Nearest city: Perpignan · Direct TGV station⚠ High variance
Pyrénées-Orientales shines with abundant sunshine, dry weather and Pyrenean-coastal scenery, but punishing heatwaves and high hazard exposure cut it back.Les Pyrénées-Orientales brillent par un ensoleillement généreux, un temps sec et des paysages entre Pyrénées et littoral, mais des canicules éprouvantes et une forte exposition aux risques rognent leur score.
Why this score· reflects your priorities
Ranked by your current weights — adjust weights and these re-rank.
483,838Population
$2,640per m²
2,452hSunshine
4.5hto Paris · TGV
Very highFlood risk
Communes
226 communes, from Perpignan down to the smallest villages — pick a layer and click any polygon.226 communes, de Perpignan aux plus petits villages — choisissez une couche et cliquez un polygone.
A typical year brings 2,452 sunshine hours and 60 rain days, with 42 days above 30 °C.Une année typique apporte 2 452 heures de soleil et 60 jours de pluie, avec 42 jours au-dessus de 30 °C.
Sunshine
2,452h/yr
Monthly sunshine: peak July 298 h, low December 124 h.Ensoleillement mensuel : maximum en juillet (298 h), minimum en décembre (124 h).
JFMAMJJASOND
Trend 2015-2025: gained ~20 sun hours each year.
sunnier than 90% of departmentsplus ensoleillé que 90 % des départements (p91 of 96)
Sunny days
221/yr
days >50% sunlit
more sunny days than 90% of departmentsplus de jours ensoleillés que 90 % des départements (p90 of 96)
Rain days
60/yr
Monthly rainfall: peak March 7 mm, low July 3 mm.Pluviométrie mensuelle : maximum en mars (7 mm), minimum en juillet (3 mm).
JFMAMJJASOND
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 fewer rain days each year.
#4 driest of 96
Annual rainfall
475mm/yr
total volume
#2 driest of 96
Heavy rain
5/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
more heavy-rain days than 50% of departmentsplus de jours de fortes pluies que 50 % des départements (p58 of 96)
Torrential
0.8/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
more torrential days than 88% of departmentsplus de jours torrentiels que 88 % des départements (p89 of 96)
Hot days >30°
42/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 more hot days each year.
more hot days than 88% of departmentsplus de jours chauds que 88 % des départements (p88 of 96)
Winter mildness
9/10
5.1 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.2 °C per year.
milder winters than 95% of departmentshivers plus doux que 95 % des départements (p96 of 96)
Wind
3.9m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: calmer by 0.08 m/s per year.
#3 windiest of 96
Muggy days
17/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 more muggy days each year.
muggier than 93% of departmentsplus de moiteur que 93 % des départements (p94 of 96)
Avg max temperature · °C
13
J
14
F
16
M
19
A
22
M
28
J
30
J
30
A
26
S
21
O
16
N
14
D
2050 outlookTRACC +2.7°C · vs 1976-2005
Hot days ≥35°C~+3 days · +3 so far
Tropical nights~+20 nights · +18 so far
Frost days~-20 days · -7 so far
Dry-soil days~+27 days
Landscape
The terrain peaks at 2,921 m with 66.3% forest cover.Le relief culmine à 2 921 m avec 66,3 % de forêt.
Landscape score
8/10
more scenic than 85% of departmentspaysages devant 85 % des départements (p91 of 96)
Max elevation
2,921m
higher than 86% of departmentsplus haut que 86 % des départements (p87 of 96)
Forest cover
66.3%
more forested than 89% of departmentsplus boisé que 89 % des départements (p89 of 96)
Characteristics
🌊 Coastline🏞 Dramatic landscape📸 Tourism hotspot
Canigou peak, Côte Vermeille, Cerdagne plateau, Conflent valley
Pyrénées-Orientales is the birthplace of François Arago (physicien).
Notable figures born here · 10
François Arago · physicien Joseph Joffre Thomas Merton · historien Aristide Maillol · artiste peintre Martin Fourcade · biathlète Jean-Pierre Serre · mathématicien Hyacinthe Rigaud · artiste peintre Martin Ier d'Aragon · dirigeant Jean Ier d'Aragon · dirigeant Robert Brasillach · écrivain
Appellations · 12
Pyrénées-Orientales lies within protected appellation areas, including Collioure, Maury, Béa du Roussillon.
CollioureMauryBéa du RoussillonRivesaltesGrand RoussillonAbricots rouges du RoussillonLanguedocLanguedoc blancCôtes du Roussillon Villages TautavelCôtes du Roussillon Villages CaramanyCôtes du Roussillon Villages LesquerdeBanyuls
Appellation areas within the department — area membership, not production.
