Carcassonne

Carcassonne (in Occitan Carcassona ) is a common French located in the department of the Aude and the area Languedoc-Roussillon. The city is the Préfecture of the Aude, it is known for the Cité of Carcassonne, a medieval unit architectural very well preserved and registered with the world heritage of UNESCO since 1997.

Its inhabitants is Carcassonnais. They name the city “Carca familiarly”.

Geography

Situation

Localization

Carcassonne is located in the south of the France at 80 km at the east of Toulouse. Its strategic site on the road between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean is known since the Neolithic era. The city is in a corridor between the Black Montagne in north and the Corbières in the east, the plain of the Lauragais in the west and the valley of the Aude in the south. This natural area is called the Carcassès or Carcassonnais.

The surface of the commune is of 65 km ², which is a large commune compared with the many small communes of the Aude. The communes bordering are: Pennautier, Villemoustaussou, Villalier, Berriac, Villedubert, Trèbes, Montirat, Palaja, Cazilhac, Cavanac, Couffoulens, Lavalette, Roullens, Caux-and-Sauzens and Pezens.

Climate

The Weather station of Carcassonne-Salvaza daily measures several weather parameters since 1948. But of regular measurements are made since 1849 under the initiative of Gift of Cépian, an engineer of the department, which placed a pluviometer at Carcassonne. Theodore Rousseau takes over in 1873, then in 1897, the Highways Departments and the teacher training school of Carcassonne until 1914. These data make it possible to know the weather conditions of the end of the 19th century.

The climate is there of Mediterranean type. It is characterized by dry and hot summers, soft autumns and winters without freezing and of not very rainy springs. Snow is rare there, it falls from there on average 7 days per annum between December and March and bottom very quickly. The days of freezing are not very frequent.

Precipitations are strongest there in autumn in October and spring in April. The rains of summers are in the form of Orage sometimes violent one transforming himself into Orage of hail, fatal with the vines.

The Vent is very present in Carcassonne, an average of more than 117 days per annum of winds of more than 55 km/h is raised there. They are east winds, marine wind, or winds of west called Cers.

Carcassonne undergoes several floods of the Aude in 1872 and 1875. The floods of the year 1891 are among most important with a rise of water of 8 m invading all the low district of the city. In August 1912, Carcassonne is struck by a Tornade causing many damage: divided plane trees, destroyed roofs, etc

Transportation routes and transport

Carcassonne is located on the major axis of communication between Toulouse and the Mediterranean coast. The Canal of the South dating from the 17th century was formerly a very borrowed river highway. Today, the Highway of the Two Seas and more precisely the section are A61 passes to the south of the city allowing an direct access since Toulouse or Montpellier. Two exits (and) serve the commune. On the district distributers, the secondary road 6113 (ex RN 113) crosses Carcassonne and makes it possible to join Toulouse in the west and Narbonne in the east. The south, the secondary road 118 makes it possible to borrow the valley of the Aude and to join Limoux. In north, this same secondary road 118 continues towards the Black Montagne and joined Mazamet.

Carcassonne is also accessible by the Train thanks to the connection Toulouse - Sète while passing by Narbonne. The city is also connected to Quillan via a portion of the old line Carcassonne Rivesaltes. The station of Carcassonne is located at the north of the downtown area close to the banks of the channel of the South. It was built in 1857 by the Compagnie of the railroads of the South. Its architecture is traditional with a body of building framed by two wings in withdrawal and a clock in pediment without stage. The construction of this station marks the beginning of the Tourisme towards the city of Carcassonne. The Terminus hotel inaugurated in 1914 by the Belin architect is a remarkable building of the district of the station which benefitted from this tourist surge to develop.

The airport of Carcassonne Salvaza, renamed “airport of Carcassonne in Country Cathare, in 2004, is located at the south-west of the city in the zone of activity of Salvaza. It makes it possible to fly away towards the Great Britain (London, Liverpool and Nottingham), towards the Ireland (Dublin and Shannon) and towards the Belgium (Charleroi) via the airline company Ryanair. In 2002, work made it possible to lengthen the principal track in order to receive larger Avion S. the Aéroport received 339.505 passengers for the year 2005 and 426.798 passengers for the year 2006 is a rise of 55,9% between 2004 and 2006. .

In downtown area, the car is the privileged means of transport of carcassonnais. Circulation at the rush hours is however rather difficult there especially in summer with the surge of tourists. The trunk road 113 which emerges directly downtown is very quickly saturated. A first road section is built in 1980 with the western by-pass making it possible to join the exit of highway 23 and the trunk road 113. The north-eastern by-pass is in the course of completion for the year 2008 and will make it possible to deviate the traffic of the RN113 thanks to a skirting by north. This work requires the construction of a Viaduc above the Aude. Moreover, in downtown area, two underground car parks (the carpark Andre-Chénier of 340 places and the carpark of the Jacobins of 211 places) make it possible to accommodate up to 500 places of cars. The Gambetta place is in the course of installation with the construction of an underground car park of 400 places. The company Agglo' Bus manages the whole of the park of the Autobus for the Communauté of agglomeration of Carcassonnais. During the summer period, the Saint-Louis country house is served by small free electric shuttles called " Toucs".

Site

Carcassonne is located on the edges of the river of the Aude. The commune is traditionally divided into two, the low city which occupies the banks of the river in the west and the high city (or quoted ) which occupies the hill overhanging the Aude. The city is built on a small plate consisted the digging of the Aude to approximately 150 meters of altitude to the top of the low city. the low city is at the level of the Aude whose altitude is of 100 Mr.

