Seix

Seix
Commune
Chateau of Mirabat
Coat of arms
Seix Location within Occitanie region Seix
Coordinates: 42°51′55″N 1°12′05″E / 42.8653°N 1.2014°E / 42.8653; 1.2014Coordinates: 42°51′55″N 1°12′05″E / 42.8653°N 1.2014°E / 42.8653; 1.2014
Country	France
Region	Occitanie
Department	Ariège
Arrondissement	Saint-Girons
Canton	Couserans Est
Intercommunality	Oust
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Christine Téqui
Area1	86.78 km2 (33.51 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	816
• Density	9.4/km2 (24/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	09285 /09140
Elevation	495–2,838 m (1,624–9,311 ft) (avg. 512 m or 1,680 ft)
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.

Seix is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.

Population

Inhabitants of Seix are called Seixois.

Sights

• The Château de Mirabat, a Middle Ages castle, known to be in ruins in the 14th century, is in the communes of Seix, Oust and Ustou. Situated on the western end of the ridge of Mirabat, it looks directly over the town, and dominates the three valleys providing approaches to the north or south. It was once linked to a smaller fortification lower down on the southern slope which was possibly an intermediate 'barracks'. The castle was commissioned by Charlemagne (Charles Magna, or 'King Charles', of the 'Carol-ingian' dynasty that was to rule France for many years, having deposed the long haired 'Merovingian' dynasty of before) at the turn of the 10th century. Raiding south into more barbarous lands, he needed to protect his lines of communication and possible retreat, this pass through the mountains being a key link, and possible 'bottleneck'. It would almost certainly have served as a signal station also. A previous less informed expedition, returning through the western Pyrenees region, had become strung out on the march and was ransacked and destroyed by the tough mountain inhabitants. Built (and possibly garrisoned) by the townsfolk, they were thereafter made 'free men' by the King in gratitude for their service. It was almost certainly a wooden structure in the beginning, being upgraded to stone maybe a century later, as its importance increased entering the Feudal period. Much of the shape, and a metre or so of the wall, still survives nearly a millennia later.

See also

• Communes of the Ariège department

References

• INSEE

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