Wikipedia

Aude

Not to be confused withAube,the department in Northeastern France.
For other uses, seeAude (disambiguation).

Aude(French:[od]ⓘohd;Occitan:[ˈawðe]) is adepartmentinSouthern France,located in theOccitanieregionand named after the riverAude.[3]The departmental council also calls it "CatharCountry "(French:Pays cathare) after a group of religious dissidents active in the 12th to 14th centuries.

Aude
Department
From top down, left to right:Carcassonne,prefecturetraversed by theAudeRiver, Mediterranean coast nearNarbonne,CaudevalandPeyriac-de-Mer
Flag of Aude
Flag
Coat of arms of Aude
Coat of arms
Location of Aude in France
Location of Aude in France
Coordinates:43°5′N2°25′E/ 43.083°N 2.417°E/43.083; 2.417
CountryFrance
RegionOccitanie
PrefectureCarcassonne
SubprefecturesLimoux
Narbonne
Government
•President of the Departmental CouncilHélène Sandragné[1](PS)
Area
1
• Total
6,139 km2(2,370 sq mi)
Population
(2022)[2]
• Total
377,773
• Rank64th
• Density62/km2(160/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
ISO 3166 codeFR-11
Department number11
Largest cityNarbonne
Arrondissements3
Cantons19
Communes433
^1French Land Register data, which excludeestuaries,and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

ItsprefectureisCarcassonneand itssubprefecturesareLimouxandNarbonne.As of 2019, it had a population of 374,070.[4]Aude is a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand,Duke of Aquitaine,and mother of Eudo, brother of SaintHubertus.[citation needed]Aude was the name ofRoland's fiancéein thechansons de geste.

Geography

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Location

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Aude is located between theMediterranean Seaand thePyrenees Mountains.

It is part of the current region ofOccitanie.It is surrounded by the departments ofPyrénées-Orientales,Ariège,Haute-Garonne,Tarn,andHérault,with theGolfe du Lionon the east.

Natural regions

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Natural regions of the Aude

The countryside in this department falls into severalnatural regions:

Landscapes

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Mountain landscape in theRazèsatQuillan

Each natural region of the Aude has its own particular landscape. In the east, lagoons or coastal lakes separate land and sea. These were formed by accumulations of sediments carried down by the rivers Aude,OrbandHérault.There are many such lakes of brackish water. This environment is demanding for flora and fauna, as it suffers from the rigours of sea, sun, dryness and floods.Halophile(i.e., salt-loving) plants grow there. The area is also noted for the pinkflamingoand the whitestilt.

Inland to the west,shrubandscrubdominate the landscape of the drylands of the Aude and theCorbières Massif.This landscape is the result of forest clearance, maintained by the raising of livestock. The flora is varied and characterized by many species oforchids.The Sault countryside is dominated bybeechgroves andfirplantations up to the mountains. These forests are known for theirmushrooms,and have a rich flora and fauna, including thePyrenean lily,theeuproctismoth andhorsetailof the woods.

To the north and west, the Black Mountain country is made up of forests ofoakandbeech.The Lauragais is a wooded landscape where grain farming has shaped the hills. There are bodies of water like theLac de la Ganguise.Finally, the high valley of the Aude, otherwise called the Razès, consists of ariparian forestmade of beech,alder,poplarorash.It includes somepeatlandsthat are very rare in southern France.

Geology

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Relief map with some main towns

The landscapes of Aude can be explained by its geology. In the south, there aresedimentary rocksfolded during the formation of the Pyrenees. To the north and centre of Aude, the sedimentary rocks are less folded. At the extreme east, near the Mediterranean, the rocks are carved by normal collapsefaultswhich are due to the opening of the Golfe du Lion.

In the north, the Black Mountain and Minervois consist ofschistandmarble,forming the southern edge of theMassif Central.These ancient rocks are over 300 million years old and were deformed by the formation of theHercynianchain. The Montagne d'Alaric (Alaric's Mountain) is anantiform foldin the shape of a vault and made oflimestone.

Climate

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Lightning during an autumn storm off the coast ofPort-la-Nouvelle.

Aude is under the influence of a Mediterranean climate.