The Aude arrives at Carcassonne after its mountainous tour in the throats of the high valley of the Aude and becomes a quieter river then. She passes to Païcherou, skirts the Saint-Michel cemetery then separates in two arms forming an island called “the island from Roy”. Four Pont S make it possible to cross it: the Garigliano bridge, the bridge-Old man accessible that to the pedestrians, the New bridge and the bridge of the Future. The Canal of the South also passes to the north of the city between the Gare and the garden Andre-Chénier being next to the Saint-Louis country house.

The city is located in a corridor between the Black Montagne at north and the chain of the the Pyrenees at the south. The plain consists of recent deposits brought by the Aude and coming from the Pyrenees. It is about the molasse of Carcassonne, which is characterized by an alternation of sandstone, of fluviatile sandy Conglomérats and marnes dating from the Eocene .

Urban morphology

The two most important districts are the city or high city and the country house or low city. They are joined together by that of Trivalle with the Vieux bridge crossing the Aude. The City located on a high headland and is surrounded by thick ramparts since the Moyen-âge. Also the habitat is dense and old there. Circulation there difficult, is regulated and prohibited in July and in August. The low city is an old country house whose organization follows a regular plan of a hexagon to the flanked angles of Bastion S. the streets is cut in right angles and is organized around a central place, the Carnot place. A boulevard girdles the whole of this country house while following the old ramparts of the city destroyed in 1764 on order of the bishop Armand Bazin de Bezons. This boulevard is broad and contrary open to the streets of the country house which are narrower. Several of these streets of the country house are pedestrians.

The remainder of the city is cut out in districts: The Tale and Joliot-Curie, Ozanam and Saint-Saëns, Saint-Georges, Viguier, Saint-Jacob, the Fleming City, Grazailles it Reille, the City Prade, the Albignac City, the Palate, Gambetta, the Plate, Capuchins, Bellevue and Pasteur.

The city has many hamlets: Montlegun, Montredon, Grèzes, Herminis, Maquens and Villalbe.

Town planning

Housing

Carcassonne counted: 19399 residences in 1999. The new buildings are not very present since in 1999, only 8,9% of the main homes were posterior with 1990. A contrario , constructions former to 1949 accounted for 29,2% of the park.

88,3% of the residences are main homes, distributed with 53,9% in houses and 46,1% in apartments (respectively 59,1% and 40,9% in the area). 47,6% of the inhabitants are owners of their housing, against 48,7% which are only tenants (respectively 56,8% and 37,6% in the area).

It should be noted that with 3.771 residences HLM of the park in 1999 (9,6% in the area) is 19,4%, the city does not respect the provisions of article 55 of the law solidarity and urban renewal (SRU) of December 2000 fixing at 20% the minimum rate of social housing for the most important communes. One can note moreover that the number of vacant housings was rather important in 1999 with 9,4% of the park compared with only 7,7% in the area. Office HLM of the Aude took part in programmes of improvement of the residences in 1988 by building residences integrating the Domotique. Thus, the residences “the star” and “Roosevelt” in Carcassonne are first residences HLM of this type. The districts of Viguier and the Tale gather most of the social housing of the city of which the population is mainly made up immigrant inhabitants or of immigrant origin. These districts are composed of residences HLM as well as houses.

The majority of the dwellings have 4 parts (63,8%), or 3 parts (19,9%), then 2 parts (11,8%). The small residences remain very few (studios: 4,5%). The city has consequently residences of important size because of nonrestricted real space, allowing great constructions, and because of weak demand for small residences. Finally it should be specified that these residences are well equipped since 89,9% have the central heating and 57,4% have a garage, box or carpark (respectively 76,5% and 61,7% for the area).

Projects of installation

Several projects of installation of the commune are under development in the North-East of the city. It is a question of setting up new zones of marketing activity in order to attract new companies in Carcassonne as well as the establishment of new residential zones. ZAC (reach development concerted) Tops of Grazailles located between the by-pass and the Canal of the South is in the course of reflection and would make it possible to add between 500 and 700 residences as well as public services (school complexes) on 27 hectares. The ZAC of Montredon is a new district which will be created with the delocalization of the hospital in 2012. The site would accommodate the new pole health as well as residences and public equipment. Lastly, the Lotissement of Montredon is under development on a site of 17 hectares to the hamlet of Montredon for social housing construction and houses.

History

Heraldic

Origins of Carcassonne

Carcassonne was very early the site of a very active site protohistoric located close to the Aude. It is the first known appearance of the toponym Carcasso . Pline Old the quotes this name at the first century before J. - C. but it seems that the term existed already at sixth century BC. The original site of Carcassonne was on the plate where the current highway A61 passes. It then moved at the 6th century towards the site current of the city of Carcassonne without known reason. At the end of the II E, the place is already a Oppidum with ditches and lodges Gallic dwellings. In 118 av. J. - C., the Romains seize the place occupied by the Volques Tectosages and strengthen the Oppidum.

Then the Visigoths seize the oppidum at the 5th century, then the Sarrasins at the 8th century which will remain approximately thirty years before being driven out by the Francs. The latter will leave the name of Karkashuna. Other names seem Carcasona or Carcassione . After the bursting of the Carolingian Empire, the feudal time is established with the head of the city the family Trencavel which will reign there in dynasty of 11th at the 13th century. Carcassonne thrives and takes a very important strategic place in the Languedoc.

