Lempaut

Lempaut ( Occitan: L' Empèut ) is a southern French village with 761 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Tarn in the Midi-Pyrénées region.

Location

Lempaut lies in the cultural landscape of Lauragais about 65 km ( driving distance ) away in the south-east of Toulouse. Revel and Castelnaudary are about ten or 30 kilometers southwest; the remarkable Saint- Félix- Lauragais is located about 21 kilometers south-west.

Demographics

Until the mid- 19th century, the city had consistently 750-930 inhabitants; then the number of residents declined steadily and becoming stabilized in the last few decades back.

Economy

As in most places of Lauragais played the cultivation of woad ( pastel) in the Middle Ages and in early modern times a major role. Today, the town lives mainly from agriculture and of letting vacant apartments.

Attractions

• The largely built of brick Château de Padiès was built on the site of the Wars of Religion (1562-1698) destroyed the previous building in the 17th century. The owner's family was already in the time of Catharism on the side of the dissenters - a tradition that remained loyal to the family in the 16th century, as she stood on the side of the Protestants. Only after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1598 ) by the Edict of Fontainebleau ( 1695) she took back to the Catholic faith. The two storey building is framed by round and windowless corner towers, reminiscent of medieval architectural traditions still strong. The living area (corps de logis ), however, shows an elaborately designed portal and rectangular windows with stone mullions. The castle is privately owned and is recognized as a monument historique since 1928.
• On the territory of the municipality more castles and manor houses still standing (eg Château de la Bousquetarié ) that are rented part of the year.
• The single-nave parish church ( Église Sainte -Madeleine ) is a quite impressive building from the early 17th century. The square west tower goes up into a masonry brick octagon, which - even if largely unadorned designed - is entirely in tolosaner tradition. The building has side chapel Attachments that are also used to stabilize it.
• An impressive dovecot ( pigeon ) of truss dates from the 18th century.