Pailhès (; oc, Palhèrs) is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
located in the
department of
Ariège in Midi-Pyrenees in southwestern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
. Its inhabitants are called Pailhésiens and Pailhésiennes.
Geography
This commune is located in the mountains of Plantaurel on the river
Lèze
The Lèze () is a long river in the Ariège and Haute-Garonne ''départements'', southwestern France. Its source is in La Bastide-de-Sérou. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Ariège into which it flows between Labarthe-su ...
and on the old national road 628 between Saint-Jean-de-Verges and Campagne-sur-Arize. It is part of the Regional Park of the Ariège Pyrenees. The
Lèze
The Lèze () is a long river in the Ariège and Haute-Garonne ''départements'', southwestern France. Its source is in La Bastide-de-Sérou. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Ariège into which it flows between Labarthe-su ...
flows northwest through the southeastern part of the commune, crosses the village, then flows north through the middle of the commune.
History
It is one of the villages that provide a bridge over the river
Lèze
The Lèze () is a long river in the Ariège and Haute-Garonne ''départements'', southwestern France. Its source is in La Bastide-de-Sérou. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Ariège into which it flows between Labarthe-su ...
.
As such it was of military significance in the Middle Ages, which resulted in the Chateau of Pailhes being built on the hill overlooking the river. The chateau was built in the 12th century by the
Comte de Foix and reached a high point when
King Henri II
Henry II (french: Henri II; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder br ...
of France stayed the night there. Many of the present day villagers now claim royal descent as a result of this visit.
Special note: Until the Revolution, the barony of Pailhes played an important role in the region. With some neighboring parishes, it formed an enclave of Languedoc in the County of Foix. With its neighboring parishes, Pailhes was part of the Episcopal Diocese of Rieux and civil diocese of Toulouse. See
Cassini maps and Histariège site.
The ancient village can still be seen at the foot of the chateau while the more modern buildings are across the river.
The chateau has recently been purchased by the local historical society who are in the process of renovating it.
Transport
Pailhès was at one end of the monorail which ran from
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...
along the valley of the Lèze. Unfortunately this unique railway line was torn up in the inter-war years, though the stations can still be seen in each of the villages of the Lèze.
Population
Inhabitants of Pailhès are called ''Pailhésiens''.
See also
*
Communes of the Ariège department
References
Communes of Ariège (department)
{{Ariège-geo-stub