La Tour-d'Aigues (; ) is a commune in the

Vaucluse Vaucluse (; or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.

department in the

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (commonly shortened to PACA), also known as Région Sud, is one of the eighteen Regions of France, administrative regions of France, located at the far southeastern point of the Metropolitan France, mainland. The main P ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...

, Southeastern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Geography

The town is located at the south of the Grand Luberon, away from

Pertuis Pertuis (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in Vaucluse, a Departments of France, department in the southeastern Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France, south of the Luberon. Pertuis has existed since at least 981, and a castle was first b ...

. It is the capital town of the Pays d'Aigues.

Climate

La Tour d'Aigues is under the influence of the

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

characterised by hot and dry summers and mild winters.

History

Middle Ages

The town belonged to the counts of Forcalquier until the end of the 12th century, when it passed to the Sabran family through marriage, and later to the Agoults. La Tour d'Aigues was partly destroyed in 1390 when facing the assault of Raymond VIII de Turenne. In addition to this, epidemics emptied the town of its population. This crisis allowed Fouquet d'Agoult to acquire new territories: le Tourel, la Bastidonne, Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque, and Cabrière d'Aigues. The Templars also had an establishment at La Tour d'Aigues.

Renaissance

Raymond d'Agoult, Fouquet d'Agoult's son, died without an heir in 1505. His sister Jeanne, wife of Antoine de Bolliers, viscount of Reillane, inherited La Tour d'Aigues. They brought farmers from their lands in Piémont to enrich the land. The town then passed on to the d'Agoult de Sault in 1584. It then belonged to the Lesdiguières, to a certain Villeroy in 1617, and, finally, to the Brunys in 1719 who were unpopular rich merchants from Marseille. La Tour d'Aigues faced a devastating plague in 1630 and 1631.

Early Modern Period

When the Villeroys went bankrupt, they were forced to sell the Renaissance castle built by Nicolas de Bolliers in 1550 to Jean-Baptiste Bruny. His son, Jérôme Bruny, turned the castle into a museum.

Population

Culture

Museums and sights

*Parc naturel régional du Luberon *The Renaissance castle, entirely renovated in the 16th and 17th century. It burnt down before the French Revolution. Catherine de Médicis is said to have visited it in 1579. *The Eglise Notre-Dame de Romégas which dates back to the 13th century. *The Maison d'Estienne du Bourguet built from 1658 to 1671 with 17th-century murals. *The Museum of earthenware in the cellars of the castle.

Notable people

Victor d'Hupay Joseph Alexandre Victor d'Hupay (1746–1818) was a French writer and philosopher. He is known for being perhaps the first writer to use the term ''communism'' in its modern sense. He wished to transform the ideals of the Enlightenment philosophe ...

(1746–1818), writer and philosopher

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tourdaigues Communes of Vaucluse