Politique, économie, sociétés des Pyrénées

Abstract

Politics, economy and societies of the Pyrenees. The mountain frontier of the Pyrenees is no longer a real obstacle, although the main traffic flows avoid it by crossing at the two lateral extremities. No doubt new projects for crossing-places will be thought up, but their somewhat imprecise objectives will not change habitual routes and consequently will not upset the fragile balance established around the two pillars of the local economy : pastoralism and tourism. Against the background of the Pyrenean agropastoral system can be seen the individualism of the farmers fitting into the logic of branches of activity. Passive attitudes will not be enough for the preservation of pastoralism, an essential objective for the protection of the mountain area and for the development of tourism. «Leave the Pyrenees as they are » is not an acceptable approach, either to favour actions undertaken in the interest of sustainable development, or to aid programmes for increasing tourist capacity, particularly by improving residential possibilities.