The Middle Ages

The Catharisme reaches Carcassonne which will have many followers in its walls. The cathares being protected by the Viscount Raimond-Roger Trencavel, the city becomes ground of heresy to the eyes of the pope. Consequently, it will undergo full whip fires of the crusade directed by Simon de Montfort. Thus at the month of August 1209, the army of the Crusaders puts the seat in front of Carcassonne. The two boroughs fall quickly, they are burned and destroyed. The enclosure of the City will resist the attacker. It is the dryness and the thirst which will make capitulate the Viscount of Carcassonne at the end of two weeks of seat. It will be thrown at once in prison where it will die very quickly. As of the catch of the City the grounds of Trencavel are allotted to one of the Barons of north, celebrates it Simon de Montfort. His/her son will give his grounds to king de France, who will integrate them into the royal field in 1224.

This last event is major in the history of Carcassonne. After the attempt at revolt of Carcassonnais carried out by the son of the Trencavel Viscount in 1240, Saint Louis drives out the population of the city, and authorizes it to be established on other bank of the river: it is the creation of a new city. A country house is then created below the City of Carcassonne. Carcassonne becomes a bicephalous city then where a fierce competition takes place economically and socially between Cité and Country house. Gradually, the Saint-Louis Country house economically will thrive at the point to exceed the City which progressively loses all its capacities and its political radiation.

The low city is equipped with a consulate in 1248. Six consuls control the city helped by the notable ones. At the 14th century, the city is the first textile production center of the kingdom, whose raw material used is the Laine. It comes from the breedings of the Black Montagne and the Corbières. The productions were exported towards the large European counters like Constantinople or Alexandria. In 1348, the city is touched by the Peste as the remainder of the country and the epidemic is recurring until the next century. At this same period, the Guerre One hundred Year old causes many damage. The Prince Noir devastated by fire the low city in 1355 by saving the city of Carcassonne. A seat would have been too long and would have slowed down it in its company of plundering. The country house was rebuilt and strengthened in 1359. The industry of cloth begins again and develops.

As from this period, the low city knows a growth higher than that of the city which loses its military role. In 1531, the Protestantisme makes its appearance, but the calvinists are driven out low city which is strengthened of more beautiful. It is a base for the catholics who leave in war against the Protestant villages the area: Limoux, Bram… Moreover of the competitions appears between the city and the low city causing of the destruction of the low city. With the beginning of the year 1560, the Protestants of the city are massacred. Charles IX passes in the city at the time of royal sound Tour de France (1564 - 1566), accompanied by the Cour and Large by the kingdom: his/her brother the duke of Anjou, Henri de Navarre, cardinal of Bourbon and Lorraine.

Gradually the City loses of its importance with the transfer of many institutions to the increasing low city. The richness due to the trade clothier makes it possible to embellish the city. Luxurious hotels are built, water is brought to the city, paving and the lighting of the streets makes the city more modern. The old ramparts and doors of the low city are demolished at the 18th century, the gate of the Jacobins is built at that time. Unfortunately, of many problems cause the loss of this mono-industry. Under the Restoration, the activity is mechanized and the wages are drawn downwards. The Viticulture returns in competition and misery gains the city of Carcassonne and its last tisserands. With the French revolution, the city is engaged little and industry clothier is competed with by the causing English of the important falls of wages. January 29th, 1790, the Département of the Aude is created and Carcassonne becomes the chief town about it. But the prices of food increase, the famine and the popular discontent is felt.

Carcassonne absorbs Carcassonne-City between 1795 and 1800.

S

At the 19th century, a change in mentalities intervenes and an awakening for the historic buildings is announced, one wants to restore and develop the French inheritance. The City, completely ruined and miséreuse will receive the support of scholars Audois and Carcassonnais such Jean-Pierre Cross-country race-Mayrevieille supported by Prosper Mérimée, Inspecteur of the Historic buildings. The first work of restoration concerns the Saint-Nazaire-and-Saint-Celse Basilica.

Many expropriations take place then, removing the totality of the habitat builds in the strings and excluding part of the population from the City. One half-century of work will take place to restore all the size of the 13th century to the greatest whole of fortification of the Middle Ages of Occident. The architect Purple-the-Duke, specialist in the restorations in France, will carry this building site with success but will start sometimes a certain polemic on his choices of restorations and his rather particular personal initiatives. It does not remain about it that the City of Carcassonne overall is very well restored, the restoration relating to only 30% of the frame (crenellations, roofs).

In 1907, the Carcassonnais vine growers take part in the Révolte of the vine growers to denounce the problems which affect the vine growing of Languedoc. The recurring fraud of certain producers, the overproduction, the Mildew and competition cause their anger and requires of the state, which initially does not react, to set up a regulation on the wine productions. Carcassonne joined in September 2007 the General confederation of vine growers (CGV), the first European Public Service Union.

In 1944, the Cité of Carcassonne is occupied by the German troops which use the castle comtal like a reserve of ammunition and explosives. The inhabitants are expelled of the city. Joe Bousquet, commander of the Legion of honor, is indignant at this occupation and requires by letter of the prefect the release of the city considered by all the countries as a work of art which it is necessary to respect and leave free.

In April 1996, Rémy Cazals organizes the conference of Carcassonne on the First World War which will make it possible to publish Traces of 14-18 and to advance the historiography of the First World War.

In 1997, the City of Carcassonne reaches the dedication by obtaining its classification on the list of the sites to the world heritage of humanity by UNESCO and the low city of Carcassonne “the Saint-Louis Country house” is classified safeguarded sector. Today, more than three million tourists one of the most visited places of them Europe do.

November 6th 2003 take place in Carcassonne in the hotel of the City the 16th Franco-Spanish top in the presence of Jose Maria Aznar, chief of the Spanish government, Jacques Chirac, president of the Republic and 13 Ministers for the two countries.

