Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

Occitania Occitania ( oc, Occitània , , or ) is the historical region in Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe where the Occitan language, Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is sometimes still used as a second language. This ...

Southern France Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in French language, French as , is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi ...

. It was named after the river

Aveyron Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitants o ...

. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitants of Aveyron's

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

Rodez Rodez ( or ; oc, Rodés, ) is a small city and commune in the South of France, about 150 km northeast of Toulouse. It is the prefecture of the department of Aveyron, region of Occitania (formerly Midi-Pyrénées). Rodez is the seat of the ...

, are called ''Ruthénois'', based upon the first Celtic settlers in the area, the

Ruteni The Ruteni were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the southern part of the Massif Central, around present-day Rodez, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Rutenos'' by Caesar (mid-1st c. BC), ''R̔outēnoì'' (Ῥου ...

. With an area of and a population of 279,595, Aveyron is a largely rural department with a population density of 32 per square kilometer (83/sq mi).

History

Aveyron is one of the original 83 departments created during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

on 4 March 1790. The first known historical inhabitants of the region were the

Rutenii The Ruteni were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the southern part of the Massif Central, around present-day Rodez, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Rutenos'' by Caesar (mid-1st c. BC), ''R̔outēnoì'' (Ῥου ...

tribe, but the area was inhabited previously to this, boasting many prehistoric ruins including over 1,000

dolmen A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were somet ...

s, more than any other department in France. Victor of Aveyron, 1800

During the medieval and early modern periods, and until the 1790s, the territory covered by Aveyron was a

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

known as

Rouergue Rouergue (; ) is a former province of France, corresponding roughly with the modern department of Aveyron. Its historical capital is Rodez. It is bounded on the north by Auvergne, on the south and southwest by Languedoc, on the east by Gévaudan ...

. In 1797,

Victor of Aveyron Victor of Aveyron (; c. 1788 – 1828) was a French feral child who was found at the age of around 9. Not only is he considered the most famous feral child, but his case is also the most documented case of a feral child. Upon his discovery, he wa ...

feral child A feral child (also called wild child) is a young individual who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age, with little or no experience of human care, social behavior, or language. The term is used to refer to children who h ...

) was found wandering the woods in the area. The story of Victor is told in the film ''

The Wild Child ''The Wild Child'' (french: L'Enfant sauvage, released in the United Kingdom as ''The Wild Boy'') is a 1970 French film by director François Truffaut. Featuring Jean-Pierre Cargol, François Truffaut, Françoise Seigner and Jean Dasté, it tel ...

''.

Heraldry

Geography

Aveyron is the centre of a triangle formed by the cities of

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...

Clermont-Ferrand Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat (dialect), Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population ...

, and

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

. The department approximately follows the outline of the former province of

. It is the 5th largest department in metropolitan France in terms of area (). Its prefecture is

. The department comes under the jurisdiction of the

Academy of Toulouse The Academy of Toulouse is a school district in the Occitanie region of southern France. It is administered by a rector. The rectory is located in the city of Toulouse. Departments It combines the educational departments of: * Ariège (09), ...

and the Montpellier

Court of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...

. The INSEE and Post Code is 12. Aveyron is located in the south of the

Massif Central The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France. Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...

. The highest point in the department is the summit of ''Le Signal de Mailhebiau'' at 1469m on the Plateau of

Aubrac Aubrac is a small village in the southern Massif Central of France. The name is also applied to the surrounding countryside, which is properly called L'Aubrac in French. The Aubrac region has been a member of the Natura 2000 network since August 200 ...

. The Aveyron department is divided into several natural regions such as the Grand Causses and Rougiers. Aveyron department consists of an ancient high rocky plateau of great geological diversity. The

Truyère The Truyère () is a river in south-western France, right tributary of the Lot. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, north of Mende. It flows generally west through the following ''départements'' and towns: * Lozère: Le Malzieu ...

Lot Lot or LOT or The Lot or ''similar'' may refer to: Common meanings Areas * Land lot, an area of land * Parking lot, for automobiles *Backlot, in movie production Sets of items *Lot number, in batch production *Lot, a set of goods for sale togethe ...

