28)
Risks
Safety score
8/10
Flood risk
High
% communes flood-exposed (GASPAR union)
p70 of 96
Fire risk
Very low
Copernicus FWI · fire-weather index
p6 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
Flooding Very high 89% p82 of 96
Hazardous-materials transport Low 38.3% p39 of 96
Wildfire Low 33.4% p69 of 96
Ground movement Very low 19.4% p23 of 96
Subsidence & cavities Very low 19.4% p39 of 96
Dam failure Very low 13.4% p58 of 96
Industrial hazard Very low 7.9% p77 of 96
+2 more
Avalanche Very low 4.8% p89 of 96
Coastal Very low 0.7% p78 of 96
Transport
Transport
8/10
4.5 h to Paris · TGV + closeness
TGV access
Yes
Direct TGV station
Highways
3
A63 · A64 · A65
Work locally
32.6%
work in own commune
Nearest hubs
🏙 Nearest city
Pau / Bayonne TGV
✈ Airport
Pau Pyrénées Airport (PUF) · ~31 km
🚄 To Paris via TGV
4.5h direct
🛣 Highways
A63, A64, A65
Services
Healthcare
9/10
APL 4.6
#5 best GP access of 96
Schools
9/10
Brevet 94%
p98 of 96
Fiber coverage
98%
p83 of 96
Intl schools
5schools
International programmes available
p74 of 96
People
Population
671,293
p63 of 96
Density
87/km²
Mixed
+9% vs median 81
32 387
Pop trend
+0.6%/yr
+0.4 pts vs median · p79
Median income
$26,500
standard of living · $/yr
p76 of 96
Poverty rate
12.6%
below 60% of median living standard
p25 of 96
Unemployment
10.1%
active population out of work
p26 of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 17 residents
p77 of 96 · 39,047 beds
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
17%
15-24
12%
25-39
13%
40-54
14%
55-69
19%
70+
25%
Office professionals
16.6%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
p73 of 96
Remote work
4.9%
télétravail · works without commuting
p66 of 96
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
16.6%
At-home trades
Farmers
2.3%
Artisans & shopkeepers
8.4%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professions incl. nurses, teachers
27.5%
Clerical & service staff
26.6%
Manual workers
18.6%
Real estate
Median
$2,970/m²
$1,250 $7,540
House $2,510 Apt $3,650
+1.8%/yr 2023–25
Median surface
—m²
Taxe foncière
33.57%
typical commune rate · TFPB
p11 of 96
Price distribution across communes · $/m²
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