Policy and administration

Carcassonne is the chief town of four cantons:

the Canton of Carcassonne-Center is made of part of Carcassonne (11 030 inhabitants);
the Canton of Carcassonne-Is is made of part of Carcassonne and communes of Berriac, Cavanac, Cazilhac, Couffoulens, Leuc, Farmhouse-of-Course and Palaja (17 970 inhabitants);
the Canton of Carcassonne-North is made of part of Carcassonne and commune of Pennautier (13 998 inhabitants);
the Canton of Carcassonne-South is made of part of Carcassonne (8 930 inhabitants).

It is also the prefecture of the Département of the Aude whose buildings are lodged in a building of 1760 of style Louis XV. The city makes also part of the first district of the Aude who contains 10 cantons and 99.717 voters.

It shelters several administrations and public services on its territory: an office of station (40 Rue Jean Bringer), police headquarters, a departmental management of the general informations, republican Company of safety, a squad of Gendarmes, a customs house present at the Airport of Carcassonne Salvaza, a center of the taxes as well as a Barracks of firemen. Other public services are available like a center of Social security, a national agency for employment (ANPE), a point of reception EDF - GDF and the case of family benefit of the Aude.

Carcassonne belongs to the jurisdiction of authority, great authority and trade of Carcassonne, as well as Court of Appeal of Montpellier. The city has are proper law courts on the boulevard Jean Jaurès. Moreover, the Armée is very well established in Carcassonne with detachments of the Army: the 3rd regiment of parachutist of marines lodged to the Laperrine barracks dating from the 18th century, a departmental military delegation of the Aude and the recruitment information center of the Army.

Municipal administration and political tendencies

The Municipal council is composed of forty-three members, of which the mayor and eleven assistant. The mayor is also the president of the Communauté of agglomeration of Carcassonnais. He is assisted by twenty vice-presidents. Moreover, one municipal council of the children is made of 44 pupils of classes of CM1 and CM2 of twenty-two schools.

Politically, Carcassonne is a town of right-hand side, the voters having voted mainly on the right for the municipal elections since 1990. To note that the mayor of the commune since 2005, Gerard Larrat, is of right-hand side (UMP). It succeeded Raymond Chesa itself of right-hand side (UMP) after its death following a long illness. However, before 1981, the mayors of Carcassonne were of left and the presidential election of 2007 showed a clear preference for the candidate of left to the first turn and a right/left quasi-equality with the second turn.

With the presidential election of 2002, the first turn saw arriving at the head Jean-Marie Le Pen with 23,50%, followed Lionel Jospin with 20,15%, then of Jacques Chirac with 17,93% and finally Jean-Pierre Chevènement with 5,36%, no other candidate not exceeding the threshold of the 5%. With the second turn, the voters voted to 77,15% for Jacques Chirac against 22,85% for Jean-Marie Le Pen with a rate of abstention from 17,27%, result rather close to the national tendencies (respectively 82,21% and 17,79%; abstention 20,29%) with however four additional points for Jean-Marie Le Pen.

With the referendum on the constitutional treaty for Europe of May 29th, 2005, Carcassonnais largely voted against the European Constitution, with 59,63% of Not against 40,37% of Yes with a rate of abstention from 29,84% (whole France: Not to 54,67%; Yes to 45,33%). These figures are rather in conformity with the departmental tendency of the Aude (Not to 64,62%; Yes to 35,38%) but slightly higher than the average of the department showing the privileged character of the inhabitants of the city compared to the remainder of the rural department, the electorate having chosen the positive vote being, according to the political analysts, the fact of a economically more privileged population and more an high level of education.

With the presidential election of 2007, the first turn saw dissociating at the head Ségolène Royal with 31,13%, followed by Nicolas Sarkozy with 29,60%, Francois Bayrou with 13,71%, Jean-Marie Le Pen with 13,33%, then Olivier Besancenot with 3,75%, and finally Marie-George Buffet with 2,29%, no other candidate not exceeding the threshold of the 2%. The second turn saw arriving at the head Nicolas Sarkozy with 50,30% (national result: 53,06%) against 49,70% for Ségolène Royal (national: 46,94%). The victory with the first tower of the left in Carcassonne has shown a reversal for several years of the predominance of the right-hand side.

Mayors of Carcassonne

Taxation

The four taxes of 2006 were voted by the municipal council of Carcassonne for rates of: 15,23% for the Tax of dwelling, 39,82% for the Real estate tax built, 107,99% for the real estate tax not built, and 21,33% for the Professional tax (inter-commune rate). The departmental rates were respectively the same year of 9,43%,21,17%,54,93% and 14,68%.

This taxation is much higher than the departmental average for the communes of equivalent population. These rates are as comparison and respectively 11,44%,28,63%,67,79% and 14,37% for Narbonne. Narbonne is of size equivalent to Carcassonne but has a dynamism and an economy dependant on tourism and more private companies.

The rate of the local taxation direct is of 15,23% in 2006 what is there too higher than the departmental rate with 9,43%.

The rate of the tax of dwelling of 13,82% in 2003 and 15,23% 2006 like the other taxes has been in continuous increase for several years, contrary to Narbonne which succeeded in maintaining these rates between 2003 and 2006, in particular the real estate taxes and professional which did not move.

Lastly, the municipality has had to support the weight of the Dette “Orta” for several years. This debt comes from a project of international center of congress financed by the municipality at the time of the mandate of Raymond Chesa. The construction of the site was entrusted a property developer called “Orta”. The promoter fled with the financing and the municipality was condemned to refund the borrowed money. This debt is at the origin of part of the increase. But Carcassonne must also make up for its lost time compared to Narbonne because she knew one period of opposition to progress during which no Investissement had been made on the commune. Today, of many projects of installation and infrastructures are in hand.