, and Tarn rivers have carved a number of deep gorges. The department is surrounded by those of Tarn,

Tarn-et-Garonne Tarn-et-Garonne (; oc, Tarn e Garona ) is a department in the Occitania region in Southern France. It is traversed by the rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name. The area was originally part of the former provinces of Quercy and ...

Hérault Hérault (; oc, Erau, ) is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault River, its prefecture is Montpellier. It had a population of 1,175,623 in 2019.Gard Gard () is a department in Southern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It had a population of 748,437 as of 2019;Lozère Lozère (; oc, Losera ) is a landlocked department in the region of Occitanie in Southern France, located near the Massif Central, bounded to the northeast by Haute-Loire, to the east by Ardèche, to the south by Gard, to the west by Aveyron, ...

and

Cantal Cantal (; oc, Cantal or ) is a Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region of France, with its Prefectures in France, prefecture in Aurillac. Its other principal towns are Saint-Flour, Cantal, Saint ...

. The

Lac de Villefranche-de-Panat Lac de Villefranche-de-Panat () is a lake in Aveyron, France. At an elevation of 727 m, its surface area is 1.92 km². It lies in the communes of Villefranche-de-Panat and Alrance. Description The Lac de Villefranche-de-Panat is part of an ...

is used as a reservoir to provide drinking water supplies for the region.

Climate

Demography

In 2017, the department had 279,206 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known through the population censuses conducted in the department since 1793.

Principal towns

The most populous commune is

, the prefecture. Of the department's population, 25% live in the four largest communes:

Millau Millau (; oc, Milhau ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region in Southern France. One of two Subprefectures in France, subp ...

Onet-le-Château Onet-le-Château (; oc, Ònes) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department The following is a list of the 285 communes of the Aveyron department of France. The commun ...

, and

Villefranche-de-Rouergue Villefranche-de-Rouergue (; oc, Vilafranca de Roergue ) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Villefranche-de-Rouergue station has rail connections to Toulouse, Figeac and Aurillac. History At the end of the Albigensian ...

. As of 2019, there are 7 communes with more than 5,000 inhabitants:Populations légales 2019: 12 Aveyron
INSEE

Second homes

As of 2019, 17.4% of available housing in the department were second homes.

Politics

Departmental Council

The Department Council of Aveyron has 46 seats. The President of the Departmental Council has been Jean-François Galliard of the

Union of Democrats and Independents The Union of Democrats and Independents (french: Union des démocrates et indépendants, UDI) is a Centrism, centre to Centre-right politics, centre-right list of political parties in France, political party in France and former Electoral alliance ...

(UDI) from 2017 to 2021. The President has been

Arnaud Viala Arnaud Viala (born 4 December 1974) is a French politician of the Republicans who was Member of Parliament for the Aveyron's 3rd constituency in the French National Assembly from 2015 to 2021. Political career In Parliament, Viala serves on t ...

since 2021.

Members of the National Assembly

Following the 2017 legislative election, Aveyron elected the following representatives to the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

Culture

Regional sub-dialect

The regional sub-dialect spoken in Aveyron is a form of

Languedoc The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France. Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language Occitan (; o ...

called ''Rouergat''. Faced with the risk of disappearance of the language several associations asked the State and political communities for an ambitious language policy.Article in ''La Dépêche.fr'' on 24 October 2009
consulted on 29 December 2009 In Rouergat, ''Aveyron'' is written: *''Avairon'' (traditional Occitan spelling) – e.g. "Roergue forma lo despartament de l'Avairon" *Oboyróu (spelling of Father Vayssier) – e.g. "Rouergue fouórmo lou desportomén de l'Oboyróu"

Tourism

Aveyron contains a part of the

Cévennes National Park Cévennes National Park (french: Parc national des Cévennes) is a French national park located in Southern France, in the mountainous area of Cévennes. Created in 1970, the park has its administrative seat in Florac at Florac Castle. It is l ...

