Castelnaudary
Encyclopedia
Castelnaudary is a commune
in the Aude
department in the Languedoc-Roussillon
region
in south France
. It is in the former province
of the Lauragais
and famous for cassoulet
of which it claims to be the world capital, and of which it is a major producer.
. The town is located 50 km southeast of Toulouse
, about midway along the route from that city to the Mediterranean
. This route has been used since at least Roman times, and today carries road, motorway (A61
), rail and canal links. Castelnaudary is the main port of the Canal du Midi
to which it owed a period of prosperity in the 17th century when agricultural and manufactured produce became easier to export. The Grand Bassin
in the town is at 7ha the largest open area of water in the canal, and is today its major pleasure port.
of the French Foreign Legion
has been based in Castelnaudary since 1976, and the base is open to the public on 30 April and at Christmas.
Castelnaudary is the self-proclaimed "World Capital of Cassoulet
". The ingredients of this dish are a matter of debate. It generally includes haricot tarbais beans, duck confit
, garlic sausage
, pork hock or skin to season. It may contain the specialty sausage of Toulouse
and either mutton or pork and has been known to contain partridge as well. Traditional peasant versions of the recipe can take two days or more to prepare. The traditional cooking vessel is an earthenware pot called a cassole
for which the dish is named.
Rick Stein
did an in-depth feature on the Castelnaudary cassoulet
in an episode of Rick Stein's French Odyssey and the recipe he settled on as most authentic can be found on the BBC Food website http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cassoulet_76086.shtml.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Aude
Aude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
department in the Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in south France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is in the former province
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
of the Lauragais
Lauragais
The Lauragais is an area of southwestern France located south-east of Toulouse....
and famous for cassoulet
Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France, containing meat , pork skin and white haricot beans....
of which it claims to be the world capital, and of which it is a major producer.
Geography
Castelnaudary is a market town, and the capital of the territory of LauragaisLauragais
The Lauragais is an area of southwestern France located south-east of Toulouse....
. The town is located 50 km southeast of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, about midway along the route from that city to the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. This route has been used since at least Roman times, and today carries road, motorway (A61
A61 autoroute
The A61 autoroute is a French motorway forming part of the Autoroute de Deux Mers.It connects Narbonne in Toulouse, where becomes the A62 towards Bordeaux. It also has junctions with the A64 towards Bayonne and A68 towards Albi on the outskirts of Toulouse. It is totally a toll road and operated...
), rail and canal links. Castelnaudary is the main port of the Canal du Midi
Canal du Midi
The is a long canal in Southern France . The canal connects the Garonne River to the on the Mediterranean and along with the Canal de Garonne forms the Canal des Deux Mers joining the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The canal runs from the city of Toulouse down to the Étang de Thau...
to which it owed a period of prosperity in the 17th century when agricultural and manufactured produce became easier to export. The Grand Bassin
Grand Bassin
The Grand Bassin is the largest body of open water along the Canal du Midi. It is in Castelnaudary France and covers some 7 hectares . Once a scene of intense economic activity, it is now a major pleasure port used by tourist craft...
in the town is at 7ha the largest open area of water in the canal, and is today its major pleasure port.
Origin of the name
Castelnaudary comes from the Occitan Castèlnòu d'Arri, the Latin Castellum Novum Arri, or Arrius' new castle.Major Events
- 1103. First official mention of a settlement at Castelnaudary.
- 1211. During the Albigensian CrusadeAlbigensian CrusadeThe Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc...
, Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of LeicesterSimon de Montfort, 5th Earl of LeicesterSimon IV de Montfort, Seigneur de Montfort-l'Amaury, 5th Earl of Leicester , also known as Simon de Montfort the elder, was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
is besieged in Castelnaudary by the Count of Toulouse and the Count of Foix. - 1235. Arrival of the Papal inquisitionMedieval InquisitionThe Medieval Inquisition is a series of Inquisitions from around 1184, including the Episcopal Inquisition and later the Papal Inquisition...
whose initial attempts to identify and persecute Cathars were unsuccessful due to the solidarity of the townsfolk. - 31 October 1355. During the 100 Years War, the town is sacked by the Black Prince who travelling from BordeauxBordeauxBordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, ravaged the weaker towns of GasconyGasconyGascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
and then the LauragaisLauragaisThe Lauragais is an area of southwestern France located south-east of Toulouse....
as far as NarbonneNarbonneNarbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The town was pillaged and the inhabitants massacred. The town's walls were not rebuilt until 10 years later. - 1477. The town becomes the capital of the comté of LauragaisLauragaisThe Lauragais is an area of southwestern France located south-east of Toulouse....
under Louis XI of FranceLouis XI of FranceLouis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
. - 1632. The capture of Henri II de MontmorencyHenri II de MontmorencyHenri II de Montmorency was a French nobleman and military commander.Born at Chantilly, Oise, he was the son of duke Henry I, whom he succeeded in 1614, having previously been made grand admiral...
just outside the town leads to his execution at Toulouse on the orders of Cardinal Richelieu. - 15 May 1681. Commissioning of the Canal du MidiCanal du MidiThe is a long canal in Southern France . The canal connects the Garonne River to the on the Mediterranean and along with the Canal de Garonne forms the Canal des Deux Mers joining the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The canal runs from the city of Toulouse down to the Étang de Thau...
