Ajac (French pronunciation: [aʒak] ) is a commune in the Aude department, part of the Occitanie region, southern France.
Ajac | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A general view of Ajac | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Ajac  | |
  Ajac  Ajac | |
| Coordinates: 43°02′55″N 2°08′17″E / 43.0486°N 2.1381°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Occitania |
| Department | Aude |
| Arrondissement | Limoux |
| Canton | La Région Limouxine |
| Intercommunality | Limouxin |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Gérard Chaumond[1] |
Area 1 | 5.29 km2 (2.04 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 199 |
| • Density | 38/km2 (97/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 11003 /11300 |
| Elevation | 226–401 m (741–1,316 ft) (avg. 240 m or 790 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Location
editAjac is 7 km from the local market town of Limoux, and 30 km from the historic city of Carcassonne. Falling within the ancient region of Languedoc, Ajac is part of the Pays Cathare, an area rich with Medieval abbeys and castles.[3]
Village Layout
editAlthough not a Circulade like neighboring villages, Ajac is built upon a hill with the chateau at the top and center. The chateau was the ancestral home of the noble Montcalm and Lévis families, and birthplace of François Gaston de Lévis, Duc de Levis. Building of the chateau started in the 12th century, but has since had numerous alterations, most notably in the 18th century.[4] It is now in private ownership.
The church of Ajac is of Romanesque origin, but rebuilt in the 18th century.
Sited within the foothills of the Eastern Pyrenees, the village is largely surrounded by agricultural land and vineyards. Both red and white wine grapes are grown locally, most notably for the production of Blanquette de Limoux, claimed by some to predate champagne.[5]
History
editThe village of Ajac was given the name of the local count.
The local duke who was accused and hunted by the locals for accused treason against the king went into hiding. And the duke went into hiding. The duke was allowed to return on the condition that his authority not be passed on following his death. Therefore, Ajac remained independent until the French revolution and the establishment of the republic.
Administration
editThe current mayor of Ajac is Gérard Chaumond, reelected in 2020.[1]
Population
editReversing the decline experienced by rural villages during the later half of the last century, the population of Ajac has latterly increased. A village school and part-time cafe have reopened to serve this changing demographic.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 219 | — |
| 1975 | 226 | +0.45% |
| 1982 | 217 | −0.58% |
| 1990 | 209 | −0.47% |
| 1999 | 196 | −0.71% |
| 2007 | 244 | +2.78% |
| 2012 | 196 | −4.29% |
| 2017 | 187 | −0.94% |
| Source: INSEE[6] | ||
Personalities
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ "Aude Cathar country - Tourism Aude Cathar Country, France". www.audetourisme.com. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ^ Latour, Roger (2009). Les Villages du Canton de limoux. Lavalanet: R L editions. ISBN 2-916467-12-2.
- ^ Moore, Victoria. "Limoux: Creme de la creme". The Telegraph.
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