Distinctions
Plus Beaux Détours de France(1)
Maison des Illustres (2)▾
Aristide MaillolJoseph Joffre
Jardin Remarquable· Jardin des plantes Les Capellans
Station classée de tourisme(13)
Risks
6/10
11 hazard categories appear on the communes' state register; flood exposure reads very high.11 catégories de risques figurent au registre de l’État ; l’exposition aux crues est très élevée.
FloodVery highTrès élevée
FireHighÉlevée
Seismic Zone 3/5 · moderate · max 4· modérée · max 4
more flood-exposed than 85% of departmentsplus exposé aux crues que 85 % des départements (p93 of 96)
higher fire weather than 70% of departmentsrisque incendie plus élevé que 70 % des départements (p72 of 96)
more seismic exposure than 59% of departmentsplus d’exposition sismique que 59 % des départements (p80 of 96)
Communes listing each risk
Share of the department's communes listing each risk category
FloodingVery high100%p95 of 96
EarthquakeVery high100%p80 of 96
RadonVery high100%p93 of 96
Ground movementVery high92.5%p59 of 96
WildfireVery high82.3%p82 of 96
+6 more
Subsidence & cavitiesHigh62.8%p51 of 96
Hazardous-materials transportModerate40.7%p42 of 96
Dam failureLow31.9%p91 of 96
AvalancheVery low17.7%p93 of 96
CoastalVery low6.2%p87 of 96
Industrial hazardVery low0.9%p17 of 96
Transport
8/10
Direct TGV, 4.5 h to Paris, 1 motorway.TGV direct, 4,5 h de Paris, 1 autoroute.
TGV accessYes · direct station
To Paris4.5h direct
AirportPerpignan-Rivesaltes (Llabanère) Airport (PGF) · ~33 km
Highways · 1A9
Work locally37.7% in own commune
Services
Healthcare scores 7/10; fibre reaches 93% of premises.La santé obtient 7/10 ; la fibre dessert 93 % des locaux.
Healthcare
7/10
APL 4.1
better GP access than 75% of departmentsmeilleur accès aux soins que 75 % des départements (p76 of 96)
Schools
5/10
Brevet 86%
weaker brevet results than 55% of departmentsrésultats au brevet plus faibles que 55 % des départements (p41 of 96)
Fiber coverage
93%
thinner fibre coverage than 81% of departmentscouverture fibre plus faible que 81 % des départements (p17 of 96)
Intl schools
2schools
International programmes available
fewer intl schools than 45% of departmentsmoins d’écoles internationales que 45 % des départements (p47 of 96)
People
483,838 residents, growing +0.7%/yr, median income $23,500.483 838 habitants, en croissance de +0,7 %/an, revenu médian 20 650 €.
Population
483,838
less populous than 54% of departmentsmoins peuplé que 54 % des départements (p45 of 96)
Density
117/km²
Mixed
▲ +45% vs median 81
32387
Pop trend
+0.7%/yr
+0.5 ptsvs median
population trend ahead of 82% of departmentsévolution démographique devant 82 % des départements (p84 of 96)
Median income
$23,500
standard of living · $/yr
#4 lowest of 96
Poverty rate
21.2%
below 60% of median living standard
#2 highest of 96
Unemployment
16.8%
active population out of work
#1 highest of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 8 residents
more tourist beds per resident than 91% of departmentsplus de lits touristiques par habitant que 91 % des départements (p91 of 96)
59,091 beds
1/921/9
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
18%
15-39
29%
40-69
32%
70+
21%
Office professionals
12.3%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
fewer office professionals than 61% of departmentsmoins de cadres que 61 % des départements (p36 of 96)
Remote work
4.3%
télétravail · works without commuting
less remote work than 61% of departmentsmoins de télétravail que 61 % des départements (p36 of 96)
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
12.3%
At-home trades
Farmers
1.4%
Artisans & shopkeepers
10.2%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professionsincl. nurses, teachers
26.8%
Clerical & service staff
30.4%
Manual workers
18.9%
Real estate
Homes trade around $2,640/m² median, rising +1%/yr — from $1,190 to $4,780 (10th–90th percentile of sales).L’immobilier s’échange autour de 2 318 €/m² en médiane, en hausse de +1 %/an — de 1 043 € à 4 203 € (10e–90e centile des ventes).
Median
$2,640/m²
House$2,770Apt$2,440
↑+1%/yr2023–25
Price range · p10–p90 of sales
$1,190$4,780
median marker on the dept's sales spread
Taxe foncière
46.41%
typical commune rate · TFPB
higher property tax than 60% of departmentstaxe foncière plus élevée que 60 % des départements (p61 of 96)