|
Saint-Claude |
|
|
Saint-Claude
|
|
|
Location within Franche-Comté region
Saint-Claude
|
|
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Franche-Comté |
| Department | Jura |
| Arrondissement | Saint-Claude |
| Canton | Saint-Claude |
| Intercommunality | Val de Bienne |
| Mayor | Francis Lahaut (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 360–1,222 m (1,180–4,009 ft) (avg. 441 m/1,447 ft) |
| Land area1 | 70.19 km2 (27.10 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 12,303 (1999) |
| - Density | 175 /km2 (450 /sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 39478/ 39200 |
| 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. | |
Saint-Claude is a commune in the Jura department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.
The town was originally named Saint-Oyand after Saint Eugendus. However, when St. Claudius had, in 687, resigned his Diocese of Besançon and had died, in 696, as twelfth abbot, the number of pilgrims who visited his grave was so great that, since the thirteenth century, the name "Saint-Claude" came more and more into use and has to-day superseded the other.[1]
Saint-Claude Cathedral, former seat of the Bishops of Saint-Claude, is located here.
French-Algerian footballer Nadir Belhadj and French-Turkish footballer Mevlüt Erdinç were both born in Saint-Claude. French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer was born there. In January 2010 Erdinç received the town's medal of honour.