Pailhès, Ariège
Encyclopedia
Pailhès is a commune
in the Ariège
department in southwestern France
.
flows northwest through the southeastern part of the commune, crosses the village, then flows north through the middle of the commune.
.
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
of France stayed the night there. Many of the present day villagers now claim royal descent as a result of this visit.
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.
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.
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 Ariège
Ariège
Ariège is a department in southwestern France named after the Ariège River.- History :Ariège is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the counties of Foix and Couserans....
department in southwestern 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...
.
Geography
The LèzeLèze
The Lèze is a 70.3 km- long river in the Ariège and Haute-Garonne départements, southwestern France. Its source is in La Bastide-de-Sérou. It flows generally north...
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 LèzeLèze
The Lèze is a 70.3 km- long river in the Ariège and Haute-Garonne départements, southwestern France. Its source is in La Bastide-de-Sérou. It flows generally north...
.
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
County of Foix
The County of Foix was an independent medieval fief in southern France, and later a province of France, whose territory corresponded roughly the eastern part of the modern département of Ariège ....
and reached a high point when King Henri II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
of France stayed the night there. Many of the present day villagers now claim royal descent as a result of this visit.
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 ToulouseToulouse
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...
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.