Aude
Aude (; ) is a department in Southern France, located in the Occitanie region and named after the river Aude. The departmental council also calls it " Cathar Country" (French: ''Pays cathare'') after a group of religious dissidents active ...
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 an ...
of
Southern France
Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in 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 atlantique'', A ...
. In 2016, it had a population of 560. Lagrasse is part of the
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 ...
("The most beautiful villages of France") association.
Geography
Lagrasse is about southeast of
Carcassonne
Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department.
Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the Aud ...
. It lies in the valley of the River
Orbieu
The Orbieu (; oc, Orbiu) is an long river in the Aude ''département'', in south central France. Its source is at Fourtou, in the Corbières Massif. It flows generally northeast. It is a right tributary of the Aude into which it flows between ...
, at the foot of the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
.
History
Lagrasse dates from the time the abbey was built. Permission for the construction was given by
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first E ...
in 783.
Population
Sights
The two highlights of the village are the eponymous AbbeySt. Mary's Abbey, Lagrasse and the bridges, although the narrow medieval streets of the village itself are also very attractive, and remains of the town walls can still be seen.
Economy
The region is renowned for the wine produced in the surrounding hills - this is the Corbières wine region, the largest wine-producing region in France.
The village is now home to numerous pottery workers and artists, and host numerous cultural and intellectual festivals such as "Le Banquet du Livre" and the "En Blanc et Noir: Festival International de Piano Robert Turnbull."