The autumn is characterized by violent and short storms. The summer is often hot and dry, which is favorable to the culture of the vine and the olive-trees. Yet, the department has several contrasts in climate: In the north, the Montagne Noire and, in the south, the Pays de Sault, have a mountainous climate with temperatures sometimes very low in winter. In the west, the climate is under Aquitaine influence with heavier precipitation, while in the east the climate is purely Mediterranean. In the centre, in the Limouxin, Carcassonnais and Razès areas, the climate is known as intermediary with significant exposure to winds. The winds are often present in Aude. It is one of the windiest French departments, with 300 to 350 days of wind per year. This phenomenon is due mostly to the variations in relief north and south which create a kind of corridor.

In the north-west blows theCers,called Tramontane in Provence, which is a ground wind. It is a dry, somewhat violent wind and cold in winter. In the south-east blows the Autan, locally called theMarin,which is hot and wet and comes from the sea.

These regular winds made it possible to install an industrial park ofwind turbines,as in the area of Avignonet-Lauragais.

Town Sunshine

(hours/yr) 		Rain

(mm/yr)		 Snow

(days/yr)		 Storm

(days/yr)		 Fog

(days/yr)
National average 1,973 770 14 22 40
Carcassonne[6] 2,130 584 7 19 14
Paris 1,661 637 12 18 10
Nice 2,724 767 1 29 1
Strasbourg 1,693 665 29 29 56
Brest 1,605 1,211 7 12 75
Climate data for Carcassonne
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 9.7
(49.5) 		11.1
(52.0) 		14.4
(57.9) 		17.0
(62.6) 		21.0
(69.8) 		25.4
(77.7) 		28.6
(83.5) 		28.3
(82.9) 		24.5
(76.1) 		19.3
(66.7) 		13.5
(56.3) 		10.3
(50.5) 		18.6
(65.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.4
(43.5) 		7.4
(45.3) 		10.0
(50.0) 		12.4
(54.3) 		16.2
(61.2) 		20.1
(68.2) 		22.9
(73.2) 		22.7
(72.9) 		19.3
(66.7) 		15.3
(59.5) 		10.1
(50.2) 		7.1
(44.8) 		14.2
(57.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3.1
(37.6) 		3.6
(38.5) 		5.6
(42.1) 		7.7
(45.9) 		11.4
(52.5) 		14.8
(58.6) 		17.2
(63.0) 		17.0
(62.6) 		14.0
(57.2) 		11.2
(52.2) 		6.6
(43.9) 		3.8
(38.8) 		9.7
(49.5)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches) 62.0
(2.44) 		47.6
(1.87) 		47.2
(1.86) 		66.3
(2.61) 		55.1
(2.17) 		40.2
(1.58) 		22.7
(0.89) 		37.0
(1.46) 		38.8
(1.53) 		54.3
(2.14) 		52.5
(2.07) 		59.8
(2.35) 		583.5
(22.97)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) 9.1 7.2 7.5 9.5 7.4 4.9 3.8 5.3 5.2 7.7 8.4 8.6 84.6
Mean monthlysunshine hours 94.7 116.5 168.9 186.6 209.8 253.1 276.5 260.8 218.6 147.4 103.1 93.5 2,129.5
Source:Meteorological data for Carcassonne - 126m altitude, from 1981 to 2010January 2015(in French)

Hydrography

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The drainage system of Aude is dominated by its river of the same name. The river rises at the Roc d'Aude and passes through theMatemaleandPuyvaladordams on theCapcirplateau at 1500m, then crosses the department from south to north across Axat, Limoux, and Quillan following the upper valley of the Aude. At Carcassonne, the river changes direction toward the Mediterranean Sea to the east, where it empties nearFleury.

Principal towns

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The most populous commune isNarbonne;the prefectureCarcassonneis the second-most populous. As of 2019, there are 5 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants:[4]

Commune Population (2019)
Narbonne 55,516
Carcassonne 46,825
Castelnaudary 12,187
Lézignan-Corbières 11,317
Limoux 10,012

History

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Prehistory

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Skull ofTautavel Mandiscovered atTautavel,not far from Aude

Hammers and worked tools have been found on the hill of Grazailles at Carcassonne, dating from between 690,000 and 300,000 years ago. Most interesting is the skull ofTautavel Man,discovered in 1971 byHenry de Lumleyin the commune ofTautavelin thePyrénées-Orientalesdepartment.[7]It is the oldest-known skull in Europe. It dates from about 450,000 years BC. It is likely that Tautavel Man lived in all of this region.

