Lavaur, Tarn

Lavaur is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France. It lies 37 km southeast of Montauban by rail.

Lavaur
Commune
An aerial view of Lavaur
Coat of arms
Location of Lavaur
Lavaur
Lavaur
Coordinates: 43°41′59″N 1°49′11″E
CountryFrance
RegionOccitanie
DepartmentTarn
ArrondissementCastres
CantonLavaur Cocagne
IntercommunalityTarn et Agout
Government
 • Mayor (2001–2008) Bernard Carayon
Area
1
62.83 km2 (24.26 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
10,811
 • Density170/km2 (450/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
81140 /81500
Elevation105–274 m (344–899 ft)
(avg. 141 m or 463 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

Lavaur was taken in 1211 by Simon de Montfort during the wars of the Albigenses, a monument marking the site where Dame Giraude de Laurac (Lady of Lavaur) was killed,[2] being thrown down a well and stoned to death.[3] The town was also taken several times during the religious wars of the 16th century.

Geography

Lavaur stands on the left bank of the Agout, which is here crossed by a railway-bridge and a fine stone bridge of the late 18th century.

Demographics

Population:

1906: town 4069; commune 6388
1999: commune 8537
2006: commune 10,369

Sights
Lavaur Cathedral

From 1317 till the French Revolution Lavaur was the seat of a bishopric; Lavaur Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Alan, was built for this purpose, dating from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, with an octagonal bell-tower. A second, smaller square tower contains a jaquemart (a statue which strikes the hours with a hammer) of the 16th century. In the bishops garden is the statue of Emmanuel, comte de Las Cases, one of the companions of Napoleon at Saint Helena.

Economy

The town carries on distilling and flour-milling and the manufacture of brushes, plaster and wooden shoes.

Notable residents

Miscellaneous

There is a subprefecture and a tribunal of first instance (a lower Court of Justice).

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-03-01. Retrieved 2010-04-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Languedoc (Traditional province, France)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  4. "Pierre Fabre, founder of pharmaceutical giant, dies". Agence France Presse. France 24. 2013-07-20. Archived from the original on 2013-07-23. Retrieved 2013-08-17.



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