. Tourist attractions include the castle of

Najac Najac () is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Najac station has rail connections to Toulouse, Figeac and Aurillac. Najac village is set along a ridge above a bend in the river Aveyron. In the earlier part of the last ce ...

, a

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

ruin perched high on a hill, and other castles and monasteries such as Conques Abbey, Sylvanès Abbey, Bonneval Abbey and

Loc-Dieu Abbey Loc-Dieu Abbey is a Cistercian abbey located near Martiel, 9 km west from Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in the department of Aveyron in France. History Founded in 1123 in a place formerly called ''Locus Diaboli'' (Latin for "devil's place") due t ...

, located near

Martiel Martiel (; oc, Marcièl) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department The following is a list of the 285 Communes of France, communes of the Aveyron Departments of Fr ...

in a region with many

s. The small city of

is the site of the world's tallest bridge, the

Millau viaduct The Millau Viaduct (french: Viaduc de Millau, ) is a multispan cable-stayed bridge completed in 2004 across the gorge valley of the Tarn near (west of) Millau in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie Region, in Southern France. The design te ...

, opened by President

Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, , ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. Chirac was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988, as well as Ma ...

in December 2004. Activities include horseriding, fishing, swimming in the ''Lacs du Lévézou'' and hiking/camping. The inhabitants are also very good craftsmen, and Aveyron is full of various craft objects, handmade, that can be found locally. Examples include the '' couteau de Laguiole'', the world famous ''

Roquefort Roquefort is a sheep milk cheese from Southern France, and is one of the world's best known blue cheeses. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur ...

'' cheese, from the village of the same name and other local produce. Markets take place every Saturday on market places around the region.

Saint-Sernin-sur-Rance Saint-Sernin-sur-Rance (, literally ''Saint-Sernin on Rance''; oc, Sent Sarnin) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Population Notable people * Victor of Aveyron, feral child, found in the commune on January 8, 180 ...

is the commune where the feral child

was found in the late 18th century. File:Rodez cathedrale.JPG,

Rodez Cathedral Rodez Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rodez) is a Roman Catholic church architecture, church located in town of Rodez, in the department of Aveyron in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie region of Southern France. The cat ...

File:Estaing - Ville -JPG1.jpg, Estaing File:Chateau de severac le chateau.jpg,

Sévérac-le-Château Sévérac-le-Château (; oc, label=Languedocien, Severac del Castèl) is a former commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Sévérac-d'Aveyron. The Château de Sévérac ...

File:Château de Peyrelade-2.JPG, Château de Peyrelade File:Château Najac.jpg,

Château de Najac Château de Najac or the royal fortress of Najac (Languedocien: ''Castèl de Najac'') is located in Najac, in the Aveyron ''département'', in southern France. The castle was built in 1253 by the villagers on the orders of Alphonse de Poitiers, br ...

File:Montpellier-le-Vieux Porte-de-Mycene.jpg,

Chaos de Montpellier-le-Vieux The Chaos de Montpellier-le-Vieux is a blockfield at the southern edge of the Causse Noir, above the Gorges de la Dourbie, north-east of Millau and its famous viaduct, in the commune of La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite, Aveyron, France. The rock ...

''Les Plus Beaux Villages de France''

Ten towns in Aveyron fall within the classification of a 1901 association ''

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ''Les Plus Beaux Villages de France'' (meaning “the most beautiful villages of France”) is an independent association created in 1982 for the promotion of the tourist appeal of small rural villages with a rich cultural heritage. As of Septem ...

'': * Belcastel * Brousse-le-Château *

La Couvertoirade La Couvertoirade (; oc, La Cobertoirada) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Geography La Couvertoirade is located on the Larzac plateau. History and sites of interest This well-preserved fortified town was owned by t ...

Conques Conques (; Languedocien dialect, Languedocien: ''Concas'') is a former Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in Southern France, in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania Regions of France, region. ...

* Estaing *

* Peyre *

Saint-Côme-d'Olt Saint-Côme-d'Olt (, literally ''Saint-Côme of Olt''; oc, Sant Cosme) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is one of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (most beautiful villages of France). Geography The commune is ...

