Alet-les-Bains
Encyclopedia
Alet-les-Bains is a commune
in the Aude
department in the Languedoc-Roussillon
region
in southern France.
in the south of France.
The village is roughly one and a half hours from the sea and one hour from a winter sports centre.
To each side of the village, the mountains come to a height of 750 metres above sea level.
Access to the SNCF
can be found at the Alet-les-Bains train station.
. The diocese had eighty Parish
es and spanned from Formiguères
to Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet
. A wall, with 4 gates, built in the twelfth century to protect the abbey can still be seen today.
In the sixteenth century, during the wars of religion, the Huguenots burnt and destroyed the abbey. In the seventeenth century, Nicolas Pavillon, bishop of Alet who stood up against the government of Louis XIV; could have found the means to repair the abbey, but did not feel that given the poverty of the people in his diocese, it would be acceptable. He did however build a bridge that spans Aude
, in 1662 and gave an improved system of irrigation, as well as a seminar.
The thirty-fifth and last bishop of Alet, Charles de la Cropte de Chanterac, who opened the "Grande route" (Big road) Limoux-Quillan, also built a new portion of the bishopric, which he attached to the oldest part of the bishopric, which dates from the twelfth century and is now preserved. By climbing a flight of stairs, one would come to the first floor where one can see the beautiful and large synod hall as well as the library. The bishopric and its three hectares of gardens span a large portion of the old abbey.
By the separation of church and state, the bishopric became the property of the persons who lived in his estates, which were dispersed around the region. The buildings were used until the beginning of this century.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Aude
Aude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
department in the Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in southern France.
Geography
Alet-les-Bains is a spa town, that is to say, it is a town located near hot springs, in AudeAude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
in the south of France.
The village is roughly one and a half hours from the sea and one hour from a winter sports centre.
To each side of the village, the mountains come to a height of 750 metres above sea level.
Access to the SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
can be found at the Alet-les-Bains train station.
History
The origins of the abbey of Alet-les-Bains are unknown other than that of a priory in the eighth century. It was likely founded by Béra, viscount of Razés. By the twelfth century, it had much influence and a large number of pilgrims. In 1318, the abbey became a bishopric in order to continue the fight against the cathars; as it stayed until the French revolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. The diocese had eighty Parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es and spanned from Formiguères
Formiguères
Formiguères is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.Its inhabitants are called Formiguérois.-References:*...
to Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet
Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet
Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
. A wall, with 4 gates, built in the twelfth century to protect the abbey can still be seen today.
In the sixteenth century, during the wars of religion, the Huguenots burnt and destroyed the abbey. In the seventeenth century, Nicolas Pavillon, bishop of Alet who stood up against the government of Louis XIV; could have found the means to repair the abbey, but did not feel that given the poverty of the people in his diocese, it would be acceptable. He did however build a bridge that spans Aude
Aude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
, in 1662 and gave an improved system of irrigation, as well as a seminar.
The thirty-fifth and last bishop of Alet, Charles de la Cropte de Chanterac, who opened the "Grande route" (Big road) Limoux-Quillan, also built a new portion of the bishopric, which he attached to the oldest part of the bishopric, which dates from the twelfth century and is now preserved. By climbing a flight of stairs, one would come to the first floor where one can see the beautiful and large synod hall as well as the library. The bishopric and its three hectares of gardens span a large portion of the old abbey.
By the separation of church and state, the bishopric became the property of the persons who lived in his estates, which were dispersed around the region. The buildings were used until the beginning of this century.
Administration
The current mayor is Jean-Denis Alandry, who entered office in 2001 and whose term expires in 2014.Population
Places and monuments
- Abbey and cathedral of the seventh century.
- Medieval, fortified castle.
- Hotels of the twelfth and fourteenth centuries.
- Source of thermally heated water, discovered by the romans over two thousand years ago.
- Thermal spa.
Economy
The water of Alet-les-Bains is one of the oldest sold mineral waters in France, first bottled over 120 years ago, it is one of the largest sources in France. The village is very lively and possesses a casino, a thermal spa, several hotels and several boutiques. Sadly, there is not but one shop, which is a sort of grocerry store.Events and festivals
Ciné Sans Filet is a short film festival that occurs every year in the second weekend of August, it features one hundred and fifty short films over the course of three days.Personalities
- Nicolas PavillonNicolas PavillonNicolas Pavillon was a French bishop of Alet and Jansenist. His attitude against Pope Alexander VII won him the admiration of Port-Royal. Alet became the "Mecca" of the Jansenists...
was the bishop of Alet in the seventeenth century. - Roger PeyrefitteRoger PeyrefitteRoger Peyrefitte was a French diplomat, writer of bestseller novels and gossipy non-fiction, and a defender of gay rights.-Life and work:...
1907 - 2000, author.