The Pyrénées-Atlantiques, "viewed from the sky"

An economic fabric strongly positioned on high technology
and services

The department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques is composed of two complementary urban centers, Pau and Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz and covers an area of 7645 km² (2952 mi²), with 650,000 inhabitants.

Its economic and industrial zone is divided into 5 sectors of excellence: Aeronautics, Agribusiness, Chemistry-Energy-Geosciences and New Materials, Ecoconstruction and Surf. Écouter

Its aerospace industry lets the department act as a major player within the Aerospace Valley, complementary to the two poles of Toulouse and Bordeaux.

With the presence of three leading contractors, Turbomeca, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty and Dassault Aviation, and the 120 companies and subcontractors operating in their wake, the aerospace sector employs over 10,000 people in the area.
The spectrum of competence of those small and medium-sized companies is broad: consulting firms, foundries, general and precision mechanics, boiler-making, mechanized welding, surface treatment, electronic equipments, control, metrology and testing...
Besides the creation of 2 innovative and structuring sites based around the industry (Technocité and Aeropolis), the territory also has 8 receiving zones specifically dedicated to the aerospace industry.

When Teaching, Research, and Industry work together

In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, there are 50 leading research laboratories in many fields such as Life Sciences and Environment, Information and Communication Technologies, Industrial Engineering and Industry, Materials and Nanomaterials.

This momentum, associated with research and innovation, is enhanced by a very present and renowned quality of education. For example, there are 5 training and research unities, 15 Technical or Professional Institutes, 3 engineering schools and about 10 higher education institutions.

The Pyrénées-Atlantiques is a stone’s throw from the major European aerospace centers thanks to a dense transport network  

The area benefits from strong transport infrastructure, with 2 international airports, Biarritz and Pau, a railway network consisting primarily of 6 high-speed train stations in Hendaye, St Jean de Luz, Biarritz, Bayonne, Orthez and Pau, and a major industrial port in Bayonne close to a European freight terminal which ensures a daily traffic of 6,000 trucks.
The department has also developed a road network with wide coverage, constantly changing, including three motorways to Bordeaux, Toulouse, Paris and Spain, and the Somport tunnel directly linked to Pau and Spain.