Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda

Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda

The Mondony river and the parish church of Our Lady of Life, in Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda

Coat of arms
Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda

Coordinates: 42°28′34″N 2°40′21″E / 42.4761°N 2.6725°E / 42.4761; 2.6725Coordinates: 42°28′34″N 2°40′21″E / 42.4761°N 2.6725°E / 42.4761; 2.6725
Country France
Region Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées
Department Pyrénées-Orientales
Arrondissement Céret
Canton Arles-sur-Tech
Intercommunality Communauté de communes du Haut Vallespir
Government
 • Mayor (2014-2020) Alexandre Reynal
Area1 29.43 km2 (11.36 sq mi)
Population (2012)2 3,680
 • Density 130/km2 (320/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 66003 / 66110
Elevation 176–1,424 m (577–4,672 ft)
(avg. 240 m or 790 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda (Catalan: Els banys d'Arles) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.

It is situated in the Tech valley, and combines the old and the new with a mix of narrow cobbled streets and modern accommodation. It has become a 'station verte' meaning that it must strive at all times to ensure that tourists benefit from a calm and natural environment.

Geography

Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda is located at the confluence of the Mondony with the Tech, 28.5 miles (46 km) SSW of Perpignan by road. The town is situated at a height of 770 feet (230 m) and has both a winter and summer season.

In the winter season the average temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius, and in the summer it is roughly 29 degrees Celsius. Thunderstorms are not infrequent in the area, and the telltale signs are small showers throughout the day.

Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda is located in the canton of Arles-sur-Tech and in the arrondissement of Céret.

Map of Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda and its surrounding communes

Springs

The town has numerous sulphur springs (20-60C.) used as baths by sufferers from rheumatism and illnesses of the lungs. There are two bathing establishments, one of which preserves remains of Roman baths, and a large military thermal hospital.

Toponymy

The town, formerly called Les-Bains-d'Arles, became Fort-les-Bains in 1670 after the construction of the new castle. It was renamed Amélie-les-Bains in 1840 after Queen Amelia wife of Louis Philippe. She finally visited the town in 1848, for which she then did much advertisement.[1] In Catalan it is still called Els banys d'Arles.

Government and politics

Mayors

François Mefler, mayor of Amélie-les-Bains since october 1941, becomes the new mayor of Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda in october 1942, after Amélie-les-Bains and Palalda were united together.[2]

Mayor Term start Term end
François Mefler october 1942 august 1944
Gaudérique Parent august 1944 march 1945
Georges Bosch march 1945 december 1950
Jean Trescases december 1950 january 1951
Gustave Pouzens february 1951 february 1952
Paul Alduy february 1952 march 1959
Jean Aspar march 1959 april 1959
Jacqueline Alduy april 1959 march 2001
Alexandre Reynal march 2001

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
19623,001—    
19683,662+22.0%
19753,908+6.7%
19823,713−5.0%
19903,239−12.8%
19993,475+7.3%
20063,723+7.1%
20093,695−0.8%

Sites of interest

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cárdenas, Fabricio (2014). 66 petites histoires du Pays Catalan [66 Little Stories of Catalan Country] (in French). Perpignan: Ultima Necat. ISBN 978-2-36771-006-8. OCLC 893847466.
  2. ↑ MairesGenWeb

External links

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