Mont-Louis
Mont-Louis (French pronunciation: [mɔ̃ lwi] ⓘ; Catalan: Montlluís or el Vilar d'Ovansa) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.[3]
Mont-Louis | |
|---|---|
 An aerial view of Mont-Louis | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Mont-Louis | |
  Mont-Louis  Mont-Louis | |
| Coordinates: 42°30′33″N 2°07′15″E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Occitania |
| Department | Pyrénées-Orientales |
| Arrondissement | Prades |
| Canton | Les Pyrénées catalanes |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Joëlle Cordelette[1] |
| Area 1 | 0.39 km2 (0.15 sq mi) |
| Population | 144 |
| • Density | 370/km2 (960/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 66117 /66210 |
| Elevation | 1,516–1,608 m (4,974–5,276 ft) (avg. 1,600 m or 5,200 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Geography
Mont-Louis is located in the canton of Les Pyrénées catalanes and in the arrondissement of Prades. Mont-Louis-La Cabanasse station has rail connections to Villefranche-de-Conflent and Latour-de-Carol.
Government and politics
Mayors
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| Mayor | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|
| Michel Aldebert[4] | c. 1815 | ? |
| Christian Pécout | 2001 | 2002 |
| Jean-Michel Larmet | 2002 | 2010 |
| Pierrette Cordelette | 2010 |
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 391 | — |
| 1975 | 250 | −6.19% |
| 1982 | 239 | −0.64% |
| 1990 | 200 | −2.20% |
| 1999 | 270 | +3.39% |
| 2007 | 284 | +0.63% |
| 2012 | 185 | −8.22% |
| 2017 | 152 | −3.85% |
| Source: INSEE[5] | ||
Sites of interest
In 2008, the citadel and the city walls of Mont-Louis were listed as part of the Fortifications of Vauban UNESCO World Heritage Site, because of its outstanding engineering and testimony to the development of military architecture in the 17th through 19th centuries.[6]
The Mont-Louis Solar Furnace, is the world's first solar furnace, built in 1949, by engineer Félix Trombe. It is open to visit for practical education on solar energy uses and technologies.
The citadel has been hosting for more than half a century the National Commando Training Center (French Army) which trains elite French troops and some foreign ones in the usage of commando techniques and for enduring heavy physical and mental stress in combat situations. Nevertheless, some places of the citadel, like the "Puits de Forçats",[7] can also be visited, being accompanied by a local guide.
Notable people
- Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707), military engineer who conceived and directed the construction of Mont-Louis.
- Pedro Étienne Solère (1753–1817), classical clarinetist
- Jean Gilles (1904-1961), French Army general who died in Mont-Louis.
References
- "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
- "Populations légales 2020". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2022.
- INSEE commune file
- (in French) Fabricio Cardenas, Vieux papiers des Pyrénées-Orientales, Mont-Louis, le 15 juin 1815, 16 january 2014
- Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
- "Fortifications of Vauban". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- See § Lieux et monuments in the French page.
External links