Safety

The rate of criminality of the district of police force of Carcassonne east of 108,60 acts for 1000 inhabitants (crimes and offenses, figures 2005) what makes some highest of the Aude, very largely higher than the national average (83/1000). This rate corresponds to the rate of criminality of the area Languedoc-Roussillon (109,31/1000). The rate of resolution of the businesses by the police services is of the 24,51%, weakest of the department and the area but near to the averages regional (26,79%) and main road (28,76%).

Environmental policy

The city carries out several projects of management of the Environnement. A recycling was set up in 2005 and made it possible to treat 750 tons of household refuse. This device required the installation of the dechettery of Fajolle , to make public awareness campaigns de near the citizens and the schools and the extension of the environmental surface of Compostage to the pole of Salvaza

Population and Company

Demography

The town of Carcassonne counted: 43950 inhabitants with the last census of INSEE in 1999 what places it at the 127e national row. Carcassonne is the city most populated of the Aude after Narbonne (: 46506 hab). The density of the commune is of 675 hab/km ². It densément is also densément populated compared to Narbonne (269 hab/km ²), Limoux (290 hab/km ²) or Castelnaudary (228 hab/km ²). But this density is largely lower than cities like Toulouse (: 3299 hab/km ²), Montpellier (: 3965 hab/km ²) or Perpignan (: 1544 hab/km ²). It is also the the most populated urban Aire department with 82.577 inhabitants covering 61 communes before Narbonne (: 70750 hab), Castelnaudary (: 19079 hab) and Limoux (: 15160 hab).

Graph of the evolution of the population 1794-1999

The demographic trends of the city are regular and in increase since the 19th century while passing from 15.219 inhabitants in 1800 to 43.950 inhabitants in 1999. However, since the middle of the 20th century, this progression stagnates. In 1968, the full number of inhabitants was of 43.616 inhabitants. It goes down to 41.153 inhabitants in 1982 to go up in 1999 to 43.950 inhabitants then with 45.800 inhabitants in 2005. This retreat of the population is explained by a negative migratory balance as of the profit of the towns of Toulouse or Montpellier in which the economy and employment are gravitational.

Another phenomenon is the arrival of the Britannique S in Carcassonne. INSEE noted a clear increase passing from 0,42 British for 1.000 inhabitants in 1975 to 2,4 in 1999. The proportion in the Département of the Aude is stronger with 3 per thousand in 1999 expressed as a percentage. |barcolor=rgb (0%, 0%, 100%) |Before 1904|0.2|0.5 |1905-1924|8.4|13.3 |1925-1939|13.4|15.5 |1940-1954|18.1|17.6 |1955-1969|20.8|19.6 |1970-1984|20.8|18.2 |1985-1999|18.3|15.3 }}

The city follows the same tendencies exactly as the area Languedoc-Roussillon. The shares of the 15-29 years and the 30-44 years are represented with 20,8% for both in 1999 (respectively: 19,8 and 20,9% for area has). The elderly are represented little with 8,4% in 1999 as in the remainder of the area (7,5%).

Teaching

Carcassonne has sixteen nursery schools, fourteen elementary schools and four elementary schools. That represents: 4250 pupils in the public schools and 750 pupils in the private one.

The city has six public colleges: the colleges Andre-Chenier, of Grazailles, Emile-Alain, Jules-Verne (old “tells it”), the Bastion and Warsaw; and four colleges: Charles-cross-country race, Charlemagne agricultural college, Jules-Wire and Paul-Sabatier.

The common one counts moreover three private establishments: the college Jeanne d' Arc, the Saint-Stanislas college and the college of Saint-François vocational training.

Carcassonne is equipped with some establishments of higher education like the school of nurses, a IUFM and a IUT in “Statistics and data processing of the data” supplemented by a professional License “Data processing geographical”.

Health

The first health center of Carcassonne goes back to 1648. It is located at the foot of the old bridge on the side of the Saint-Louis country house. It is about old the general hospital which became today the center of stay of the Vieux bridge which depends on the hospital Antoine-Gayraud. The city has an private establishment, the Montreal private clinic, and a public corporation, the hospital of Carcassonne. A Santé pole is under development on the zone of activity of Montredon. It will include/understand a logistic pole and an hospital sector. Its prize list is not very important and the club retrogressed in division honor in 1951 whereas it was in the first division in 1925. The club Sports association Carcassonne XIII plays as for him with the Rugby with XIII since 1938. It is one of the teams of Rugby to XIII which had its hour of glory during the years 1945-1954 with the Taillefer family. The players Edouard Ponsinet, Puig-Aubert and Gilbert Benausse were emblematic figures of Rugby with XIII Carcassonnais. The city has also its football club, the Athletic Football Carcassonne Villalbe founded in 1932. Lastly, minoritairement, the city has its club of Basket-ball, Olympic Sport Carcassonnais Basket , and of Handball, the Hand Ball Club Carcassonnais .

On the level of the sporting infrastructures, Carcassonne proposes ten stages of which the Stade Albert-Domec who can accommodate: 10000 people. She has also adventure playgrounds, a general sports center of: 6500 m ² where one can practice the sports of racket, martial arts and the Gymnastique and center back in shape with the possibility of making Tir with the arc, Boxe and tae kwon C. The city has also six gymnasia and a versatile room like three swimming pool S including 2 glazes and finally thirty courts of tennis (covered and with outdoor). There exists also a Golf of 18 holes and a Hippodrome.

Media

The press is represented mainly by the regional famous daily newspapers Independent the , Midday-Free and the Dispatch of the South . In addition to the national radio stations, the city is covered by many local stations of which France Blue Carcassonne , Radio South , Aude Maguelone , R.C.F or Radio Marseillette . A local Télévision diffuses emissions on Carcassonne. It is about Canal Quoted (S) .

