Tarascon

For the town in south-western France, see Tarascon-sur-Ariège.

Tarascon
Tarascon Castle on the Rhône River
Tarascon
Administration
Country France
Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department Bouches-du-Rhône
Arrondissement Arles
Canton Tarascon
Intercommunality Arles-Crau-Camargue-Montagnette
Mayor Charles Fabre
(2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation 3–200 m (9.8–660 ft)
(avg. 17 m/56 ft)
Land area1 73.97 km2 (28.56 sq mi)
Population2 13,340  (2008)
 - Density 180 /km2 (470 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 13108/ 13150
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.

Tarascon (Occitan: Tarascon), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.

Contents

Geography

Tarascon is located 23 km (14 mi) south of Avignon and 20 km (12 mi) north of Arles, on the left (east) bank of the Rhône River. On the other side is the similarly sized town of Beaucaire in the département of Gard, région of Languedoc-Roussillon. Directly opposite each other and connected by several bridges, Beaucaire and Tarascon effectively constitute one town.

Hamlets located on the territory of the commune include:

Population

Historical population of Tarascon
Year 1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851 1856
Population 9069 11,320 10,554 10,830 10,967 10,774 11,362 11,968 12,539 13,229
Year 1861 1866 1872 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896 1901 1906 1911
Population 13,489 12,454 11,249 10,409 9833 9314 9263 9023 8885 8972 8631
Year 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990
Population 8299 8478 8496 7875 7781 7744 8637 10,584 10,365 10,735 10,826
Year 1999 2008
Population 12,640 13,340

Culture

A mythological monster, the Tarasque, is said to have lived there at the beginning of the 1st century. It was purportedly tamed by Martha in 48 AD. See Tarasque for the whole story and more pictures.

The novel Tartarin de Tarascon (1872) and its two sequels Tartarin sur les Alpes (1885) and Port-Tarascon (1890), by Alphonse Daudet, were set here.

Since 1985, there has been a small museum in the town, dedicated to the fictional character Tartarin.

A festival is held every year on the last Sunday of June to remember Tartarin and the Tarasque.

Sights

Collegiate Church

Église collégiale Ste Marthe (St Martha's Collegiate Church) is where, according to a local tradition, the biblical figure Martha is buried. The church was built half-Romanesque in the 12th century and half-Gothic in the 14th century. The crypt dates from the third century.

Medieval castle

The construction of the current castle of Tarascon was started in 1401 by Louis II of Anjou, after the previous castle was destroyed. The construction was continued by his first son, Louis III of Anjou, and was completed in 1449 by his second son, René I of Naples. Thus, the castle is often referred to as le château du roi René ("King René's castle").

It was turned into a military prison in the 17th century, until its acquisition by the state in 1932.

It stands right on the banks of the Rhône opposite Beaucaire Castle, and near the Collegiate Church of St Martha. ( )

Other highlights

Administration

Mandate Name Party Title
1935–1940 Numa Corbessas - Mayor
1940–1941 Eugène Barthélémy - Mayor
1941–1944 Etienne Philip - Mayor
1944 Commission spéciale - -
1944–1947 Numa Corbessas - Mayor
1947–1965 Honoré Valette - Mayor
1965–1971 (Colonel) Jean André - Mayor
1971–1983 Antonin Saint Michel PS Mayor
1983–2002 Thérèse Aillaud RPR Mayor
2002–2005 Jean Reynaud UMP Mayor
2005 - current Charles Fabre UMP Mayor

Transportation

Tarascon is served by a train station and several buses.

The GR 6 footpath runs through Tarascon.

Personalities

Twin towns

See also

References

External links