Espalion

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Espalion
Espalion coat of arms
Espalion (France)
Espalion
region Occitania
Department Aveyron
Arrondissement Rodez
Canton Lot et Truyère
Community association Comtal Lot and Truyère
Coordinates 44 ° 31 '  N , 2 ° 46'  E Coordinates: 44 ° 31 '  N , 2 ° 46'  E
height 330-764 m
surface 36.60 km 2
Residents 4,516 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 123 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 12500
INSEE code 12096
Website Community website

View of the old town of Espalion with the old bridge

The municipality of Espalion with 4516 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) is located in the French region of Occitania in the Aveyron department . Its inhabitants are called Espalionnais . In the local Occitan language the place is called Espaliu . It is located on the GR 65 long-distance hiking trail , which largely follows the historical course of the French Way of St. James " Via Podiensis ".

Geography and traffic

Espalion is located in the southern part of the Massif Central on the banks of the Lot , in the triangle Bordeaux , Lyon , Toulouse . The closest major French cities are Lyon (213 km) in the northeast, Toulouse (147 km) in the southwest, Bordeaux (267 km) in the west and Montpellier (135 km) in the southeast.

The nearest airport is Rodez-Marcillac , which is served by Air France and Ryanair , among others . It is about 38 kilometers away by road via the D988 or D27. The next train station is also in Rodez . In Espalion, the D987 , which leads from the Aubrac region into the Lot Valley, joins the D920a. There are also the D921 coming from the northwest and the D108 coming from the southeast.

history

The village was built on both sides of the bridge over the Lot River and developed as a trading post for goods from the Aubrac . A Roman road already crossed the river in neighboring St. Cosmas d'Olt through a ford near today's bridge.

In the 10th century the castle of the Lords of Calmont-d'Olt was built above the town. The builder is said to have been a lieutenant of Charlemagne.

Espalion lost its role as sub-prefecture in 1926.

Population development

year 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006 2016
Residents 3529 3881 4422 4733 4614 4360 4457 4521
Sources: Cassini and INSEE

Way of St. James (Via Podiensis)

In Espalion, in addition to the tourist information, there are hotels and restaurants, as well as several pilgrim hostels (French: Gîte d'étape ). The place also has a campsite. However, the train station no longer exists. The further course of the Way of St. James leads downwards , past the Romanesque church of Bessuéjouls to Estaing . The D556, followed by the D100, or the main road, the D920a, leads there .

Attractions

Espalion is a regional center in the upper Lottal. With the old tanner's houses and a beautiful Gothic bridge, it has a very original townscape. The townscape is dominated by the ruins of the Calmont d'Olt castle. On the river bank, stone steps lead from the old houses with their wooden balconies to the water, reminding of their former function as tanneries .

Calmont d'Olt Castle

The Calmont d'Olt castle rises on a 535 meter high basalt knoll above the village and the Lot valley. A Carolingian ministerial "Calvomantese" is first mentioned in the year 883. The curtain wall and its eight bastions date from the 15th century.

Old bridge

The old bridge was built in the 13th century. Originally it was fortified with three towers. Until the 17th century, the lords of the Calmont castle levied a bridge toll. Then it was bought by the community and the towers demolished.

The arched bridge made of red sandstone with its four pointed arches rests on pillars that are provided with pointed bastions for defense purposes. Since 1998, the bridge is part of the World Heritage of UNESCO " means of pilgrims in France excellent".

Perse Church

St. Hilarian de Perse, south wall

The church is said to have been built on the spot where in 730, the local saint Hilarian is said to have been beheaded by the Saracens . According to legend, he is said to have carried his head, separated from his body, to a spring in order to clean it there. In 1060 a pre-Romanesque monastery with the name "Perse" was donated by Hugo von Calmont to the Abbey of Conques . Its monks built today's church in the 11th and 12th centuries.

The church is made of pink sandstone in Romanesque style. Only the north chapel dates from the 15th century. The tympanum above the entrance portal shows the Apocalypse , the Last Judgment and the Miracle of Pentecost . In a small niche above the portal, a representation of the Three Kings can be seen. Inside the church there are frescoes that originally date from the 12th century and column capitals with figural decorations.

Former Saint-Jean church

The former church was desecrated in 1883, after which it served as the town hall for many years before it was restored in 1978. Since then, it houses a local history museum and the Musée du Scaphandre , a museum dedicated to the history of Skaphanders dedicated, and a native of Espalion inventors of the diving apparatus Rouquayrol-Denayrouze , a precursor of today's regulators .

Twin cities

literature

  • Bettina Forst: French Way of St. James. From Le Puy-en-Velay to Roncesvalles. All stages - with variants and height profiles. Bergverlag Rother, Munich (recte: Ottobrunn) 2007, ISBN 978-3-7633-4350-8 (Rother hiking guide) .
  • Bert Teklenborg: Cycling along the Camino de Santiago. From the Rhine to the western end of Europe. (Cycling guide, route planner). 3rd revised edition. Publishing House Tyrolia, Innsbruck 2007, ISBN 978-3-7022-2626-8 .

Web links

Commons : Espalion  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Congregational information on annuaire-mairie.fr (French). Retrieved on January 21, 2010
Muszla Jakuba.svg
Way of St. James " Via Podiensis "

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