Personalities related to the commune

Several artists and personalities were born or lived in Carcassonne:

Claudi Marti is a singer, writer and poet occitan.
Gilbert Benausse was a player of Rugby to XIII which evolved/moved with the ASC XIII. With 48 appearances in team of France, it holds the record of the number of selections.
André Chénier was a volunteer during the French revolution and admiror of the ancient Greece. Even if he lived in Carcassonne only of 1765 to 1773, its family is originating in Carcassonne.
Jacques Gamelin, painter and draftsman, was born and died in Carcassonne (° 1738 - † 1803).
Philippe Fabre d' Églantine (° 1750 - † 1794) poet and revolutionist, he was the author of He rains, he rains, shepherdess as well as denomination of the months and days of the republican Calendrier. It was born in Carcassonne but it engages very quickly in a troop and traverses France.
Edouard Ourliac (° 1813 - † 1848) is a writer born in Carcassonne.
Paul Sabatier (° 1854 - † 1941), Nobel Prize of chemistry 1912, was born in Carcassonne.
Jacques Ourtal (° 1868 - † 1962) was a painter who took as a starting point the landscapes of the Aude.
Joe Bousquet (° 1897 - † 1950 in Carcassonne), poet and friend of Louis Aragon, Andre Gide and Rene Nelli, it lives confined to bed after a military accident in a room in Carcassonne where it writes many poems.
Rene Iché (° 1897 - † 1954) was a Sculpteur and a Résistant which lived several years in Carcassonne and leaves several works to the commune.
Albert Domec, player of Rugby to XV born with Saint-EP-with-Bigorre on October 7th, 1901 and deceased in Carcassonne on November 20th, 1948.
Rene Nelli (° 1906 - † 1982) was a poet in Occitan, an ethnologist and a teacher specialist in the Catharisme. It was born and died in Carcassonne.
André Cayatte (° 1909 in Carcassonne - † 1989 with Paris) was a scenario writer who carried out about thirty films.
Jean Bringer (° 1916 - † 1944) was a departmental chief of FFI of the Aude.
Aime Ramond, (° 1918 - † 1944) was a Résistant and a police officer of the police station of Carcassonne.
Jean-Michel Windlass cranks, born in 1949 in Carcassonne, is a businessman known to have founded the mark Chipie in 1967.
Henri Gougaud is a writer, a poet, a storyteller and a French singer born in Carcassonne in 1936.
Claude Brosset, (1943-2007) theater and movie actor, had a restaurant in the district of the Dome of 1992 to 1994 with the ensign of the " Cyrano".
Stephan Eicher, singer and Swiss multi-instrumentalist of rock'n'roll, born in 1960 with Zurich, it recorded in February 1993 room 23 (today 218) of the hotel of the City a become album celebrates entitled Carcassonne .
Pierre Cants, (1921-2007) is a historian, writer, critic art born in Carcassonne, among its many works it is the author of the " Century of Picasso" (Denoêl 1979) or of the " Guide museums of France" (Larousse 1997)
Jean Deschamps (1920-2007) is an actor of theater, member of the NPT of Jean Vilar in 1951 and French Comédie of 1956 to 1957. It directed from 1957 to 1974 the Festival of the Cité of Carcassonne. The large theater of the City bears its name since 2006.
Albert Fert, Nobel Prize of Physique the 2007 born on March 7th, 1938 in Carcassonne.
Olivia Ruiz is a singer born in Carcassonne in 1980 which is an unquestionable success with its last album the Woman Chocolate in 2006.
Gabriel Delmas is an author of cartoon born in Carcassonne in 1973. Author in particular of Grangousiers.

Economy

At the 18th century, the city was an industrial big city thanks to the production of Textile S of all kinds. Today, Carcassonne saw only local store dependant on tourism and of its administrative offices.

Carcassonne is also the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Carcassonne-Limoux-Castelnaudary. It manages the Aéroport of Carcassonne Salvaza.

Prevalence of the trade

The industrial economy is weak, heavy industry is non-existent and the city tries to attract new industries. Some companies are present into agro-alimentary like BONCOLAC-PILPA (manufacture of ice creams), the group UCCOAR (factory of congestion) whose sales turnover is of 92 M euros and Aude Coop (Co-operative of the producers of the soil of Oc).

The Artisanat is well represented in Carcassonne with 936 companies gathering 2700 credits. Agriculture is little represented and is limited mainly to the Viticulture. The Tourisme is also an important economic contribution thanks to the world attraction of the Cité of Carcassonne and the Canal of the South. It represents a rate of employment comparable with that of the Languedocien coast including two luxury hotels four stars, the hotel of the City and the Field of Auriac. Carcassonne has also a Camping three stars and many lodgings. In the middle of the city, also an inn of youth is.

As in all the remainder of France, the retail business of Carcassonne regressed with the profit of the trade of large surface. Large surface gained 14,1 employment for 1.000 inhabitants between 1975 and 1999 while the remainder of the retail business lost 16,3 per 1.000 of them. The retail business remains majority all the same with 68% of commercial employment while large surfaces accounted for 32% in the whole of the communes 25 km around Carcassonne.

Employment

The Agriculture is represented very little among Carcassonnais employment with 1,9%. This employment regressed much since 1990 like most of France. Industry and construction represent also little employment with respectively 7,7% and 5,5% of employment. These rates are the result of several years of disindustrialization as to Limoux. The rate of Carcassonnais having followed higher learning is of 17,4%, against 18,1% on average in Metropolitan France. The rate of Chômage is approximately 10,6% (estimate 2005), that is to say slightly higher than the national average (9,6%), and the average revenue by household is approximately 13.650 € per annum (national average: 20.363 € per annum).

