Cabrespine

Cabrespine ( Occitan: Cabrespina ) is a commune with 175 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) in the Aude department of the Languedoc- Roussillon in France. Its inhabitants are called Cabrespinois.

Location

The small village of Cabrespine about 25 kilometers northeast of Carcassonne. It is close, low and close to the edge of the Montagne Noire to the Valley of Clamoux that falls from the Pic de Nore in the scenic canyons and straight to the south flows to Orbiel at the Regional Natural Park of Haut Languedoc ( Parc naturel régional du Haut- Languedoc ). It is part of the landscape of the Minervois and the vineyards of Cabardès.

Demographics

At the beginning of the 19th century Cabrespine was a significant community with many wealthy merchants and craftsmen. In 1851 there were in Cabrespine more than 850 inhabitants. But industrialization, war and depopulation caused the population inexorably to the vein. We moved to the cities of the lower Languedoc or to Mazamet. Before the First World War, the population had dropped to 600.

Economy

Residents Cabrespines lived a long time on the farm work - of course the wine- but also of the tree culture of chestnut and olive as well as from field crops with rye and potatoes. Finally bred wool and cheese because even sheep and goats. From three annual markets was the first on August Monday held, which was established by a royal decree of 1845, dedicated to the trading of wool animals and with staves made ​​of chestnut wood.

Today, however, attract new people into the preserved village structure. Whether they are now only a short time in the summer or all year round here, they want to in any case spend a summer or even a part of her life in the village.

History

At the time of the Roman conquest proceeded by Cabrespine side streets off Via Domitia, the iron ore mines of exploitation made ​​accessible. The mines were abandoned for a long time and were then operated again in the last century. Today, it still mining dumps and passageways left.

Cabrespine ( from Latin caput spina, dt about ' mandrel tip ') belonged since the time of Charlemagne and until the French Revolution the abbey of Sainte -Marie de Lagrasse. 814 mentions a statute of Louis the Pious, that in Cabrespine a cella located, a branch monastery, the Abbey of Lagrasse reduced the own overcrowding and the monitoring of the local domain by the few monks was possible, who took home there. Today, the building only a few increasingly unrecognizable ruins are left.

The Carolingian period there were two church buildings: the Chapel of the Most Gracious Mother of God, near the present cemetery, with a brick wall as the only residual remnant, and St. Peter's Church. From the old building in the Romanesque style is only a white, carved in the style of the Merovingian marble slab present, which is situated in today, in 1753, built at the same location successor church.

There was a castle of her remained only some 1035, so the Kapetingerzeit, dated fragments. Originally a royal castle, Simon IV de Montfort had founded in 1217 as penance for his misdeeds of the Abbey of Lagrasse. After she had fallen back to 1327 to the Crown, it was successively attacked by the Huguenots in 1584 and retaken by the Catholics.

Attractions

• The great cave of Cabrespine ( Chasm of Cabrespine ) was already known in the 16th century, but was only rediscovered in 1970; it is located above the village and can be seen in parts since 1988. Noteworthy are some rock formations made ​​of aragonite, which are available in this size only here. In the cave is also evidence of prehistoric human use were found.
• In the vicinity of Cabrespine to find the remains of several - built in dry stone masonry technology - chalets ( burons ) that served as shelters of shepherds in the wind and rain. At the same goat and sheep cheese has been made here during the hot summer months.

Individuals with regard to the place

• Pierre Duhem, French physicist and philosopher of science / historian (* 1861 in Paris, † 1916 in Cabrespine )