Who would have believed it? This French city is among the most seismic in France. A surprising fact when you learn that millions of tourists come there every year!
No one doubts the diversity and beauty of the French territories, which offer an incredible variety of landscapes. Between the paradise islands of Reunion, the majestic mountains of the Vosges and the sweet Côte d’Azur, each finds their happiness there. But did you know that some of these hacks of peace, which seem of absolute tranquility, actually hide a much more surprising aspect? Some of our territories are occasionally shaken by earthquakes. This is particularly the case for this very popular French city which welcomes millions of tourists each year.
If Paris seems to be sheltered from a seismic shock that would make the Eiffel Tower tremble, some French territories are much more exposed. This is particularly the case for French Antilles, where Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy are among the most risky regions. In its report entitled “Key figures for natural risks 2023”, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion stresses that “41 % of earthquakes of epicentral intensity greater than or equal to VIII are in the Antilles“. These areas are therefore known for their high seismic intensity. But that is not all … Far from popular belief and fairly unsuspected, another territory of metropolitan France also displays a surprising level of seismicity.
Located in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, the city of Lourdes is one of the most seismic metropolitan cities. “”Each year, the Marian city records 2,000 more or less important earthquakes. ‘It is the most seismic sector in France. Even if 90% of the tremors were not felt ‘underlines Alexis Clarond, head of the Water and Forest Risks Environmental Risks to the Territorial Directorate of Territories (DDT)“, According to a report by France 3. Faced with this phenomenon, almost 80% of Lourdes dwellings will soon be secured by 2028 to prevent seismic risks.
The last seismic phenomenon to have particularly shaken the city of Lourdes dates back to May 21, 2024. That day, a shield of magnitude 4.7 on the Richter scale had made the whole of the Marian city tremble. Lauriane Barbe, coordinator at the Pyrenean Center for Major Risks, recently said on TF1 about the next big shock that Lourdes could know: “It will not be tomorrow. It will be in a few years, even in 50 years perhaps. Finally the question is not to know: ‘When will the earthquake take place?’ But rather to know if we will be ready the day it happens“.
