commune in Ariège, France From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Foix (Occitan: Fois; Catalan: Foix) is a commune, the former capital of the County of Foix. Today it is the préfecture of the Ariège department in southwestern France in the Occitanie region.
Foix | |
---|---|
Prefecture and commune | |
![]() View of Chateau de Foix in Lazema area | |
Coordinates: 42°57′59″N 1°36′28″E | |
Country | France |
Region | Occitanie |
Department | Ariège |
Arrondissement | Foix |
Canton | Foix |
Intercommunality | Pays Foix-Varilhes |
Government | |
• Mayor (2014–2020) | Norbert Meler[1] (PS) |
Area 1 | 19.32 km2 (7.46 sq mi) |
Population (2014) | 9,721 |
• Density | 500/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
Demonym | Fuxéen |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
INSEE/Postal code | 09122 /09000 |
Elevation | 358–933 m (1,175–3,061 ft) (avg. 400 m or 1,300 ft) |
Website | www.mairie-foix.fr |
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. |
It is to south of Toulouse, close to the border with Spain and Andorra. The city is only the second city of the department after Pamiers. Of all French préfectures, Foix is the one with fewest people living in it.
The Romans built a fort on the rocky hill where the Château de Foix castle now overlooks the town. The town of Foix probably owes its origin to an oratory founded by Charlemagne, which afterwards became the Abbey of Saint Volusianus in 849. The current area of the department was part of the old County of Foix.
The city of Foix lies in the foothills of the Pyrénées mountains, in southern France. It is on the confluence of the Ariège and Arget rivers. Foix is at 83 km (52 mi) to the south of Toulouse.
The commune has an area of 19.3 km2 (7.5 sq mi).[2] Its average altitude is 646 m (2,119 ft); at the city hall, the altitude is 380 m (1,250 ft).[3]
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The commune of Foix is surrounded by the communes Arabaux, Cos, Crampagna, Ferrières-sur-Ariège, Ganac, Montgaillard, Pradières, Saint-Jean-de-Verges, Saint-Pierre-de-Rivière and Vernajoul.
The climate of Foix, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.
The inhabitants of Foix are known, in French, as Fuxéens (women: Fuxéennes).[4]
Foix has a population of 6,9,721 (2014),[5] and population density of 503 inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Foix
Foix forms, with other 5 communes, the urban area of Foix with a population of 14,552 inhabitants (2013) and an area of 75.8 km2 (29.3 sq mi).[6] This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Foix, formed by 17 communes with a population of 18,406 inhabitants (2013) and an area of 213.0 km2 (82.2 sq mi).[7]
Foix is the prefecture of the Ariège department, the capital of the arrondissement of Foix and the administrative centre (French: chef-lieu) of the canton of Foix (with 13,700 inhabitants in 2014).
It is part of the intercommunality Pays Foix-Varilhes (French: Communauté d'agglomération Pays Foix-Varilhes).
Foix is twinned with:
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