. - 1754. Construction of L'Ile de la Cybèle.
- 1814. Marshal Soult withdraws to the town after the Battle of ToulouseBattle of Toulouse (1814)The Battle of Toulouse was one of the final battles of the Napoleonic Wars, four days after Napoleon's surrender of the French Empire to the nations of the Sixth Coalition...
before signing a final surrender at Naurouze.
Population
Its inhabitants are called Chauriens.Sights
- L'Apothicairerie de l'Hôpital
- La Collégiale Saint-Michel
- Les Ecluses Saint-Roch
- Le Grand BassinGrand BassinThe Grand Bassin is the largest body of open water along the Canal du Midi. It is in Castelnaudary France and covers some 7 hectares . Once a scene of intense economic activity, it is now a major pleasure port used by tourist craft...
- La Halle aux Grains
- L'Ile de la Cybèle.
- Le Moulin de Cugarel
- La Légion étrangère
- Le Présidial
- La Chapelle Notre-Dame de Pitié
Personalities
Castelnaudary was the birthplace of:- Pierre de CastelnauPierre de CastelnauPierre de Castelnau , French ecclesiastic, was born in the diocese of Montpellier.In 1199 he was archdeacon of Maguelonne, and was appointed by Pope Innocent III as one of the legates for the suppression of the Cathar heresy in Languedoc.In 1202, when a monk in the Cistercian abbey of Fontfroide,...
d. 1208 - Philippe de Rigaud VaudreuilPhilippe de Rigaud VaudreuilPhilippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil was a French politician, who was Governor-general of New France from 1703 to 1725....
(1643–1725) - Joseph Martin-DauchJoseph Martin-DauchJoseph Martin-Dauch, was a French politician who represented Castelnaudary as a member of the Third Estate in the Estates-General of 1789...
(1741–1801), one of the few deputies known to have abstained from taking the Tennis Court OathTennis Court OathThe Tennis Court Oath was a pivotal event during the first days of the French Revolution. The Oath was a pledge signed by 576 of the 577 members from the Third Estate who were locked out of a meeting of the Estates-General on 20 June 1789...
, a major event of the French Revolution of 1789 - Antoine-François AndréossyAntoine-François AndréossyAntoine-François, comte Andréossy was a French general and diplomat of noble origin and Italian descent.-Biography:...
(1761–1828) - Antoine MarfanAntoine MarfanAntoine Bernard-Jean Marfan was a French pediatrician. He was born in Castelnaudary to Antoine Prosper Marfan and Adélaïde Thuries....
(1858–1942), pediatrician - Georges CanguilhemGeorges CanguilhemGeorges Canguilhem was a French philosopher and physician who specialized in epistemology and the philosophy of science .-Life and work:...
(1904–1995), philosopher and member of the Académie françaiseAcadémie françaiseL'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
who specialized in the philosophy of sciencePhilosophy of scienceThe philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
Miscellaneous
The 4th Foreign Regiment4th Foreign Regiment
The 4th Foreign Regiment is the unit responsible for training the French Foreign Legion. Prior to assuming its responsibility of training Foreign Legion personnel, the 4th Foreign Regiment was an infantry regiment which participated in campaigns in Morocco, French Indochina, and...
of the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
has been based in Castelnaudary since 1976, and the base is open to the public on 30 April and at Christmas.
Castelnaudary is the self-proclaimed "World Capital of Cassoulet
Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France, containing meat , pork skin and white haricot beans....
". The ingredients of this dish are a matter of debate. It generally includes haricot tarbais beans, duck confit
Duck confit
Duck confit is a French dish made with the leg of the duck.While it is made across France, it is seen as a speciality of Gascony. The confit is prepared in a centuries-old process of preservation that consists of salt curing a piece of meat and then poaching it in its own fat.To prepare a confit,...
, garlic sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
, pork hock or skin to season. It may contain the specialty sausage of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
and either mutton or pork and has been known to contain partridge as well. Traditional peasant versions of the recipe can take two days or more to prepare. The traditional cooking vessel is an earthenware pot called a cassole
Cassole
A cassole is a conical earthenware container, glazed inside.Cassoles are still made in the traditional way at Issel, near Castelnaudary.The name originates from the French form of the Occitan word caçòla and is the origin of the famous cassoulet....
for which the dish is named.
Rick Stein
Rick Stein
Christopher Richard "Rick" Stein OBE is an English chef, restaurateur and television presenter. He is currently the head chef and co-owner of "Rick Stein at Bannisters" at Mollymook, New South Wales, Australia, owns four restaurants in Padstow, a fish and chip shop in Falmouth, Cornwall and has...
did an in-depth feature on the Castelnaudary cassoulet
Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France, containing meat , pork skin and white haricot beans....
in an episode of Rick Stein's French Odyssey and the recipe he settled on as most authentic can be found on the BBC Food website http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cassoulet_76086.shtml.
External links
- Official website (in French)