Mirepoix, Ariège

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Commune of Mirepoix Maison des Consuls in the centre of Mirepoix
Location
Longitude	01° 52' 28" E
Latitude	43° 05' 23" N
Administration
Country	France
Region	Midi-Pyrénées
Department	Ariège
Arrondissement	Pamiers
Canton	Mirepoix (chief town)
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes du Pays de Mirepoix
Mayor	Jean Cazanave (2001-2008)
Statistics
Altitude	276 m–462 m (avg. 308 m)
Land area¹	47.28 km²
Population² (1999)	3,061
- Density (1999)	64/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	09194/ 09500
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 mi² or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

Wooden carving from one of the overhanging arcades in the place de Couverts.

Mirepoix is an historic town in the Hers valley of the Ariège département, in the south of France, between Carcassonne and Pamiers. The inhabitants are called Mirapiciens.

[edit] History

The original town was virtually destroyed by flooding of the Hers-Vif river on June 16, 1289. It was subsequently rebuilt by Jean de Levis in 1290.

[edit] Sights

The centre of Mirepoix is built around the place de Couverts which in turn has the 14th century Maison des Consuls as its main attraction.The overhanging arcades have exposed beams and from these there are approximately 150 individually carved wooden heads.

The cathedral of St-Maurice, built in the Gothic style, has a particularly wide nave. [Mirepoix Cathedral:[1]]

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Mirepoix

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