Mirepoix (; , supposedly from ''mira peis'', meaning ''see the fish'') is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern

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

Mirepoix is situated in the Hers valley between

Carcassonne Carcassonne is a French defensive wall, fortified city in the Departments of France, department of Aude, Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania. It is the prefectures in France, prefecture of the department. ...

and

Pamiers Pamiers (; ) is a commune and largest city in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the most populous commune in the Ariège department, although it is not t ...

History

Mirepoix was captured in 1209 by Simon V de Montfort and given to one of his lieutenants, Guy de

Lévis Lévis () is a city in eastern Quebec, Canada, located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. A ferry links Old Quebec with Old Lévis, and two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre-Laporte Bridge, connect we ...

. The town, originally on the right bank of the Hers-Vif, was destroyed by a violent flood in 1289. It was rebuilt by Jean de Lévis in 1290, on an elevated natural terrace on the other side of the river. The layout of the town center has not changed since the 13th century. Mirepoix Cathedral (''Cathédrale Saint-Maurice de Mirepoix''), a former Roman Catholic cathedral and national monument of France, was the seat of a bishopric until 1801.

Politics and administration

Mirepoix is twinned with

Palafrugell Palafrugell (; ) is a municipality in the Mediterranean ''Costa Brava'', located near Palamós in the ''comarca'' of Baix Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest city of its comarca, with 22,365 inhabitants. Severa ...

(

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Population

The inhabitants are called ''Mirapiciens'' in French.

Sights

At the heart of Mirepoix is one of the finest surviving arcaded market squares - Les Couverts- in France. The square is bordered by houses dating from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries. The mediaeval Maison des Consuls (council house) has rafter-ends carved with dozens of images of animals and monsters, and caricatures of mediaeval professions and social groups. The cathedral of St-Maurice has the second widest Gothic arch in Europe (after

Girona Girona (; ) is the capital city of the Province of Girona in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 106,476 in 2024, but the p ...

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, Spain). The foundation stone was laid by Jean de Lévis on 6 May 1298. Construction continued, with interruptions, over the next six centuries. The cathedral was restored in 1858 and 1859 by

Prosper Mérimée Prosper Mérimée (; 28 September 1803 – 23 September 1870) was a French writer in the movement of Romanticism, one of the pioneers of the novella, a short novel or long short story. He was also a noted archaeologist and historian, an import ...

, and

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (; 27 January 181417 September 1879) was a French architect and author, famous for his restoration of the most prominent medieval landmarks in France. His major restoration projects included Notre-Dame de Paris, ...

. La Porte d'Aval dates from 1372. Mirepoix's bridge is 206 meters long and has seven arches. It is the work of architect

Jean-Rodolphe Perronet Jean-Rodolphe Perronet (27 October 1708 – 27 February 1794) was a French architect and structural engineer known for his many stone arch bridges. His best-known work is the Pont de la Concorde (Paris), Pont de la Concorde (1787). Early life P ...

(1708–1794), whose best known works are the Pont de la Concorde in Paris (1787–1791) and the bridge of Nantes. Work on its construction was started in 1776. Near the bridge and closer to town a much smaller bridge passes over a canal; near this layer bridge is the 'chêne vert', an ancient oak tree about 800 years old. The first mention of the ancient Château de Terride dates from 960. It was captured (together with Mirepoix as a whole) by Simon de Montfort on 22 September 1209. The castle took the name of 'Terride' in the 16th century. Mirepoix on Market day

Notable inhabitants

Jacques Fournier Pope Benedict XII (, , ; 1285 – 25 April 1342), born Jacques Fournier, was a cardinal and inquisitor, and later, head of the Catholic Church from 30 December 1334 to his death, in April 1342. He was the third Avignon pope and reformed monasti ...

(c. 1280 – 1342) was Bishop of Mirepoix from 1326, and became Pope in 1334, taking the name

Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII (, , ; 1285 – 25 April 1342), born Jacques Fournier, was a cardinal and inquisitor, and later, head of the Catholic Church from 30 December 1334 to his death, in April 1342. He was the third Avignon pope and reformed monasti ...

. He was the third Avignon Pope. *

Pierre-Paul Riquet Pierre-Paul Riquet, Baron de Bonrepos (; 29 June 1609 (some sources say 1604) – 4 October 1680) was the engineer and canal-builder responsible for the construction of the Canal du Midi. Early life Born as Paul Riquet in Béziers, Hérault, Fran ...

(1609–1680) was the engineer responsible for the construction of the

Canal du Midi The Canal du Midi (; ) is a long canal in Southern France (). Originally named the ''Canal Royal en Languedoc'' (Royal Canal in Languedoc) and renamed by French revolutionaries to ''Canal du Midi'' in 1789, the canal is considered one of the g ...

. He lived in Mirepoix from 1634 to 1646. * Marie de Calages (1630–1661), born in Mirepoix, was a poet. She was crowned many times by l’Académie des Jeux Floraux. * Jean-Joseph Vidal (1747–1819) was an astronomer, particularly noted for his study of the planet Mercury. *

Bertrand Clausel Bertrand, Comte Clauzel (; 12 December 1772 – 21 April 1842), was a French soldier who served in the French Revolutionary Wars, Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, Napoleonic wars. He saw service in the Low Countries, Italy, Haiti, and Spain, wh ...

(1772–1842) was a marshal of France. *

Frédéric Soulié Frédéric Soulié (23 December 1800 – 23 September 1847) was a French people, French popular novelist and playwright.

(1800–1847), novelist, dramatist, critic and journalist. Born in Foix, Soulié lived in Mirepoix as a young boy. * Marie-Louise Escholier (1876–1956, née Marie-Louise Pons-Tandy), born in Mirepoix, was a writer. She was the co-author, with her husband Raymond Escholier, of the novel ''Cantegril''. Marie-Louise Escholier and her husband are buried in the town cemetery. *

Marcel Pagnol Marcel Paul Pagnol (, also ; ; 28 February 1895 – 18 April 1974) was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. Regarded as an auteur, in 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the . Pagnol is generally regarded as one of France's ...

(1895–1974), the novelist, playwright and filmmaker, taught at the École Supérieure in Mirepoix. *

Pierre Daboval Pierre Daboval (; 3 July 1918 – 11 May 2015) was a French artist. Daboval studied at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, the Académie Julian and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, 'plucking here and there from the teachings, until I had en ...

(1918–2015) was an artist. He lived in Mirepoix from 1998 until his death. *

Terence Macartney-Filgate Terence Macartney-Filgate (6 August 1924 – 11 July 2022) was a British-Canadian film director who directed, wrote, produced or shot more than 100 films in a career spanning more than 50 years. Early life Born in England, Macartney-Filgate l ...

(1924-2022) was a British-Canadian film director. He has directed, written, produced or shot more than 100 films in a career spanning over 50 years.

Cultural Life

''MiMa'' is an international festival of the art of marionettes held every summer. Each year the event is built around a central theme. The line-up showcases a variety of techniques including object theatre, glove puppets, string puppets and marionettes portées (puppets carried by a handle on the back of the head). ''Mirepoix Musique'' promotes concerts of classical music (particularly French and English) and readings throughout the year in and around Mirepoix. ''Salon du Livre d’Histoire Locale de Mirepoix'' The festival ''Swing à Mirepoix'' is held each year over the Easter weekend.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mirepoix, Ariege Communes of Ariège (department) Languedoc Ariège communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia