Tarbes, a SW French Pyrenean town : part I (the centre-town)

Other threads on Bigorre :
- Vic-Bigorre ;
- Rabastens-Bigorre ;
- Tarbes : I, II, III, IV

Click to expand...

Allegedly, Tarbes is one of the ugliest towns in France. There's some truth in that as Tarbes lacks the evidence of neighbouring Pau or the charm of Toulouse. It's just a big town in a plain on a modest river whose existence used to be linked with an Arsenal.

The pics were taken in may 2008, the weather was sunny but overcast.

My road to Tarbes :


Pyrenean houses in Gardères, a village in the Southern administrative exclave :




Though Tarbes does have a cathedral (a rather modest one as you'll see in part II), the true religious marvel of the region is the Collegiate of Ibos.








The plain between Ibos and Tarbes, with an infamous Leclerc variety store and the Pyrenees a bit hidden by clouds :






So here we are : Place du Foirail in Tarbes. The sixties ...




The metallic market in one of the adjacent streets :


The House of Agriculture :


Around the Foirail :




Quai Estevenet : there used to be a river here with mills ...








Place du Marcadieu (Plaça deu Mercadiu in Gascon) :


I don't like that palmtree trend :


The Fontaine des 4 Vallées :




The bell of the modest Sainte-Thérèse Church in the Mercadieu Square :


The second entry of the metallic market :


Around Place Montaut :








Rue du Foulon :


We enter Tarbes' main arterial street : Rue du Maréchal Foch (Carrèra deus Grans Varats in Gascon). Cars, cars and cars.






Perpendicular alleys :




The town-hall in Place Jean-Jaurès (Plaça de la Porteta in Gascon):

A statue of Danton : why ?







The post-office :


Rue Clémenceau :




Saint-Jean :








In Foch Street again and the tribunal :




The main square : Place de Verdun (Plaça deu Mauborguet in Gascon)








Rue Despourrins (Carrèra deu Crostet in Gascon):






Rue Soucourieu :


Verdun Square again :