Saint-Affrique
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the town in the Tarn département, see Saint-Affrique-les-Montagnes.
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Commune of Saint-Affrique |
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| Location | |
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Midi-Pyrénées |
| Department | Aveyron |
| Arrondissement | Millau |
| Canton | Saint-Affrique |
| Mayor | Alain Fauconnier (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 279 m–720 m (avg. 330 m) |
| Land area¹ | 110.96 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
7,507 |
| - Density | 68/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 12208/ 12400 |
| 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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Saint-Affrique is a commune in the Aveyron département in southern France.
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[edit] History
Saint-Affrique grew in the 6th century around the tomb of St. Africain, bishop of Comminges. In the 12th century a fortress was built on the neighboring rock of Caylus. The possession of Saint-Affrique was vigorously contested during the French Wars of Religion. It was eventually occupied by the Huguenots until 1629, when it was seized and dismantled by a royal army.
[edit] Sights
An old bridge over the Sorgues River and some megaliths in the neighborhood, especially, the dolmen of Tiergues, are of antiquarian interest.
[edit] Miscellaneous
Saint-Affrique was the birthplace of :
- Pierre-Auguste Sarrus (1813-1876), musician and inventor
- Émile Borel (1871-1956), mathematician and politician.
[edit] Saint-Affrique prize
Saint-Affrique prize was awarded to notorious Parisian painter artists during the second part of the 20th century. It consisted in a stay of one month in the hotel of famous cook François Decucq during which the painters could visit and paint one of the most beautiful county of France. Some prize winners: Daniel du Janerand, Maurice Boitel.
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
[edit] External links
- Town council website (in French)
- Unofficial website about Saint-Affrique (in French)
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