Saint-Affrique

French commune
nomcommune=Saint-Affrique
région=Midi-Pyrénées
département=Aveyron
arrondissement=Millau
canton=Saint-Affrique
insee=12208
cp=12400
maire=Alain Fauconnier
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=
longitude=2.887223
latitude=43.959167
alt moy=330 m
alt mini=279
alt maxi=720 m
hectares=11,096
km²=110.96
sans=7507
date-sans=1999
dens=68
date-dens=1999

Saint-Affrique is a commune in the Aveyron department in southwestern 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.

ights

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

Personalities

Saint-Affrique was the birthplace of :
* Pierre-Auguste Sarrus (1813-1876), musician and inventor
* Émile Borel (1871-1956), mathematician and politician.

Twin towns

* The town is twinned with Driffield, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Saint-Affrique prize

Saint-Affrique prize was awarded to notorious Parisian painter artists during the second part of the 20th century. It consisted in a stay of one month in the hotel of famous cook 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

*

External links

* [http://www.ville-saint-affrique.com/ Town council website] (in French)
* [http://www.saintaffrique.com/ Unofficial website about Saint-Affrique] (in French)