Roman Era

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TheRomans,led by the consul-generalDomitius Ahenobarbus,first occupied theoppidumof Montlaurès in 118 BC, a few kilometres to the north ofNarbonne.This became the provincial capital and a very active mercantile port. The position was strategically important since it stood at the crossroads of twoRoman roads,theVia Aquitaniaand theVia Domitia,as well as by the sea near the mouth of the riverAude.Carcassonnebecame Latin in 30 BC with the creation of numerous grain farms. For almost two centuries, Aude enjoyed peace and strong economic growth.

Barbarian invasions

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TheVisigothsinvaded the area in 435 AD at a time whenFlavius Aetius,the Roman senator, was busy suppressing theBagaudes,who were brigands or lawless types in central and northern Gaul. Roman authority was restored until 462. In 507, the victory ofClovis Iat thebattle of Vouillépermitted him to conquerToulouseandAquitaine.However, he could not recover the Aude territory, which, thanks to the help of the King of theOstrogoths,remained in the hands of the Visigoths. His troops defeated Clovis's son in 508. The region was part ofSeptimania,so called because it was composed of sevenbishopricsthat the Visigoth kings had established there:Elne,Agde,Narbonne,Lodève,Béziers,Maguelonne,andNîmes.Septimania covered the Aude but also the whole region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

Middle Ages

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In 817,Louis le Débonnairedetached Carcassès andRazèsfrom Septimania to reunite them with the marquisate ofToulouseand the kingdom ofAquitaine.The first Count of Carcassonne was Oliba from the family of theCounts of Barcelona.He established himself in 819. Razès was another county that was formed by an archbishop of Narbonne who had been chased from his town by theSaracens.He had transferred his episcopal seat to Razès and had procured the honours of the feudal title for the area. Narbonne formed a third county. Thus, in the ninth century, the département of Aude consisted of three counties: Carcassonne, Razès and Narbonne. In 880, theCounty of Razèswas united by marriage to that of Carcassonne, never to be separated.

Catharism in Aude

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In the 13th century, the region saw the development ofCatharism:adualisticChristian sect with similarities toGnosticism.This religion was very quickly judged as heretical by theCatholic Church.Faced with its growing strength in the counties of Carcassonne and Toulouse,Pope Innocent IIIin 1209 declared acrusadeagainst theAlbigensians.The barons of the north united to form an army under the command ofSimon de Montfort.Whereas the count of ToulouseRaymond VIreceived absolution, the Count of Carcassonne confronted the army alone. The city of Carcassonne became the refuge of numerous Cathars.

The Protestant crisis and economic expansion of the department

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In 1561, religious troubles again arose atCarcassonnein the form of a Protestant crisis. DukeHenri I de Montmorency,the Governor of theLanguedoc,joined theReformedside in 1574. On the Catholic side, the DukeAnne de Joyeusebecame head of the Catholic League. In September 1632,Henri II de Montmorencyfought against the royal troops at the Battle ofCastelnaudaryand was defeated. He was condemned to death and executed at Toulouse.

The creation of the department

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The present department is one of the original 83 departments created by theConstituent Assemblyduring theFrench Revolutionon 4 March 1790. It was created from part of theformer provinceofLanguedoc. Administrative divisions were amended by the Act of 28Pluviôseof Year 8, which created four arrondissements (reduced to three by PremierRaymond Poincaréin 1926) and reduced the number of cantons from 45 to 31.

The 20th century

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The Aude enjoyed strong wine production whilst at the same time the grain farmers ofLauragaisfaced great difficulties. However, the department suffered from overproduction and a slump in sales of wine. In 1907 the crisis produced awinemakers' revolt.This led to the establishment of manyWinemaking cooperativesin Aude from 1909.

Heraldry

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Arms of Aude
 Blazon:

Gules, a cross of Toulouse Or within a bordure embattled argent.



Economy

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Overview

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Economically active population by economic sector, 2019[8]
Agriculture 8,309 people
Industry 9,098 people
Construction 8,826 people
Tertiary sector 100,474 people

Agriculture and fisheries

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Entry to the port ofLeucate

Aude is an agricultural area dominated by vineyards. In the east are the wines ofCorbieresand La Clape, in the centre areMinervoisand Côtes de Malepère, and in the southLimoux wine.InLauragaisgrain is predominant, whereas in theMontagne Noireonlysheep farmingis possible. More recently there has been an increase in cultivation ofolivetrees for their oil.