* Sainte-Eulalie-d'Olt *

Sauveterre-de-Rouergue Sauveterre-de-Rouergue (, literally ''Sauveterre of Rouergue''; oc, Sauvatèrra) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is one of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (most beautiful villages of France). Population ...

Other tourist spots

* Roquecézière *

Saint-Geniez-d'Olt Saint-Geniez-d'Olt (, literally ''Saint Geniez of Olt''; oc, Sent Ginièis d'Òlt) is a former commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Saint-Geniez-d'Olt-et-d'Aubrac.

* Bonneval Abbey * Coupiac * Aubrac Mountains *

Causse The Causses () are a group of limestone plateaus (700–1,200 m) in the Massif Central. They are bordered to the north-west by the Limousin and the Périgord uplands, and to the east by the Aubrac and the Cévennes. Large river gorges cut through ...

Larzac The Larzac, also known as the Causse of Larzac (French: ''Causse du Larzac''), is a limestone karst plateau in the south of the Massif Central, France, situated between Millau (in the département of l'Aveyron) and Lodève (in the départem ...

Château de Sévérac The Château de Sévérac is a 13th- and 18th-century castle in the ''commune'' of Sévérac-le-Château in the Aveyron ''département'' of France. The castle site has belonged to several families: the Sévéracs, Armagnacs, and Arpajons. The l ...

* Bournazel *

Baraqueville Baraqueville (; oc, La Barraca de Fraisse) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie region of southern France. The inhabitants of the commune are known ...

Château de Calmont d'Olt The Château de Calmont d'Olt is a castle situated in France, in the Aveyron ''département'' in the ''commune'' of Espalion. Perched atop a basalt dyke at an altitude of 535 m, it overlooks from 100 m the town of Espalion and the valley of the L ...

*Pons *Medieval villages in the Muse Valley: **

Castelnau-Pégayrols Castelnau-Pégayrols (''Castèlnòu de Leveson in Occitan'') is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. In addition to its castle and three churches it has a unique mediaeval irrigation system recognised in 1996 as of global imp ...

Saint-Beauzély Saint-Beauzély (; Languedocien: ''Sent Bausèli'') is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department The following is a list of the 285 Communes of France, communes of th ...

** Montjaux *

Villeneuve Villeneuve, LaVilleneuve or deVilleneuve may refer to: People * Villeneuve (surname) Places Australia * Villeneuve, Queensland, a town in the Somerset Region Canada * Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a Formula One racetrack in Montréal * Villeneuv ...

*The ''Trou de Bozouls'' *The ''Tindoul de la Vayssière'' *Vale of Marcillac, Vineyards and towns: **

Marcillac-Vallon Marcillac-Vallon (; oc, Marcilhac) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department The following is a list of the 285 Communes of France, communes of the Aveyron Depart ...

Salles-la-Source Salles-la-Source (; oc, Las Salas del Comtal) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. The Rodez-Marcillac Airport is located in Salles-la-Source. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department The following is ...

** Clairvaux-d'Aveyron **

Muret-le-Château Muret-le-Château (; oc, Muret) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department The following is a list of the 285 communes of the Aveyron department of France. The comm ...

*The Lakes of

Lévézou The Lévézou is a geographical region in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is an impervious crystalline plateau with an average altitude of around 900m. Its highest point is Mont Seigne (1 128 m). Though its borders are not strictly ...

Laguiole Laguiole (; ''La Guiòla'' in Languedocien) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is known for its Laguiole cheese, which has an ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (label of guaranteed origin), and as the birthplace ...

*The

Gorges du Tarn The Gorges du Tarn ( oc, Gòrjas de Tarn) is a canyon formed by the Tarn (river) between the Causse Méjean and the Causse de Sauveterre, in southern France. The canyon, mainly located in the Lozère ''département'', and partially in the Aveyron ' ...

Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon (; oc, Senta Aulària de Sarnon) is a commune in the southern French department of Aveyron. At the heart of the historic settlement is the Commandery of Saint Eulalia, a hospital (in the medieval sense of the word) ...