In 1999, 85,8% of the Carcassonnais credits having an employment worked in the commune. The majority of the credits work in Carcassonne because the city gathers most of the basin of use of the area. 74% of the credits with employment use their private car for their way residence/work place. Carcassonne meets relatively little traffic jams and the public transport are developed little what supports the use of this means of transport.

Culture and inheritance

Tourist monuments and places

The city of Carcassonne

The castle comtal

The castle comtal is a fortress which is drawn up within the city of Carcassonne which lodged the Viscounts of Carcassonne. Some of its foundations rest on a Domus 1st century. Very early, this site becomes a place to be able. The new castle comtal is built at the beginning of the 12th century; there remains today about it part of the Donjon. He knows many modifications during the centuries in particular in 1229 where, with the hands of the royal capacity, he becomes the seat of the Sénéchaussée. Of 1240 with 1250, the construction of the enclosure is undertaken to strengthen it. This belt consists of a curtain, round towers, châtelet of entry, Barbacane as well as ditch.

The castle is visited all the year and gives access the ramparts of the city. It contains moreover a concise museum and a permanent exposure on the restoration of the City to the 19th century.

The Saint-Nazaire basilica

The Saint-Nazaire basilica is a church of Romance origin dating from the 11th century. It is first of all a simple blessed and devoted church cathedral by the pope Urbain II in 1096. On its site was a Carolingian cathedral of which there does not remain any trace today. The Crypt date also of the time of the construction of the new cathedral by the Trencavel family in spite of her degraded state which makes think the opposite.

The cathedral is built in sandstone outside. It is increased between 1269 and 1330 in the Gothic style imposed by the French become Masters of the area, with a very slim transept and a chorus, a decoration of sculptures and a whole of stained glasses which count among most beautiful of the south of France. A prelate builder, Pierre of Rochefort, is at the financial origin of most of the decorations and completion of the vaults. Its armorial bearings are visible in the chorus, the Abside and the southern arm of the transept, while the vault of collateral north contains the memorial of dead of the contributor. Another character, Pierre Rodier archbishop of Carcassonne, has his Blason in the vault of the collateral south.

The restorations of Eugene Purple-the-Duke largely transformed his outside, but the interior is most remarkable. One then observes the two styles, Gothic and novel, on the stained glasses, the sculptures and all the decorations of the church. Many stained glasses of the 13th century and 14th century are present on the frontages. They represent scenes of the life of Christ and her apostles. In 1801, the church is déchue of its row of cathedral of Carcassonne to the profit of the Saint-Michel church, located in the country house. This transfer proceeds in a context of changes with the abandonment of the city and the expansion of the low city. It becomes Basilique in 1898 granted by the pope Leon XIII.

A community of Chanoine lived near the cathedral with a chapter house and the dormitory in the east, the refectory and the kitchens in the south and the cellars and stables in the west. But the whole of the buildings are demolished in 1792.

The channel of the South

The Saint-Louis country house

More commonly called “low city”, it is the commercial and residential center of Carcassonne. It is Saint-Louis which authorizes construction in 1247 of a borough summarily strengthened to place Carcassonnais. The 2800 m long enclosure which surrounds the city is built of 1355 to 1359, under the orders of the count d' Armagnac. The low city was ransacked by Edouard of Wales, the Prince Noir, in 1355. In 1539, the country house was modified and took its current aspect.

The Saint-Louis country house was surrounded by ramparts of which there remain only some vestiges today, in particular in the east of the city, the ramparts of the bastion. The plan of the low city is a checkerboard plan centered on the Carnot place. The narrow streets are cut to right angle and run of an end to the other of the city, plan typical of the country houses of the south of France. This cutting allowed to the defenders Moyen-âge to traverse without obstacle the city with horse in order to defend the attacked ramparts. In the center of the city is the Carnot place, who is still today the place of the Marché. Towards the end of the 16th century, the walls are reinforced with four Bastion S: the Saint Martin's day bastion, the bastion of the Martyrdom, the bastion of Montmorency and the bastion of the Large Tower or the Mills.

The monumental door of the Jacobins is one of the four last doors which were located at the four cardinal points of the country house. These doors allowed the control of the entries in the country house when the latter was strengthened.

Crowned places

Between the low city and the high city, Carcassonne has several crowned places. Two churches, the cathedral Saint-Michel and the Saint-Vincent church, date from the extension of two villages, Saint-Vincent and Saint-Michel, out of walls of the city during the medieval time. The Saint-Michel cathedral is the place of worship of the Saint-Louis country house builds in 1247. It is a Gothic church of Languedocien style which becomes cathedral in 1803 following the dismissal of the Saint-Nazaire basilica (described above) located in the city. The southern part of the cathedral rested against a wall built after the destruction of the Borough in 1355. The bell-tower is composed of three rectangular and massive stages and fourth octagonal. The cathedral was restored several times by Eugene Purple-the-Duke. The Saint-Vincent church, for its part, was built in 1269.

The Saint-Gimer church is located in the district of the Weephole at the foot of the city. It is more recent because it was built by Eugene Purple-the-Duke of 1854 to 1859 in the place of the weephole of Aude who was destroyed for the occasion. The Saint-Gimer vault existed in the district before the construction of the church. It was set up at the 17th century on the site of the native house of saint Gimer, bishop of Carcassonne at the beginning of the 10th century.