Port-la-Nouvelleis the biggest fishing port in the department followed byGruissan.In 1996 there were 127 vessels in Aude including 75 in Port-la-Nouvelle and 52 in Gruissan.[9]These vessels were as follows:

  • Fishing trawlers:19 in Port-la-Nouvelle
  • tuna boats: 2 in Port-la-Nouvelle
  • small craft: 106 including 54 in Port-La-Nouvelle and 52 in Gruissan

Small craft are recreational boats such as dinghies with one man fishing a lake or motor launches with up to three people fishing in coastal waters. About 85% of small craft are intended for lake fishing as in theÉtang de Thau.

Viticulture

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Map of wine growing areas of the Aude

Viticultureis the main economic activity of the department due to its rich and varied soils. It was the Greeks who established vineyards in Aude and the Romans who determined the rights of exploitation. The first vines were planted inMinervoisin the 1st century.

But the grapes and wines were not consumer products or self-sufficient for many years. Cereals and olive trees dominated the fertile plains of Aude. It was at the beginning of the 19th century that the wine industry developed in Aude and the rest of Languedoc-Roussillon. Wine then became a consumer product. Higher output was needed and vineyards replaced cereals on the plains. There was an initial period of prosperity to 1850 beforephylloxeraappeared towards 1870. At the end of the 19th century, Aude experienced a second period of prosperity but there was a wine crisis triggered in 1901 because of over-production, fraud, and slumping sales. It reached its peak during the winemakers revolt in 1907. The wine growers regrouped themselves intowinemaking cooperativesto prevent fraud and deception. In 1919 then in 1935, a law ofAOCwas adopted under the leadership of Jean Capus. TheINAOwas set up as a body to control the application of the new laws.

After theSecond World War,the vineyards were revitalized and the region saw a mass of viticulture. The wine was produced in large quantities and satisfied a very demanding population. The product was supplied in large quantities at very low prices. In 1970 the market evolved replacing demand for quantity with demand for quality and causing a second wine crisis. Many events, negotiations, and attacks paralyzed the region and the economy. Emile Pouytès and the CRS Joel le Gof died atMontredon-des-Corbièreson 4 March 1976 during this crisis. A large change in the Aude viticulture business started with a reorganization of the profession and the wine-growing region. Quality had to become the mark of wine from Aude.

The rich and varied soil of Aude together with abundant sunshine abounds enables Aude to produce quality wines. Many wines emanate from the department, ranging in quality fromtable winestoAOCs,passing throughvins de paysandVDQS.

There are seven main areas of production:

These areas produce different wines such asBlanquette de Limoux,Chardonnayand sparkling wine from Limoux,La Clape,Corbières,Fitou,andCabardès.

Industry and energy

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Industrial activity is strong in the upper valley of the Aude. It has been especially prominent aroundLimouxsince the late nineteenth century; and theLafargebrick plant there is still booming.

Since the 1970s, however, the Aude has seen a rapid decline in its traditional industries such as shoe and hat making. More recent activity is mostly centred aroundNarbonne,particularlydockfacilities andoildepots inPort-la-Nouvelle.

From 1889, the high valley of Aude became increasingly important in generatinghydroelectricpower. Aude was the first department in France to transmit such power, from its plants atAlet-les-BainsandQuillan.Joachim Estrade established the first electricity company in France, the Southern Power Transmission Company (SMTF), in 1901. Its plant atAxat-Saint-Georges supplied the cities of Carcassonne and Narbonne at 20kilovolts.

Today Aude is the leading department in France for the number of wind turbines installed. There are 113 in operation. They produce some 91megawatts,which is the domestic electricity consumption of about 100,000 people.[10]With the proliferation of these machines, the prefecture is seeking to establish with stakeholders a charter of good conduct for wind turbines.

Crafts

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Craftsare very well represented in Aude with 14.6% of the population involved. Some 5,400 businesses operating in 250 craft professions achieved in the late 1990s an annual turnover of 3 billion francs (400 million Euros).[11]

Demography

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The inhabitants of Aude are known asAudois.The 1990 census confirmed a growth in population since the 1960s with about 700 people more per year. This growth is explained by the return of pensioners aged over 60 years to their place of origin and to immigration from the Mediterranean basin.[12]