Salles-Curan Salles-Curan (; oc, Las Salas) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Geography The ''lac de Pareloup'' forms part of the commune's northern border. The river Céor has its source in the western part of the commune. P ...

and the

Lac de Pareloup Lac de Pareloup (; oc, link=no, Lac de Paralop; en, Pareloup Lake) is a lake in Aveyron, France. It lies on the Lévézou plateau, 25 km south east of Rodez. Description At an elevation of 805 m, its surface area is 12.6 km². The imp ...

* Salvagnac-Cajarc *

Roquefort-sur-Soulzon Roquefort-sur-Soulzon (; oc, Ròcafòrt, ) is a commune in the Aveyron department, in the region of Occitania, southern France. Roquefort is located on the Causse du Larzac and is famous for its ewe derived products including milk, wool and ...

, classed as a historic area with the "

Feral child A feral child (also called wild child) is a young individual who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age, with little or no experience of human care, social behavior, or language. The term is used to refer to children who h ...

* Peyrusse-le-Roc *Grotto of Foissac *The Basin of Decazeville (

Decazeville Decazeville ( oc, La Sala) is a commune in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region in southern France. The commune was created in the 19th century because of the Industrial Revolution and was named after the Duke of Decazes (1780–186 ...

, Aubin, Cransac,

Firmi Firmi (; oc, Firmin) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department The following is a list of the 285 Communes of France, communes of the Aveyron Departments of France, ...

and

Viviez Viviez is a commune in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Viviez-Decazeville station has rail connections to Brive-la-Gaillarde, Figeac and Rodez. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department ...

) with old

coal mines Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

Societies

*''Central Agricultural Society of Aveyron'', founded in 1798 *''Society of letters, sciences and arts of Aveyron'', founded in 1836

Notable people linked to the department

*Déodat Alaus, master mason of the 15th century, builder of the city ramparts of the

Templars , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...

and

Hospitallers The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headqu ...

city of

*Ambrose Crozot, painter, born in

at the end of the 17th century *

Denis Auguste Affre Denis-Auguste Affre (27 September 179327 June 1848) was a French Catholic who served as Archbishop of Paris from 1840 to 1848. He was killed while trying to negotiate peace during the June Days uprising of 1848. His cause for canonization has co ...

, Archbishop of Paris (1793–1848) *

Georges d'Armagnac Georges d'Armagnac (c. 1501 – July 1585) was a French humanist, patron of arts, Cardinal and diplomat deeply embroiled in the Italian Wars and in the French Wars of Religion. Biography He was born at Avignon, the son of Pierre d'Armagna ...

Bishop of Avignon The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Avignon (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Avenionensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse d'Avignon'') is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese exercises jurisdiction over the terr ...

, cardinal and

Bishop of Rodez The Diocese of Rodez (–Vabres) ( la, Dioecesis Ruthenensis (–Vabrensis); French: ''Diocèse de Rodez (–Vabres)'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The episcopal see is in Rodez. The ...

(died in 1585) *Marie–Auguste de Balsac, high functionary *Louis Balsan, archaeologist, caver, one of the last great disciples of

Martel Martel may refer to: People * Andre Martel (1946–2016), American politician and businessman * Anne-Marie Martel (1644–1673), founder of what is now the Congrégation des Sœurs de l’Enfant-Jésus. * James B. Aguayo-Martel, ophthalmologist ...

(1903–1988) *Adolphe de Barrau, naturalist (1803–1884) *Hippolyte de Barrau, founder of the Society of Letters, scholar (1794–1863) *Justin Bessou, Occitan poet (1845–1918) *Adolphe Boisse, engineer and politician (1810–1896) *

Louis Gabriel Ambroise de Bonald Louis Gabriel Ambroise, Vicomte de Bonald (2 October 1754 – 23 November 1840) was a French counter-revolutionary philosopher and politician. He is mainly remembered for developing a theoretical framework from which French sociology would ...

