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Castelnau-de-Lévis |
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| Chateau | |
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Castelnau-de-Lévis
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Midi-Pyrénées |
| Department | Tarn |
| Arrondissement | Albi |
| Canton | Albi-Nord-Ouest |
| Intercommunality | Albigeois |
| Mayor | Robert Gauthier (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 133–280 m (436–920 ft) (avg. 143 m/469 ft) |
| Land area1 | 21.42 km2 (8.27 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 1,558 (2006) |
| - Density | 73 /km2 (190 /sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 81063/ 81150 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Castelnau-de-Lévis is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.
It is located just west of Albi. The inhabitants are Castellévisiens.
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The castel was built at the beginning of the thirteenth century by Gicard Alamon, and called Castelnau de Bonnafonds. It was rebuilt by the Lévis in the fifteenth century, when the seigneurie came into the possession of Hugues d' Amboise, baron d'Aubijoux; the fief remained with his descendants until the seventeenth century. Hugues' grandson, Louis d'Amboise, comte d'Aubijoux and baron de Castelnau-de Bonnafous, restored the château and dwelt in it. The narrow square watchtower (tour de guet) is 40m tall.
Apart from the watchtower, all that remains today is remnants of other buildings. From the castle, there is a good view of Albi and the Tarn valley[1].
The castle has been listed since 1909 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture[2].
The village at the base of the château is the site of a motocross championship, the Championnats du Monde MX3 et d’Europe 125 de Motocross. The track is also scheduled to host the French 2009 Sidecarcross world championship Grand Prix on 29 March 2009, however, this will still have to be confirmed by the FIM[3].