Saint-Quentin-la-Tour

Saint- Quentin- la-Tour ( Occitan: Sant Quentin ) is a southern French village with 326 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ). It is located in the department of Ariège in the Languedoc- Roussillon region.

Location

The town of Saint -Quentin- la-Tour is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees at an altitude of about 365 meters. From Carcassonne the place about 50 km ( driving distance ) is located in a south-westerly direction; the picturesque Bastide Mirepoix is located about 8 kilometers north. The nearest major town is Pamiers (about 28 kilometers north-west ).

Demographics

Economy

The town and its pretty wooded surroundings are dominated by agriculture to a large extent. Since the 1970s, tourism also plays a certain role in the economic life of the community.

History

The district Queille ( Coliense ), which has also given its name to the whole land, is mentioned several times in documents of the 10th century. A castle of the same name is already in 1002 in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, mentioned.

Attractions

• The single-nave Gothic church Saint -Sylvain ( Église de Queille ) dates back to the 13th century and is listed as a monument historique since 1994. As with many churches in southern France is the unadorned entrance on the south wall of the church. Unlike the - outside polygonal broken - apse which is only about five feet wide nave is arched, but is spanned by a wooden ceiling.
• Only about 100 meters from the church lie the impressive - privately owned - ruins of the castle (Château de Queille ), a building from the 12th century, but was rebuilt and extended several times. Also, the Château de Queille is classified as a monument historique since 1944. The mighty four-storey residential tower ( donjon ) has a rectangular plan; only the outer walls are largely intact.