La Couvertoirade
| La Couvertoirade | |
|---|---|
|
A general view of La Couvertoirade | |
  La Couvertoirade | |
|
Location within Midi-Pyrénées region  La Couvertoirade | |
| Coordinates: 43°54′50″N 3°19′02″E / 43.9139°N 3.3172°ECoordinates: 43°54′50″N 3°19′02″E / 43.9139°N 3.3172°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées |
| Department | Aveyron |
| Arrondissement | Millau |
| Canton | Nant |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Marie José Laborie |
| Area1 | 61.91 km2 (23.90 sq mi) |
| Population (2008)2 | 179 |
| • Density | 2.9/km2 (7.5/sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 12082 / 12230 |
| Elevation |
640–900 m (2,100–2,950 ft) (avg. 800 m or 2,600 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. | |
La Couvertoirade is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.
Geography
La Couvertoirade is located on the Larzac plateau.
History and sites of interest
This well-preserved fortified town was owned by the Knights Templar, under orders from the Commandery of Sainte-Eulalie, from the twelfth century. The Templars built the fortress there during the 12th and 13th centuries; its two upper floors have since been removed. Following their dissolution in 1312, the Templars' property in the causses was taken by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem who were responsible for building the curtain wall at La Couvertoirade between 1439 and 1450.
Like other Larzac villages, the population fell rapidly in the 19th century, to as few as 362 by 1880. Today, it is largely inhabited by craftsmen working with enamel, pottery, weaving and similar crafts.
Population
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1962 | 98 | — |
| 1968 | 120 | +22.4% |
| 1975 | 107 | −10.8% |
| 1982 | 134 | +25.2% |
| 1990 | 148 | +10.4% |
| 1999 | 153 | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 179 | +17.0% |
See also
References
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La Couvertoirade walls
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La Couvertoirade walls
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to La Couvertoirade. |
- Tourist office website
- Pictures of the Knights Templar Castle: ,
