Ajac
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 Ajac
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Location within Languedoc-Roussillon region
Ajac
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| Country | France | |
| Region | Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées | |
| Department | Aude | |
| Arrondissement | Limoux | |
| Canton | Limoux | |
| Intercommunality | Limouxin et du Saint-Hilairois | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Gérard Chaumond | |
| Area1 | 5.29 km2 (2.04 sq mi) | |
| Population (2008)2 | 229 | |
| • Density | 43/km2 (110/sq mi) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 11003 / 11300 | |
| Elevation | 226–401 m (741–1,316 ft) (avg. 240 m or 790 ft) |
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| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | ||
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Ajac is a commune in the Aude department, part of the Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées region.
Contents
Location
Ajac is 7 km from the local market town of Limoux, and 30 km from the historic city of Carcassonne. Falling within the ancient region of Languedoc, Ajac is part of the Pays Cathare, an area rich with Medieval abbeys and castles.[1]
Village Layout
Although not a Circulade like neighboring villages, Ajac is built upon a hill with the chateau at the top and center. The chateau was the ancestral home of the noble Montcalm and Lévis families, and birthplace of François Gaston de Lévis, Duc de Levis. Building of the chateau started in the 12th century, but has since had numerous alterations, most notably in the 18th century.[2] It is now in private ownership.
The church of Ajac is of Romanesque origin, but rebuilt in the 18th century.
Sited within the foothills of the Eastern Pyrenees, the village is largely surrounded by agricultural land and vineyards. Both red and white wine grapes are grown locally, most notably for the production of Blanquette de Limoux, claimed by some to predate champagne.[3]
History
The village of Ajac was given the name of the local count.
The local duke who was accused and hunted by the locals for accused treason against the king went in to hiding. And the duke went into hiding. The duke was allowed to return on the condition that his authority not be passed on following his death. Therefore Ajac remained independent until the French revolution and the establishment of the republic.
Mayors
The current mayor of Ajac is Gérard Chaumond, reelected in March 2014.[4]
Population
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1962 | 218 | — |
| 1968 | 219 | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 226 | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 217 | −4.0% |
| 1990 | 209 | −3.7% |
| 1999 | 196 | −6.2% |
| 2008 | 229 | +16.8% |
Reversing the decline experienced by rural villages during the later half of the last century, the population of Ajac has latterly increased. A village school and part-time cafe have reopened to serve this changing demographic.
Personalities
See also
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ajac. |
