Najac

Najac
Najac
Administration
Country	France
Region	Midi-Pyrénées
Department	Aveyron
Arrondissement	Villefranche-de-Rouergue
Canton	Najac
Intercommunality	Canton of Najac
Mayor	Raymond Rébellac (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	198–500 m (650–1,600 ft) (avg. 300 m/980 ft)
Land area1	53.88 km2 (20.80 sq mi)
Population2	752  (2008)
- Density	14 /km2 (36 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	12167/ 12270
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 44°13′11″N 1°58′43″E / 44.219821°N 1.97874°E / 44.219821; 1.97874

Oustal del Barry

Najac is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.

Najac is a picturesque village set along a ridge above a bend in the Aveyron River. In the earlier part of the last century the village had around 2000 people but it suffered marked population decline as workers migrated to towns and cities. Several films concern the village and its surrounds, for example, La Vie Comme Elle Va.

The village, once famous for ham, relies on tourism. Most land in the commune is still and there are a significant number of long-term inhabitants. During the summer, the population increases significantly due to second home owners and holiday-makers. Most holiday home owners are British, Canadian, Dutch or from the north of France.

The village is known for historic buildings and apparent medieval character. A partly ruined château dominates; it was built by villagers in 1253 on the orders of Alphonse de Poitiers. The 13th century Eglise Saint-Jean, built by villagers as a punishment for Cathar beliefs, overlooks the lower village, while at the other end, the faubourg has the typical architecture of many bastide villages with timber-framed houses and commercial arcades around an open area.

Najac is also one of the 140 or so Plus Beaux Villages de France (most beautiful villages of France), which in addition to ensuring its tourism status, brings money to maintain the village.

Population

Historical population of Najac

1793	1800	1806	1821	1831	1836	1841	1846	1851	1856
2029	2181	2157	2251	2417	2201	2070	2130	2189	2388

1861	1866	1872	1876	1881	1886	1891	1896	1901	1906
2406	2415	2455	2266	2040	2029	1870	1771	1660	1623

1911	1921	1926	1931	1936	1946	1954	1962	1968	1975
1515	1246	1207	1138	1098	996	825	767	1029	928

1982	1990	1999	2008
818	766	744	752

See also

• Communes of the Aveyron department
• List of medieval bridges in France

References

• INSEE

External links

• A Short Tour of Najac