Payra-sur-l'Hers

Payra-sur-l'Hers
region	Occitania
Department	Aude
Arrondissement	Carcassonne
Canton	La Piège au Razès
Community association	Castelnaudary Lauragais Audois
Coordinates	43 ° 16 '  N , 1 ° 51'  E Coordinates: 43 ° 16 '  N , 1 ° 51'  E
height	237-362 m
surface	24.52 km 2
Residents	205 (January 1, 2017)
Population density	8 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code	11410
INSEE code	11275
Payra-sur-l'Hers - wash house and church

Payra-sur-l'Hers is a southern French municipality with 205 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) in the Aude department in the Occitanie region .

location

Payra-sur-l'Hers is located in the heart of the Lauragais on the river Hers at an altitude of about 245 meters above sea level. d. M. and about 52 kilometers (driving distance) west of Carcassonne and about 13 kilometers southwest of Castelnaudary . The canton capital Salles-sur-l'Hers is located about seven kilometers to the northwest.

Population development

year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006	2016
Residents	241	206	192	184	158	177	157	199

In the 19th century the place had almost 600 inhabitants at times. The mechanization of agriculture and the associated loss of jobs has since led to a significant decline in the number of inhabitants.

economy

The area around the village is still characterized by agriculture, which in the late Middle Ages and early modern times mainly concentrated on the cultivation of woad ( pastel ). The import of indigo led to a gradual economic decline from the 18th century and farmers turned back to 'normal' agriculture. At the end of the 20th century, tourism in the form of the rental of holiday apartments ( gîtes ) was added as an economic factor.

history

In 1119 the place is mentioned for the first time under the name Pairano ; In 1272 it was under the administration of Laurac , and a few years later under that of Mas-Saintes-Puelles . While the Albigensian Crusades apparently spared the place, it got between the fronts in the religiously motivated clashes of the 16th century ( Huguenot Wars ): In 1568 it was taken over by the Protestants, two years later it was overrun by Coligny's soldiers . In 1580 Catholic troops devastated the place.

Attractions

Portal of the Church

• The small Romanesque parish church of Payra with its bell gable , which was added later and accompanied by side turrets, is built entirely of natural stone. The most interesting component is the archivolt portal on the south side, whose perfectly crafted arches are adorned with balls, shells, etc. The four lateral capitals show - unfortunately poorly preserved - vegetable motifs. The portal zone closes at the top with a console frieze with animal and human-like heads, which can be understood as decorative as well as disastrous ( apotropaic ). The portal was recognized as a Monument historique as early as 1932 ; the entire church building followed in 1988.
• Below the church there is a wash house ( lavoir ) from the 19th century, which was also used as a cattle trough ( abreuvoir ).

Web links

Commons : Payra-sur-l'Hers  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Église, Payra-sur-l'Hers in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)