Former commercial court judge Marc Andrès has taken office as deputy mayor for public works and urban planning in Tarbes, leading major municipal projects.
Mayor Pascal Claverie entrusted Andrès with a massive portfolio that covers public works, urban planning, public procurement, the town cycling plan, and soft mobility initiatives. The self-made entrepreneur, who previously served as a delegated municipal councillor, said he intends to put his experience toward a sustainable transformation of the town in southwestern France.
Andrès has described his career as a self-made path driven by hard work and a refusal to be bored. Refusing a job offer at the local military arsenal where both his father and grandfather had worked, he instead chose to build a business in the private sector.
Working-class origins in Tarbes
Born into a modest family of Spanish origin, Andrès grew up in working-class areas of Tarbes, the administrative capital of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region. His early childhood was spent in the Clozier neighbourhood before his family moved to wooden barracks in what was historically known as the Indochinese camp, located in the Sixte-Vignon high school sector.
His parents later secured an apartment in the Carrère housing estate in the northern district of Tarbes following the birth of their third child. Andrès remarked with a smile that it was only thanks to his younger sister that the family obtained hot water in their new home.
Reflecting on a difficult youth during which he recalled eating only potatoes at age 17, Andrès credited his upbringing and religious belief for keeping him on course. He said that strong values, a good education from his parents, and his faith prevented him from turning out badly. He admitted that he had once considered entering holy orders, though today he maintains a strong personal attachment to Saint-Antoine Church in Tarbes.
When offered a position at the Tarbes arsenal following family tradition, an interview psychologist told him that he would ultimately get bored in the role. Andrès declined the offer and instead launched a career in the building industry, quickly becoming the head of an electrical and climate engineering firm. He later expanded his commercial activities into selling wedding dresses and wine.
From business to the courthouse
Alongside his commercial ventures, Andrès was elected to the regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He subsequently served as a judge at the commercial court, a specialized French judicial body responsible for resolving business and corporate disputes.
It was during joint training courses for judicial roles, including sessions at the École nationale de la magistrature in Bordeaux, France's national training academy for judges, that Andrès first connected with Pascal Claverie. Andrès noted that he and Claverie shared a similar background and mindset as business leaders.
In 2020, Claverie invited Andrès to join the municipal election campaign led by Gérard Trémège. Andrès entered local government as a delegated municipal councillor before choosing in 2025 to join Claverie's political team.
Andrès praised Claverie as a fellow entrepreneur who is respectful, upright, hard-working, accessible, and attentive to others. He described the mayor as a visionary leader of action who trusts his elected majority to work collectively in the public interest.
Urban transformation and mobility projects
In his new capacity as deputy mayor, Andrès emphasized that he sees his role as serving all residents of Tarbes while guiding long-term investments in the town. He stated that he prefers team accomplishment over personal recognition and aims to highlight the work of municipal staff.
A key focus of his portfolio involves collaborating with the Architect of French Buildings, the official state heritage authority responsible for regulating development near protected historic monuments. Andrès said this partnership ensures architectural consistency and adds value to municipal projects while protecting local historic sites.
His immediate priorities include overseeing the energy renovation of local schools across Tarbes. Over the medium term, Andrès plans to address vacant housing, improve parking facilities, upgrade local road networks, and carry out neighborhood embellishment projects.
To increase the town's overall attractiveness, Andrès intends to roll out a continuous cycling network across Tarbes. His urban mobility strategy includes introducing 30 km/h speed zones and 20 km/h meeting zones in the town centre to prioritize cyclists and pedestrians, alongside broader structural redevelopments planned for key public spaces such as Place de Verdun.