At the last census, the population of Aude represented 0.5% of the French population and 14.1% of the population of Languedoc-Roussillon. It is predominantly rural with a density of 48 inhabitants per km2,which is slightly less than half the national average. The two main cities, Carcassonne and Narbonne, are medium-sized cities comprising only one third of the inhabitants of the department. In 2017, the department had 370,260 inhabitants.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793239,642—
1800225,228−0.88%
1806240,993+1.13%
1821253,194+0.33%
1831270,125+0.65%
1836281,080+0.80%
1841284,285+0.23%
1846289,661+0.38%
1851289,747+0.01%
1856282,833−0.48%
1861283,606+0.05%
1866288,626+0.35%
1872285,927−0.16%
1876300,065+1.21%
1881327,942+1.79%
1886332,080+0.25%
1891317,372−0.90%
1896310,513−0.44%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901313,531+0.19%
1906308,327−0.33%
1911300,537−0.51%
1921287,052−0.46%
1926291,951+0.34%
1931296,880+0.34%
1936285,115−0.81%
1946268,889−0.58%
1954268,254−0.03%
1962269,782+0.07%
1968278,323+0.52%
1975272,366−0.31%
1982280,686+0.43%
1990298,712+0.78%
1999309,962+0.41%
2007345,779+1.38%
2012362,339+0.94%
2017370,260+0.43%
Source: SPLAF[13]and INSEE[14]

Transport

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Two major roads cross the Aude. From west to east theA61 autoroute(Autoroute des Deux Mers) connectsNarbonneandToulouseviaCarcassonne.From north to south, following the Mediterranean coast, theA9 autoroutelinksMontpellierwith Spain.

The rail network follows the same route as the road network. It is a low speed system, but a project is under way to build a fast line to Spain as part of theTrans-European Rail network.

Finally, Aude is crossed by theCanal du Midiwhich is a major waterway that allows tourists to pass from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. It comes into the west of Aude atSeuil de Naurouzethen joins the Mediterranean atSète.

Politics

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See also:Departmental Council of Aude
Map of arrondissements and cantons of Aude

The people of Aude expressedroyalistopinions until the end of theBourbon Restoration.In 1830republicanideas began to develop and made this department a bastion of theleft.This growth is symbolized by two men,Armand Barbèsand Theophile Marcou. Armand Barbès is a symbol of the struggle for asocial democraticRepublic.

It was in Aude thatFrançois Mitterrandhad his highest score in the 1981 presidential election with just over 63% of the vote.

Only affluent coastal areas surroundingNarbonneand the department's prefecture,Carcassonnegive consideration to the right.

The President of the Departmental Council is Hélène Sandragné of theSocialist Party.

National Assembly Representatives (before 2022)

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Constituency Member[15] Party
Aude's 1st constituency Danièle Hérin La République En Marche!
Aude's 2nd constituency Alain Péréa La République En Marche!
Aude's 3rd constituency Mireille Robert La République En Marche!
Party seats
• Socialist Party 26
Union for a Popular Movement 4
• French Communist Party 2
• Left Radical Party 1
• Miscellaneous Left 1
Independent Workers' Party 1

Education

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Aude department in 2008 had 364 primary schools (schools of the first degree) serving 30,771 students. [16]Between 2000 and 2007, primary school enrollment steadily increased from 28,331 students to 30,491 students[16]At secondary level, the department had 31 colleges and 17 public and private high schools for about 23,000 students in 2006.[16]

Education in Aude now includes teaching in theOccitan language.

Culture

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Festivals and traditions

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TheCarnival of Limouxis an Aude festival which takes place over a period of ten weeks or more. This is one of the longest carnivals in the world. It takes place in the town ofLimouxon the Place de la République every weekend from mid-January to the end of March. It is characterized by bands inPierrotcostumes (known asles fécos) accompanied by musicians. In the region around Limoux a major celebration of gastronomy known asToques et Clochers(literally, "Tall Hats & Steeples') organized by the winegrowers from Sieur d'Arques' takes place over the weekend ofPalm Sunday.It permits the sale of a large quantity of wine in order to enhance local patronage.

Sport

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Aude is the land ofrugby league(rugby à XIII) with the teams of Limoux, Carcassonne and Lézignan among the elite.Puig Aubert(1925–1994) was a famous rugby league player who played with AS Carcassonne. There are numerous amateur rugby league clubs dotted all over the area.

Rugby union(rugby à XV) is also played in Aude. It appeared early in the twentieth century and the US-Quillan club dominated in the late 1920s. Jean Bourrel won the title in 1929 againstLézignan.After the Second World War, the Carcassonne team took the lead. Recently, however, rugby union in the Aude has faced an uphill struggle in a sport that has become both globalized and more professional. The Narbonne team (known as Racing Club Narbonne-Mediterranean) has nevertheless managed to develop in the Pro D2 championship.

