Barcelonnette
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Commune of Barcelonnette |
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| Location | |
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
| Department | Alpes-de-Haute-Provence |
| Arrondissement | Barcelonnette |
| Canton | Barcelonnette |
| Mayor | Jean Chabre (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 1,115 m–2,680 m (avg. 1,132 m) |
| Land area¹ | 16.42 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
2,819 |
| - Density | 171/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 04019/ 04400 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
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Barcelonnette (Barciloneta / Barcilona in Occitan) is a commune in the Ubaye Valley, in the southern French Alps, in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.
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[edit] History
The city's name comes from Ramon Berenguer IV, count of Barcelona and count of Provence, who founded the city in 1231.
[edit] Situation
The city and the region around has been the center of a French immigration wave to the Americas (mostly Mexico) in the late 19th and early beginning 20th centuries. Families which had prospered abroad came back and built the huge mansions that one can see all over the town called Maisons Mexicaines. The construction of such mansions took place primarily from 1880 to 1930. Today, a large community of Barcelonettes live in Mexico City, San Luis Potosí and Puebla, Mexico. The most famous of these descendants is the Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez and the Jazz composer and writer Alain Derbez.
[edit] Geography and Industry
Barcelonnette is situated in a wide and very fertile valley. It lies at an elevation of 1132 m (3717 ft) on the right bank of the Ubaye River, on which it is the most well-known place.
The city is mainly a tourist and resort centre, serving many ski lodges.
[edit] External links
Ubaye valley
[edit] Gallery
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