Chapelle S are also present downtown like the Notre-Dame vault of the Health which goes back to 1527 thanks to the money of the legacy of Jean de Saix. It belonged to the hospital of pestiferous located close to the old bridge. Another vault, the vault of the Carmelite friars, is located in the Saint-Louis country house. It was rebuilt several times at the 14th century, then at the 17th century and finally at the 18th century.

Lastly, a protesting temple is located in the street Antoine Marty and was inaugurated in 1890. Its frontage is sober and resembles a church Anglican.

The mosque Have-Salam was inaugurated on June 24th, 2000 in the district the Tale.

Green areas

The city has many green areas of which:

the Maria garden and Pierre-Lord is an green area located in front of the buildings administrative of the district of Trivalle at the foot of the bridge of the Aude. Its name pays homage to two famous writers of Carcassonne, Pierre Lord, teacher, and Maria Lord, principal of the City. The garden has a stele in their memory.
the garden André Chénier is located between the Canal of the South and the Trunk road 113 opposite SNCF railway station. It goes back to 1821 and honors abdication with Napoleon and the entry with Louis XVIII with Paris.

Carcassonne has two flowers as a flowered Ville by the National council of the cities and flowered villages of France.

Private mansions

Carcassonne has many Hôtel S middle-class witnesses of its industrial past and tradesman. These hotels date from industry from the Textile between 18th and the 18th century. The street of Verdun (old street Magus) gathers several of these hotels like the Besaucèle hotel, the Bourlat hotel and the hotel the Russet-red one of Alzonne which contains the college Andre-Chénier. Some hotels leave the batch like the hotel of Franc of Cahuzac, the Castanier-Laporterie hotel or the hotel of Murat.

Finally of other private mansions can be announced like the hotel of Furrier of Claux, the hotel of Roland who contains the current hotel of the Mairie, the hotel of Saix, the hotel Castlings-Guilhem, the hotel of Maistre and the Saint-Andrew hotel.

Other buildings

Other buildings are characteristic of the history and the inheritance of the city. The Vieux bridge is a Pont length a 225 meters spanning the Aude which was the first bridge to connect the city to the country house. It is reserved to the pedestrians today. It makes it possible to have a beautiful sight on the ramparts of the city and the district of Trivalle below located the city. It is in this district that the royal manufacture of Trivalle is which was a whole of factories intended for the cloth clothes industry. This manufacture was installation in 1696 by Colbert to promote the export of textile of quality in the Eastern Mediterranean. The only preserved building is located at the end of the Vieux bridge. It is integrated today into the buildings of the administrative city.

In the middle of the Saint-Louis country house, the market with the grains is which goes back to 1769. Lastly, the monument with Resistance is a work of Rene Iché whose monumental sculpture, located Marcou boulevard, accounts for two Lutteurs clashing.

Gastronomy

The kitchen of Carcassonne is a kitchen typically south-west based on farm products such as the Volaille S and Légumes. Thus, of the specialities of Carcassonne like the knuckle of ham, the crystallized Gizzard S of poultries, the crystallized S of goose and duck, the small ones carcassonnais, the chocolates of the City, the paving stones of the City, the likings of the City and the bricks of the City, can be tasted downtown. The small ones carcassonnais, the chocolates of the City, the paving stones of the City, the sandstone of the City and the bricks of the City are delicacies containing sugar or of chocolate which one can find in the shops of the city of Carcassonne.

The area carcassonnaise offers other specialities like the Pâté S of duck or goose livers, salad of Artichaut to the dry liver, the Cassoulet (compound of dry beans, pork rinds and sausage, pigmeats and conserve of goose or duck) and the Fricassée S of beans or broad beans. The cassoulet of Carcassonne differs from its counterparts of Castelnaudary and Toulouse by the addition from meat from Perdrix.

Other specialities are close to the Languedocien soil like snails with the Languedocien (compounds of onions, ham, tomatos, and persillade), the bourride of Bages, the bouillabaisses and the blank of Midsummer's Day of Minervois (compound of muscatel of Midsummer's Day, honey of Corbières and eggs).

Several vineyard S around Carcassonne produces Vin S of soils used in many specialities like the stew S or stews with the wine of the Corbières or the Minervois. Thus, one finds close to Carcassonne the Vignoble of Cabardès located at north, the Vignoble of Corbières located at south-east, the Vignoble of the Coasts of Malepère which surrounds Carcassonne and the Vignoble of Minervois in the North-East.

Cultural heritage

The town of Carcassonne has several installations to promote the culture. Two theaters exist in the city. The theater Jean-Deschamps with open sky installed in the middle of the city offers a place of spectacle privileged for the festival of the city which is held each be. The municipal theater Jean-Alary proposes also several parts throughout the year. It is a Théâtre with the characteristics of the inter-war period (sober and functional), built in 1933 by architects R. Esparseil and Mr. Oudin, it is on the site of the old convent of the Dominican ones. The painted interior decorations are works of J. - NR. Garrigues and of G. - J. Jaulmes. Building classified on the list of the Historic buildings. Two other theaters exist: the auditorium in the old vault of the college of the Jesuits and the red hat.

The museum of the Art schools of Carcassonne is located in old Présidial on the planted boulevards of plane trees of the low city. It offers a collection of Western painting of 18th, 18th and 19th centuries, a collection of Faïence S, tapestries and objects of Article a municipal Bibliothèque has also an important data base of old and recent documents. The media library “Prat Mary” is in project in order to gather the libraries of the Communauté of agglomeration of Carcassonnais. The company Cape Cinéma had another room the cinema Odéum which closed its doors at the time of the opening of multiplexes. This room, whose frontage is of style art-déco, was repurchased by the town hall to make a center of congress of it.

Appendices

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