Every 15 August, inQuillan,an international cycling competition takes place. This is the oldest of such contests in France.

TheTour de l'Audeis one of the most important female cycling events in the calendar. It generally takes place in May.

Gastronomy

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Cassoulet as served at Carcassonne

Fréginat,a traditional type of fricasee of pork fromCorbières,can be found throughout the department. It is made from pork and pig's liver with a local variety of white beans (Lingots de Castelnaudary) flavoured with garigue herbs. On the coast, eel stew (borrida d’anguilles) is a dish of choice. Finally, thecassouletof Castelnaudary, made from white beans and sausage, is a typical dish of theLauragais.

Other specialties exist such asoystersfromGruissanandLeucate.Olive oilis also very widespread in the Aude and is a speciality ofBize-Minervois.Cartagenais aliqueurmarketed by some manufacturers. Finally, theBlanquette de Limouxis a sparkling white wine popular in the department whose origin dates back to the sixteenth century.

Occitan

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Occitanis spoken in the Aude in its Languedoc variant. The language emerged during theHigh Middle Agesfrom theLatinused in the south ofGaul.

In Aude, Occitan was rarely used in writing before the 11th century. However, several poets andtroubadourssuch asRaimon de Miravalused language based on courtly love[clarification needed]in the 12th and 13th centuries. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Occitan was used to draw up local administrative documents. In the 16th century, Occitan was used less than royal French, whose use was made compulsory by the edict ofVillers-Cotterêtsin 1539. However, it survived very well among the people until the 19th century, when public schools were established with teaching solely in French.

In the 1970s and the 1980s, new demands were made for the dignity of the language and for its teaching. Occitan speech reached a wider audience and singers likeClaudi Marti,Mans de Brèish,andLa Sauzepromoted its use.

It was in Aude that the first Occitan radio station broadcast in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon:Ràdio Lenga(Occitan) at 95.5 FM.

Tourism

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Beach at Leucate-La Franqui

Aude is a tourist department with a rich cultural heritage and varied natural sites. Since the 1990s, the Aude has developed the attractiveness of its territory by focusing on the development of the publicity surroundingCatharism.The Aude has been namedCathar Countryby the General Council to mark the authentic and mysterious nature of the department, especially with its manyCathar castles.

Tourism is also promoted through a stock of hotel rooms in all categories of 313,500 beds available year-round. Aude estimates the number of tourist overnight stays to be 17.11 million in 2010 with a turnover of 842 million euros providing 5,800 full-time jobs and 9,500 seasonal jobs.[17]

In a very limited section of the Orbiel Valley the department has had occasional pollution problems because of its abandoned gold mines (with mercury and arsenic).

Overview of tourist areas

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Carcassonnehas been restored to much of itsmedievalappearance.Narbonneis a tourist destination due to itsRomanruins. Other towns and villages worth visiting includeLimoux,Quillan,Lézignan-Corbières,Lagrasse,SigeanandLeucate.

Limouxlies in the upper Aude valley, 24 km south ofCarcassonne.It is known for its local wine,Blanquette,a sparkling white wine which is said to have been the forerunner of Champagne. Limoux hosts an extensive and varied market each Friday.

Quillanlies 27 km further south in the upper Aude valley and is at the head of the branch railway fromCarcassonne.

Lézignan-Corbièreslies on the main road betweenCarcassonneandNarbonne.It is called the capital of theCorbièresand has a Wednesday morning market.

Lagrassestands on theRiver Orbieuand has an 8th-century abbey, two very attractive bridges and an unchanged and very compact and delightful medieval stone village centre.

Sigean,18 km south ofNarbonne,lies between theA9 autorouteand the coast and has an AfricanReserve.

Leucateis a hilltop village, about 30 km south of Narbonne, which has spread down to the coast where Leucate Plage is a popular beach resort.

TheCorbières Massifforms the central part of the department. This is an area of dissected plateaux and escarpments which form an effective barrier to direct road communication. It is a very attractive and sometimes wild area of steep hills, hidden valleys, woodland and vines, and contains some of the most memorableCatharsites includingQuéribus,PeyrepertuseandVillerouge-Termenès.

TheLauragais,that spreads on both sides of the administrative border between Aude andHaute-Garonne,is a historic and cultural area known since the Middle Ages for its abundant agricultural productions. WithCastelnaudaryas a central and major city, this region is also famous for the role it played during theAlbigensian Crusadeand for its local heritage:Canal du Midiand its springs, abbeys and churches, castles, disk-shaped steles, dovecotes, windmills, bastides, etc.

