Labège (; oc, Labeja) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Haute-Garonne Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a department in the Occitanie region of Southwestern France. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country's ...

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

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 ...

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 ...

in Southwestern France. In 2019, it had a population of 4,008.

Geography

Labège is a commune in the metropolitan area 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 ...

. Its urban core is located in the southeast suburbs of Toulouse along the Autoroute des Deux Mers (A61) towards

Narbonne Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in France, commune in Southern France in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region. It lies from Paris in the Aude Departments of Franc ...

. The bordering communes are

Saint-Orens-de-Gameville Saint-Orens-de-Gameville (, oc, Sent Orenç de Gamevila), also referred to as Saint-Orens, is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department, administrative region of Occitania, southwestern France. Population The inhabitants of the commune are know ...

, Auzielle,

Escalquens Escalquens () is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. Escalquens station has rail connections to Toulouse, Carcassonne and Narbonne. Population Monuments Escalquens - La façade de la Mairie.jpg, The town hall. ...

Castanet-Tolosan Castanet-Tolosan is a Communes of France, commune in the Haute-Garonne Departments of France, department in southwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Haute-Garonne department References

Communes of Haute-Garonne { ...

Auzeville-Tolosane Auzeville-Tolosane (; oc, Ausevila Tolosana) is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Population The inhabitants are called ''Auzevillois''. International relations It is twinned with : * ...

, and

Ramonville-Saint-Agne Ramonville-Saint-Agne (; Lengadocian: ), commonly known as Ramonville, is a commune in the suburbs of Toulouse, located in the French department of Haute-Garonne, administrative region of Occitanie, France. Population The inhabitants of the co ...

Labège-Innopole station Labège-Innopole is a railway station in Labège, Occitanie, southern France. Within TER Occitanie TER Occitanie or liO TER Occitanie is the regional rail network serving the region of Occitanie, southern France. It is operated by the French ...

and Labège-Village station have rail connections to Toulouse, Carcassonne and Narbonne.

History

The name "Labège" may be derived from La Berge ("The Bank") because of the town's location on the banks of the

Hers-Mort The Hers-Mort (; ; the "Dead Hers", as opposed to the faster-flowing Hers-Vif, or "Live Hers") is a long river in southern France, a right-bank tributary of the Garonne. Its average flow rate is . The Hers-Mort rises in the Lauragais region, near ...

. Some Roman remains can be seen in Labège; but in Roman times no actual village existed here, only a few scattered homes along the thoroughfare between

Baziège Baziège (; oc, Basièja) is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. Baziège station has rail connections to Toulouse, Carcassonne and Narbonne. Population Monument Baziège (Haute-Garonne, Fr) église de style ...

and

. Even in the Middle Ages, the settlement was sparse. Fourteenth century documents mention a Labège manor, which was owned by the College of Saint Front de Périgord for the next four centuries, but only toward the end of the Renaissance did the village proper begin to take shape around the parish church.

Politics

At the national level, the commune is part of the 3rd constituency of Haute-Garonne.

Demographics

Economy

Labège is made up of two sharply contrasted districts. To the southeast is Labège Village, the residential area, with most of the homes, local shops, a gymnasium, day-care, and the largest

pétanque Pétanque (, ; oc, petanca, , also or ) is a sport that falls into the category of boules sports, along with raffa, bocce, boule lyonnaise, lawn bowls, and crown green bowling. In all of these sports, players or teams play their boules/balls ...

club in the vicinity. To the northwest towards Toulouse is the economic center of the commune, Labège Innopole, incorporating the headquarters of

IoT Valley IoT Valley is a Business cluster, cluster created in 2011 and located in Labège in the south-east of Toulouse. This ecosystem is specialized in the Internet of things (IoT). Named TIC Valley at the beginning, the cluster adopted its current name ...

, the Labège 2 shopping centre, the Gaumont Multiplex movie theatre, and many restaurants, businesses, laboratories and Institutions. A

green belt A green belt is a policy and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighboring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges, which hav ...

separates the two districts.

Sights

* The fountains of Saint-Sernin and Laurier, known for their healing waters. According to legend, during his journey from Narbonne to Toulouse, St. Sernin stopped to quench his thirst at the fountain which now bears his name, and blessed it with curative powers. * The Church of Saint-Barthélémy. Mention is made of an earlier church on this site in 1232. A second church of 1518-1570 was destroyed by the

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

s. Its successor stood until it was destroyed by fire in the nineteenth century. The present church dates from 1860. * Place Saint-Barthélémy with its mansion, its sundial, its café and its imposing fountain sculpture. * The pigeonnier du Bouysset, dating from the eighteenth century: registered as an

historic monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...

since 11 July 1977. * The Maison Salvan, a cultural centre devoted to exploring the interface between art and science. * The largest

club in the area. * The war memorial near the cemetery.

Monuments

Labège - La mairie.jpg, Town hall Labège - La place Saint-Barthélemy - maison de maître.jpg, Manor House. Labège - La place Saint-Barthélemy - maison de maître - Cadran solaire 1906.jpg, Sundial of 1906 Labège - Ancien presbytère actuellement école de musique Claude Nougaro.jpg, Music school ''Claude Nougaro'' Labège - Le pigeonnier du Bouysset.jpg, Dovecote of Bouysset. Labège - Le monument aux Morts.jpg, War memorial