, philosopher (1754–1840) *

Louis-Jacques Maurice de Bonald Louis Jacques Maurice de Bonald (30 October 1787 – 23 February 1870) was a French cardinal and Archbishop of Lyon.Émile Borel Félix Édouard Justin Émile Borel (; 7 January 1871 – 3 February 1956) was a French mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Math ...

, mathematician (1871–1956) *

José Bové Joseph "José" Bové (born 11 June 1953) is a French farmer, politician and Syndicalism, syndicalist, member of the alter-globalization movement, and spokesman for Via Campesina. He was one of the twelve official candidates in the 2007 French pres ...

, anti-globalizationist, MEP since 2009, farmer, activist and former spokesman of French farmers union ''Confédération paysanne'', peasant in the cause of

(1953 -) *

Michel Bras Michel Bras (born 4 November 1946) is a French chef. His restaurant located in Laguiole in the Aveyron was rated three stars in the Guide Michelin since 1999. It is also classed in the "Relais & Châteaux" since 1992. He was classed several time ...

(1946 -), chef. *

Jean Carrier Benedict XIV was the name used by two closely related minor antipopes of the 15th century. The first, Bernard Garnier became antipope in 1424 and died c. 1429. The second, Jean Carrier, became antipope c. 1430 and apparently left office, whether ...

, clergyman of the 15th century, the last supporter and successor of the

Antipope Benedict XIII Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor (25 November 1328 – 23 May 1423), known as in Spanish and Pope Luna in English, was an Aragonese nobleman who, as Benedict XIII, is considered an antipope (see Western Schism) by the Catholic Church ...

under the name of Benedict XIV * Edouard de Castelnau, General (1851–1944) *Marc Cenci, former president of the Regional Council of Midi-Pyrénées, former mayor of Rodez (1936 -) *Hippolyte Coste, botanist (1858–1924) *Jean-Louis Cromières, artisan farmer who "revived" the Laguiole knife *François d'Estaing,

(1501–1529) *François Fabié, poet (1846–1926) *

Jean-Henri Fabre Jean-Henri Casimir Fabre (21 December 1823 – 11 October 1915) was a French naturalist, entomologist, and author known for the lively style of his popular books on the lives of insects. Biography Fabre was born on 21 December 1823 in Saint-L ...

, French entomologist and writer (1823–1915) *

Robert Fabre Robert Fabre (21 December 1915 in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron – 23 December 2006 in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron) was a French politician and pharmacist. He was a founding member of the Left Radical Movement (MRG) in 1972 and ...

, founder of the Movement of Radicals of the left, Ombudsman (1915–2006) * Maurice Fenaille, patron (1855–1937) *

Denis-Luc Frayssinous Denis-Antoine-Luc, comte de Frayssinous (9 May 176512 December 1841) was a French prelate and statesman, orator and writer. He was the eighth member elected to occupy Seat 3 of the Académie Française in 1822. Biography De Frayssinous was born ...

, bishop and tutor of the Dauphin *Antoine Bernardin Fualdes, prosecutor, assassinated (1761–1817) *

Gustave Garrigou Cyprien Gustave Garrigou (; 24 September 1884 – 23 January 1963) was one of the best professional racing cyclists of his era. He rode the Tour de France eight times and won once. Of 117 stages, he won eight, came in the top ten 96 times and ...

, winner of the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

in 1911, born in

Vabre-Tizac Vabre-Tizac (; Languedocien dialect, Languedocien: ''Vabre e Tisac'') is a former Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region in sout ...

Alexandre Geniez Alexandre Geniez (born 16 April 1988) is a French professional cyclist, who last rode for UCI ProTeam . In March 2022 Geniez was convicted of domestic violence charges and given a four month suspended prison sentence. On 31 May 2022 terminated ...

, racing cyclist *Charles Girou de Buzareingues, agronomist and philosopher *Jacques d'Izarn Valady, officer, deputy, shot (1766–1793) *

Guy Lacombe Guy Hubert Georges Lacombe (born 12 June 1955) is a French football manager and former professional player. Playing career Lacombe was a member of the French squad that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. ...