Wine production is extensive across Aude, and local chateaux and domaines provide free tastings as well as sales of wine and other local produce. With the decline of some local wine production, local government policy is now to attract more tourists to the area, and to assist with this the Corbières area is now labelled on maps and road signs asCatharcountry.

Architectural heritage

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The Aude has about fifteenbastideswhich were built after theTreaty of Meauxin 1229 when the region was attached to theCapetiancrown of France. The bastide is a type of town based on a grid created in one building project on a greenfield site. The purpose of such construction was to weaken the local lords and attract people to new economic centres. These bastides came into competition with fortified villages based on ecclesiastical or seigneurial power.Chalabre,Camps-sur-l'Aglyand the Bastide Saint-Louis in Carcassonne are examples of bastides in the Aude.

Puilaurens Castle

The department has many castles that have been developed by the General Council of the Aude to stimulate tourism. The fortresses are often located on rocky peaks, such as the castles of Quéribus andLastours,which gave them a strategic position. The city of Carcassonne was the logistical hub of the country at the time of conflict with the Kingdom ofAragon.

Fontfroide Abbey,Tourism highlight of Aude

Many abbeys exist throughout the department of Aude. The best known areFontfroide Abbey,Lagrasse Abbey,the abbey of Sainte-MarieVillelongue-d'Aude,and the Abbey ofSaint-Hilaire.

Narbonne Cathedralis a remarkable Gothic cathedral and remains unfinished. It is a symbol of the French presence inLanguedocin theMiddle Ages.

Caving

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Aude has many caves suitable forspeleological exploration.ThePays de Saultconsists of one of the largest limestone areas of the Pyrenees. This geology lends itself to the formation of cavities and there are many 'barrencs' (the local name forPit caves). This plateau is home to a cave, the TM71, which is a superb cavity classified as a natural reserve since 1987. This is unique in France.

Other natural cavities of the Aude containconcretionslike the Pit cave ofCabrespine,the Aguzou Grotto, and the grotto ofLimousis.The latter contains the largest block ofaragoniteyet discovered. In the Massif of Corbières on the plateau of Lacamp there are cavities formed bydetrital rocks(marls,claysandpuddingstone) carved byerosion.

Secondary housing

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According to INSEE as of 201725.4% of available housing in Aude consisted of secondary residences.[18]The following table indicates the main communes in Aude (population more than 2,000) where second homes or occasional residences comprise more than 10% of total housing.[19]

Communes with more than 10% Secondary Residences (2017)

Town Population[20] Number of homes Second homes % second homes
Leucate 4,428 16,240 13,662 84.1%
Gruissan 5,000 13,133 10,492 79.9%
Fleury 3,825 9,910 7,761 78.3%
Port-la-Nouvelle 5,567 7,514 4,546 60.5%
Sigean 5,477 3,485 635 18.2%
Quillan 3,258 2,697 462 17.1%
Ouveillan 2,463 1,389 229 16.5%
Narbonne 54,700 36,842 5,679 15.4%
Salles-d'Aude 3,255 1,767 261 14.8%

Arts

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Cinema

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The diversity of the landscape, its authenticity, and the uniqueness of its monuments have attracted many filmmakers. Thus, the city ofCarcassonnehas been the setting for many films. The excellent state of preservation of this city offers an outstanding setting for historical films. In 1908 filmmakers abandoned scenery on canvas andLouis Feuilladefilmed in front of the city towers for theReturn of the cross,Engagement oath,andEnchanted guitar.In 1924 major films were produced such asLe Miracle des LoupsbyRaymond Bernard.In 1928 for the two thousandth anniversary of the city of Carcassonne,Jean RenoirmadeLe Tournoi dans la cité.In 1965 the city of Carcassonne appeared inThe SuckerbyGerard Oury.In 1968The Little BatherbyRobert Dhéry(withLouis de FunèsandMichel Galabru) shot atCabanes de Fleury(at the mouth of the Aude).

More recently, the Count's castle in the city was the setting forThe VisitorsbyJean-Marie Poirein 1972, while theChâteau de Puivertwas used inLa Passion BéatricebyBertrand Tavernierin 1987, andThe Ninth GatebyRoman Polanskiin 1999. The Beach atGruissanis present inBetty BluebyJean-Jacques Beineix.

