Ax-les-Thermes is a commune

Communes of France

The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...

 in the Ariège

Ariège

Ariège is a department in southwestern France named after the Ariège River.- History :Ariège is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the counties of Foix and Couserans....

 department in the Midi-Pyrénées

Midi-Pyrénées

Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...

 region

Régions of France

France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...

 in southwestern France.

It lies at the confluence of the Ariège River

Ariège River

The Ariège is a 164 km long river in southern France, right tributary of the Garonne. Its source is in the Pyrenees, where it forms part of the border with Andorra...

 with three tributaries, 26 miles SSE of Foix

Foix

Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...

 by rail. The Ax 3 Domaines

Ax 3 Domaines

Ax 3 Domaines is a winter sports resort situated in the commune of Ax-les-Thermes, departement of Ariège, in France....

 winter sports resort is situated in the commune.

Geography

Ax-les-Thermes is situated in the Pyrénées

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...

, close to Andorra

Andorra

Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...

, and stands on the confluence of the Oriège, Ariège

Ariège River

The Ariège is a 164 km long river in southern France, right tributary of the Garonne. Its source is in the Pyrenees, where it forms part of the border with Andorra...

 and Lauze rivers.

Spa

Ax (from Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 Aquae – water; French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

 Thermes – hot springs), situated at an elevation of 700 metres (2,296.6 ft), is well known for its sulphurous hot springs (25 to 78 °C (77 to 172.4 F)), of which there are about sixty. The waters, which were used by the Romans

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

, are claimed to treat rheumatism

Rheumatism

Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...

, skin diseases, and other maladies. The springs were developed in the medieval period on the orders of Saint Louis

Louis IX of France

Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...

 to treat soldiers returning from the Crusades

Crusades

The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...

 afflicted with leprosy

Leprosy

Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...

. From the nineteenth century, a spa

Destination spa

A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...

 tourism industry developed.

The Bassin des Ladres (Lepers' Pond), in the centre of the town, is fed by hot springs supplying water from the ground at a temperature of 77°C. The best known fountain is the "fountain of cannons". A hospital is situated only one metre from the basin. The pond was built by Roger, Count of Foix, during the reign of Saint Louis. Every year on St John's Day, the Axéens, having been daubed with ashes, bathe in the Lepers' Pond for fun.

Administration

The mayor of Ax-les-Thermes in office from 2008 to 2014 is Pierre Peyronne, of the Socialist Party

Socialist Party (France)

The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...

.

Population

Its inhabitants are called Axéens.

Economy

The local economy is mainly based on livestock (cattle, sheep), the spas, winter sports and tourism in general. The town benefits especially from spa tourism, skiing

Skiing

Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....

 and its casino

Casino

In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...

. Its proximity to Andorra

Andorra

Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...

 enables cross-border shopping. The Ax 3 Domaines

Ax 3 Domaines

Ax 3 Domaines is a winter sports resort situated in the commune of Ax-les-Thermes, departement of Ariège, in France....

winter sports resort is situated in the commune and served as the finish line for stage 14 of the 2010 Tour de France.