Mazamet
Encyclopedia
Mazamet is a commune
in the Tarn department in southern France
.
It is the second-largest component of the Castres
-Mazamet metropolitan area
.
and on the Arnette, a small tributary of the Thoré
, which forms the commune's northern border.
s, and clothing for troops, and hosiery, and there are important tanneries and leather-dressing, glove and dye works. Extensive commerce is carried on in wool and raw hides from Argentina, Australia and Cape Colony.
, finishing on the top of Plateau de Beille
. The stage was won by Alberto Contador
, who later went on to win the Tour.
with:
Rybnik
in Poland
(since 04.06.1993)
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 Tarn department in southern 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 the second-largest component of the Castres
Castres
Castres is a commune, and arrondissement capital in the Tarn department and Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It lies in the former French province of Languedoc....
-Mazamet metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
.
Geography
Mazamet is situated on the northern slope of the Montagne NoireMontagne Noire
* Not to be confused with the Montagnes Noires in Brittany.The Montagne Noire is a mountain range in central southern France. It is located at the southwestern end of the Massif Central in the border area of the Tarn, Hérault and Aude departments...
and on the Arnette, a small tributary of the Thoré
Thoré
The Thoré is a long river in the Hérault and Tarn départements, southwestern France. Its source is in the northern part of Rieussec. It flows generally northwest...
, which forms the commune's northern border.
Economy
Mazamet is an industrial town. Numerous establishments are employed in wool-spinning and in the manufacture of swan-skins and flannelFlannel
Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fibre. Flannel may be brushed to create extra softness or remain unbrushed. The brushing process is a mechanical process...
s, and clothing for troops, and hosiery, and there are important tanneries and leather-dressing, glove and dye works. Extensive commerce is carried on in wool and raw hides from Argentina, Australia and Cape Colony.
Personalities
- Pierre SancanPierre SancanPierre Sancan was a French composer, pianist, teacher and conductor. Along with Olivier Messiaen and Henri Dutilleux, he was a major figure among French musicians in the mid-twentieth-century transition between modern and contemporary eras; but outside France his name is almost unknown.Born in...
, pianist and composer, was born in Mazamet in 1916. - Pierre CapretzPierre CapretzPierre Jean Capretz is an educator and writer, noted for his audio-visual methods for teaching French. A graduate of the University of Paris, he began teaching French in 1949 at the University of Florida and joined the faculty of Yale University in 1956, eventually becoming Director of the...
, developer of the French in ActionFrench in ActionFrench in Action is a French language course, developed by Professor Pierre Capretz of Yale University. The course includes workbooks, textbooks, and a 52-episode television series....
series for teaching French, was born in Mazamet in 1925. - Laurent JalabertLaurent JalabertLaurent Jalabert is a French former professional road racing cyclist, from 1989 to 2002. Affectionately known as "Jaja" , he won many one-day and stage races and was ranked number 1 in the 1990s...
and his younger brother Nicolas JalabertNicolas JalabertthumbNicolas Jalabert is a French former road racing cyclist. In 1997 he turned professional with the French team Cofidis. He is the younger brother of Laurent Jalabert, and followed him to ONCE in 2000 and Team CSC in 2001. In 2004, after his brother's retirement, he followed Tyler Hamilton to...
, both professionals in Road bicycle racingRoad bicycle racingRoad bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
, were born here.
Tour de France
Mazamet was the start for Stage 14 in the 2007 Tour de France2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
, finishing on the top of Plateau de Beille
Plateau de Beille
Plateau de Beille is a ski resort in the Pyrenees. It is situated in the Ariège department, in the Midi-Pyrénées. The winter sports station lies at a height of 1790 meters....
. The stage was won by Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
, who later went on to win the Tour.
Twin towns
Mazamet is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Rybnik
Rybnik
Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(since 04.06.1993)
See also
- Castres-Mazamet AirportCastres-Mazamet AirportCastres – Mazamet Airport is an airport serving Castres and Mazamet and the east of Midi-Pyrénées. The airport is located southeast of Castres and northwest of Mazamet, near the commune of Labruguière, in the Tarn department.-Facilities:...
- Communes of the Tarn department
- Tourism in TarnTourism in TarnFrom the Gaillac Vineyard to the Sidobre, the Montagne Noire and the stunning Gorges du Tarn, the Tarn department, in the southwest of France, offers a great range of sights and tourist attractions.-Statistics:In 2009, there were :...