, football coach (1955–) *Amédée-Jean-Baptiste Latieule,

Bishop of Vannes The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vannes (Latin: ''Dioecesis Venetensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Vannes'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Erected in the 5th century, the Episcopal see is Vannes Cathedral in ...

(1838–1903) *Jean-Claude Luche, Chairman of the General Council of Aveyron *

Cardinal Marty Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

, Archbishop of Paris (1904–1994) * Amans-Alexis Monteil, historian (1769–1850) *Antoine de Morlhon, bishop (1753–1828) *Auguste de Morlhon, bishop (1799–1862) *

Alain Peyrefitte Alain Peyrefitte (; 26 August 1925 – 27 November 1999) was a French scholar and politician. He was a confidant of Charles de Gaulle and had a long career in public service, serving as a diplomat in Germany and Poland. Peyrefitte is remembered ...

, writer, minister, member of the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

(1925–1999) *

Pierre Poujade Pierre Poujade (; 1 December 1920 – 27 August 2003) was a French populist politician after whom the Poujadist movement was named. Biography Pierre Poujade was born in Saint-Céré (Le Lot), France, and studied at Collège Saint-Eugène d'Aur ...

, politician, was born and lived in Labastide l'Evêque *

Denys Puech Denys Puech (3 December 1854, Gavernac, Bozouls, Aveyron – December 1942, Rodez, Aveyron) was a French sculptor. Biography From a family of farmers (his brother was Louis Puech, Député for the Seine Department from 1898 to 1932, and Minist ...

, sculptor, director of the Villa Medicis (1854–1942) *

Jean Puech Jean Puech (born 22 February 1942, in Viviez) is a French politician. He was first a member of the Republican Party before joining the Union for a Popular Movement. Between 1980 and 1993 and again between 1996 and 2008, he was a Senator ...

, former President of the General Council of Aveyron, Senator, and former minister (1942 -) *Jacques Puel, Ruthénois physician specializing in cardiothoracic surgery (1949–2008) * Guillaume-Thomas Raynal, historian, philosopher (1713–1796) * Emilie de Rodat, founder of the congregation of the

Sisters of the Holy Family of Villefranche The Sisters of the Holy Family of Villefranche (French: ''Sœurs de la Sainte-Famille de Villefranche''; Latin: ''Congregatio Sororum a Sacra Familia''; abbreviation: ''S.F.''), also called the Sisters of Villefranche, is a religious institute of ...

(1787–1852) *

Richard Sainct Richard Sainct (14 April 1970 – 29 September 2004) was a French rally raid motorcycle rider, best known for his three victories on Dakar Rally, The Paris-Dakar rally in 1999, 2000 and 2003. Biography His other notable achievements include winni ...

, motorcycle rider (1970–2004) *

Pierre Frédéric Sarrus Pierre Frédéric Sarrus (; 10 March 1798, Saint-Affrique – 20 November 1861) was a French mathematician. Sarrus was a professor at the University of Strasbourg, France (1826–1856) and a member of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris (18 ...

, mathematician (1798–1861) *

Pierre Soulages Pierre Jean Louis Germain Soulages (; 24 December 1919 – 26 October 2022) was a French painter, printmaker, and sculptor. In 2014, President François Hollande of France described him as "the world's greatest living artist." His works are held ...

, painter (1919–2022) *

Jean Verdier Jean Verdier, PSS (19 February 1864 – 9 April 1940) was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Paris from 1929 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1929. Biography Jean Verdier was born ...

, Cardinal Archbishop of Paris (1864–1940) * Eugène Viala, painter, poet (1859–1913) *

Auguste Denayrouze August Denayrouze (1837–1883) was an inventor of a demand valve for control of breathing air supply, and one of the inventors of a diving suit, along with Benoît Rouquayrol. Biography Denayrouze was born on October 1, 1837, at Montpeyroux, ...

, Scientist, Inventor, writer (1837–1883) *

Gaëtan Roussel Gaëtan Roussel (; born 13 October 1972, Rodez) is a French singer-songwriter and composer. Roussel is the former lead vocalist for the bands, Louise Attaque and Tarmac. Roussel embarked on a solo career and began recording an album in 2009. H ...

