Lavelanet

Lavelanet ( Occitan: L' Avelhanet ) is a commune with 6404 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011 ) in the department of Ariège in the Midi -Pyrénées; it belongs to the district of Foix and the eponymous canton Lavelanet.

Etymology

The city's name is derived from the Latin Lavelanet word avellana from ( ' hazelnut ').

Location

Lavelanet lies on the River Touyre about 65 km ( driving distance ) south-west of Carcassonne and about 19 kilometers south of Mirepoix.

Demographics

Attractions

• The Église Notre- Dame-de- l'Assomption dates from the 17th century and houses some equipment items ( pulpit, baptismal font, etc.) from this time and two frescoes and a Way of the Cross from the 20th century. How many churches in southwest France it is only one nave, but has several side chapels.
• The Museum of Textile and comb production ( Musée du textile et du peigne en corne ( AMTPC ) ) is worth a visit.
• Due to the local extension of the former suburb Bensa is now part of the city. The Romanesque church of Saint- Sernin de Bensa is a single-nave building from the 12th century with a small bell gable to the west and a handcrafted solid brick apse in the east of the building. The nave is of impressive clarity and has a beautiful barrel vault with transverse arches as joists. The building is classified as a monument historique since 1950.

Community partnerships

Trégueux in Brittany and Melgaço are in the far north of Portugal, partner municipalities of Lavalanet.

Born in Lavelanet

• Fabien Barthez (born 1971 ) - former goalkeeper of the French national football team