- Barcelonnette
French commune
nomcommune=Barcelonnette
Place Manuel
région=Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
département=Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
arrondissement=Barcelonnette
canton=Barcelonnette
insee=04019
cp=04400
maire=Jean Chabre
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=
longitude=6.65305555556
latitude=44.3866666667
alt moy=1132
alt mini=1115
alt maxi=2680
hectares=1642
km²=16.42
sans=2819
date-sans=1999
dens=171
date-dens=1999Barcelonnette ("Barciloneta" / "Barcilona" in Occitan) is a commune in the
Ubaye Valley , in the southernFrench Alps , inAlpes-de-Haute-Provence department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.History
The city's name comes from Ramon Berenguer IV, count of
Barcelona and count of Provence, who founded the city in 1231.ituation
The city and the region around has been the center of a French
immigration wave to the Americas (mostlyMexico ) in the late 19th and early beginning 20th centuries. Families which had prospered abroad came back and built the huge mansions that one can see all over the town called "Maisons Mexicaines". The construction of such mansions took place primarily from 1880 to 1930. Today, a large community of Barcelonettes live inMexico City , San Luis Potosí and Puebla, Mexico. The most famous of these descendants is the Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez and the Jazz composer and writer Alain Derbez.Geography and Industry
Barcelonnette is situated in a wide and very fertile valley. It lies at an elevation of 1132 m (3717 ft) on the right bank of the
Ubaye River, on which it is the most well-known place.The city is mainly a tourist and resort centre, serving many
ski lodges.External links
Ubaye valley
* [http://www.ubaye.com Valley of Ubaye]Gallery
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