Painters

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As for the cinema, it is the city of Carcassonne which attracts the greatest painters. Jacques Ourtal is the one who painted most of the city in trying to depict the city in different eras. Originally fromFontiers-Cabardès,the Aude painterEugène Pechhas created paintings of the city many times which are today scattered in various public and private collections. The four eras of the city can still be found in settings for "The City Hall".

Another Aude artist, Marie-Louise Petiet, is known for her transcriptions of scenes of popular life such asLa marchande d'oranges(The Orange Seller) orLa jeune fille aux oies(The young girl and the geese). Several of her works are visible at the Petiet Museum in Limoux.Les blanchisseuses(The Laundresses) depicting a laundry lesson is particularly remarkable and well-known. Finally,Paul Sibra,an expert in landscape-painting, nicknamed "le peintre du Lauragais",produced thousands of paintings and drawings of scenes from or based on the rural life of the people ofLauragaisin the 1940s.

Achilles Laugé (born 1861 in Arzens, died 1944 in Cailhau), misunderstood because of his pointillist technique, was able to show the dawning of spring especially with thebroomandalmondtrees in bloom.

Another artist, Lina Bill (Louis Bonnot), born atGruissanin 1855 and died inAvignonin 1936, painted Provence and the Mediterranean (museums ofNarbonne,Carcassonne,and theMusée d'Orsayin Paris).

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^"Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux".data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises(in French). 4 May 2022.
  2. ^"Populations de référence 2022"(in French).The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.19 December 2024.
  3. ^Sandre."Fiche cours d'eau - L'Aude (Y1--0200)".(in French)
  4. ^abPopulations légales 2019: 11 Aude,INSEE
  5. ^Paris,Nice,Strasbourg,Brest
  6. ^Data from the Station at Carcassonnefrom 1981 to 2010(in French)
  7. ^Discovery made in July 1971See the Tautavel siteArchived7 March 2009 at theWayback Machine
  8. ^Dossier complet, Emplois selon le secteur d'activité,INSEE(in French)
  9. ^Economy of the AudeArchived28 May 2010 at theWayback Machineon the préfecture of Aude website(in French)
  10. ^Source dated 7 March 2006:Préfecture of AudeArchived22 August 2009 at theWayback Machine(in French)
  11. ^Data source is prefecture of AudePresentation on AudeArchived28 May 2010 at theWayback Machine
  12. ^"AUDE".aude.gouv.fr.13 May 2022.
  13. ^Historique de l'Aude,SPLAF
  14. ^Population en historique depuis 1968,INSEE
  15. ^Nationale, Assemblée."Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français".Assemblée nationale.
  16. ^abcAcademic inspection of the AudeArchived20 July 2011 at theWayback Machine,accessed 25 June 2009, Ac-montpellier.fr, accessed 16 August 2010
  17. ^General Council of AudeArchived14 May 2011 at theWayback Machine
  18. ^Part des résidences secondaires (y compris les logements occasionnels) dans le nombre total de logements (%)INSEE(in French)
  19. ^Logements et résidences principales en 2017,figures as at 1 January 2017
  20. ^Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2017,INSEE
  21. ^"Varro, Publius Terentius".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 27 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 924.
  22. ^Delehaye, Hippolyte(1911)."Sebastian, St".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 24 (11th ed.).
  23. ^"Fabre d'Églantine, Philippe François Nazaire".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 10 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 118.

Sources

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  • The Colours of Aude,André Authier and Jean-Philippe Vidal, PélicanISBN978-2-7191-0630-3(in French)
  • Aude from prehistory to today,Jacques Crémadeilis, Saint-Jean-d’Angély, 1989, 430 p.(in French)
  • Aude People: biographical dictionary,Rémy Cazals and Daniel Fabre, Carcassonne, Association des Amis des Archives de l’Aude, Société d’études scientifiques de l’Aude, 1990, 347 p.(in French)
  • Michel Gayraud,Narbonne ancient origins at the end of the 3rd century.Paris, De Boccard, Revue archéologique de Narbonnaise, Supplément 8, 1981, 591 p.(in French)
  • History of Narbonne,Jacques Michaud and André Cabanis, Toulouse, Privat, 2004, 330 p.(in French)
  • Aude, Cathar Country,collective work, Guides Gallimard, 2004(in French)
  • Bilotte M. et Al.,Géology of the Department of Aude,Société d'études scientifiques de l'Aude, 1989(in French)
  • I write to you of Carcassonne,Claude Marti and Patrice Cartier, Du Mont, 2011(in French)
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