Harman Patil (Editor)

Saint Affrique

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Country
  
France

Department
  
Aveyron

Population (2008)
  
8,112

Area
  
111 km²

Number of airports
  
1

Region
  
Occitanie

Canton
  
Saint-Affrique

Time zone
  
CET (UTC+1)

Local time
  
Tuesday 4:25 PM

Arrondissement
  
Millau

Saint-Affrique httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Weather
  
18°C, Wind NW at 18 km/h, 46% Humidity

Points of interest
  
La Maison De La Mémoire, Pastoralia, Dolmen de Tièrgues

Saint-Affrique (Occitan: Sant Africa) is a commune in the Aveyron department in Southern France.

Contents

Map of 12400 Saint-Affrique, France

History

Saint-Affrique grew in the 6th century around the tomb of St. Africain, bishop of Comminges. In the 12th century a fortress was built on the neighboring rock of Caylus. The possession of Saint-Affrique was vigorously contested during the French Wars of Religion. It was eventually occupied by the Huguenots until 1629, when it was seized and dismantled by a royal army.

Geography

The Sorgues, a tributary of the Dourdou de Camarès, flows through the commune and crosses the town. The Dourdou de Camarès flows northwestward through the western part of the commune and forms part of its northwestern border.

Sights

An old bridge over the Sorgue and some megaliths in the neighborhood, especially, the dolmen of Tiergues, are of antiquarian interest.

Personalities

Saint-Affrique was the birthplace of:

  • Pierre Frédéric Sarrus (1798–1861), mathematician
  • Lucien Galtier (1812–1866), priest who built the first Catholic Church in Minnesota, USA
  • Pierre-Auguste Sarrus (1813–1876), musician and inventor
  • Émile Borel (1871–1956), mathematician and politician
  • Stéphane Diagana (born 1969), athlete
  • International relations

  • The town is twinned with Driffield, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
  • Saint-Affrique prize

    The Grand Prix of Saint-Affrique has been awarded to noted Parisian painters since the second part of the 20th century. It consists of a month-long stay of at the hotel of famous chef François Decucq during which the painters could visit and paint one of the most beautiful county of France. Some prize winners: Daniel du Janerand, Maurice Boitel.

    References

    Saint-Affrique Wikipedia