, songwriter (1972–) *Father Aimé Vayssier, ecclesiastical bachelor of letters, author of the ''French patois dictionary of the department of Aveyron'' (1821–1875) *Dom Pierre Guérin, ecclesiastic from Nantes, Rouergat poet (1608–1698) *

Jules Merviel Jules Merviel ( Saint-Beauzély, 29 September 1906 — Toulon, 1 September 1976) was a French professional road bicycle racer. Merviel won a stage in the 1930 Tour de France. In the 1935 Tour de France, he hit the back of a truck and did not rac ...

, cyclist active in the 1930s, born in

(1906–1976) * Bertrand Delanoe, French politician and Mayor of Paris (1950–) *

Cyril Lignac Cyril Lignac (born 5 November 1977 in Rodez, Aveyron) is a French chef. He is owner and chef of the gourmet restaurant ''Le Quinzième'' (1 Michelin star), also of ''Le Chardenoux'', a Parisian bistro located in the 11th arrondissement of Paris ...

, French chef and TV host *

Jean Boudou Joan Bodon (; french: Jean Boudou), who was born in Crespin, Aveyron, Occitania (France) on December 11, 1920, and died on February 24, 1975, in Algeria. He was an author who wrote exclusively in Occitan although he is credited as being called ''J ...

, Occitan writer born in Crespin (home of Joan Bodon) *

Bernard Laporte Bernard Laporte (born 1 July 1964) is a rugby player, coach and former French Secretary of State for Sport. From 1999 to 2007, Laporte was the head coach of the France national team. In 2011, he became the head coach at Toulon, after Philippe Sa ...

, rugby coach (1964–) *

Francis Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

, Composer (1899–1963)

Bibliography

*Encyclopedia Bonneton, ''Aveyron'', Christine Bonneton, 2005 *Jean-Michel Cosson, ''Dictionary of Aveyron'', Loubatières, *Daniel Crozes, ''The Guide to Aveyron'', Éditions du Rouergue, *Aue/Miche, ''Aveyron (Discovered)'', MSM, *Dominique Auzias, Jean-Paul Labourdette, ''The small clever Aveyron'', Collectif, Nouvelles Éditions Université, *Paul Astruc, ''Major Criminal cases of Aveyron'', Éditions De Borée, *Christian Bernard, ''Aveyron in flowers: Illustrated inventory of vascular plants of Aveyron department'', Éditions du Rouergue, *Francine Claustres, ''Aveyron Cuisine'', Sud Ouest, *''Aveyron: Farming Yields'', Du Curieux, *French Hiking Federation, ''Aveyron on foot'', Guide FFRP, *French Hiking Federation, ''The most beautiful villages in Aveyron… on foot: 20 walks and hikes'', FFRP, *Hubert Calmette, ''The paths of Émilie in Aveyron'', French Hiking Federation, *Richard André, Romain Pages Éditions, ''Le Parc naturel régional des Grands Causses'', *Rémi Soulié, ''The old Rouergue: Land of Aveyron'', Paris, *Alain Marc, ''Aveyron, Logbooks'', Éditions du Rouergue, *Laurent Millet, ''Family names of Aveyron'', Archives Cult, *Laurent Barthe, ''Of Rouergue in Aveyron'', Empreinte, *''Aveyron 1900–1920'' Édition De Boree, *Jean-Michel Cosson, Stéphane Monnet, ''Aveyron in the 1939–1945 war'', Éditions De Boré, *Jill Dawson, Béatrice Dunner, ''The wild child of Aveyron'', Du Rocher, *Jean Itard, ''Victor de l'Aveyron'', Allia, *Dagonet/Christian, ''Regards to Aveyron'', De Borée, *Nicole de Bertier, ''Meeting in Aveyron'', '' Equinoxe,

References

External links

Prefecture website

Departmental council of Aveyron's website

Aveyron's bulletin board
* {{Authority control Massif Central 1790 establishments in France Departments of Occitania (administrative region) States and territories established in 1790