History of France: the city of Foix and Henry IV (Navarre) – the future king of France and the founder of the Bourbon dynasty

History of France: the city of Foix and Henry IV (Navarre) – the future king of France and the founder of the Bourbon dynasty

849: Submission of the Abbey of Foix by Charles “Bald” (Charles le Chauve) to Abbey of Saint-Tiberius

Around 1002: the first mention of the Chateau de Foix

1167: All new inhabitants of Foix were granted the privileges to live in the city of Roger Bernard the First and his wife, Cécile Trencavel

1272: the reign of Philip the Third (Philippe III) the Brave, who settled in the castle

1290: Count of Foix inherits Béarn and leaves Foix

Around 1330-1360: construction of the second castle tower

1390: Eight of 59 Foix mills built

1446: Gaston IV, father of Jean de Narbonne, gives 400 crowns for the construction of the bridge in Foix

1454-1457: main work on the construction of the main Foix bridge

1581: Protestant destruction of the church and abbey of Foix

1582: the reunification of the Catholics of Foix, the beginning of the religious wars

1589: Henri de Navarre, Count of Foix, becomes king of France

1804: Saint Volusien Abbey Buildings partially destroyed by fire

January 13, 1840: the prefect shot the peasants at the Kings Fair (la foire des Rois) – 12 dead and about 50 wounded

1985: construction of the cultural center of Foix

March 17, 1985 – the first elections in the new settlements of Foix Ville and Foix Rural

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Foix – the most touristy city of Ariège (France)

Foix – the most touristy city of Ariège (France)

Foix is a city in which (2018) 9,721 people live. It is part of an agglomeration called Country Foix Varilhes (32,000 inhabitants), which, in turn, is part of the Ariège department, with a population of 160,000 inhabitants.

About 90,000 tourists visit the city annually.

The political structure (as of November 2018): the Municipal Council of Foix is made up of 29 municipal councilors, most of whom (24 councilors) are socialists associated with the Europe-écologie-les Verts (left) party. There are 3 elected Republicans (right) and 2 representatives of France’s insoumise (extreme left). Members of the municipal council are elected for a term of 6 years. The next elections will be held in March 2020.

Initially, on the rocky hill where the Château de Foix castle is now located, the Romans built the first defensive fortress. The city of Foix owes its origin to the construction of Charlemagne’s chapel, which later (849) became the abbey of Saint Volusien.

The founding of the abbey in 849 caused an active city life to begin in the town and its surroundings in the 10th century up to the 12th century. The city reached its peak in the fourteenth century.

In 1536, the first sermon of the Reformation began in Foix, and in 1579 the church of Montgauz was destroyed. The same fate awaited the abbey and its church in 1581.

The following year, Foix was restored by the Catholics, and in 1589, Count of Foix, Henry the Great, King of Navarre, was crowned king of France and became Henry IV.

Sights and what to see?

Among the main attractions of the city is the castle (Chateau de Foix). The documented history of the castle begins in 987. From 1034, it became the main citadel of the county of Foix, which played a prominent role in the history of medieval France. Since the 1890s, it has been one of France’s monuments of history and culture.

Today, the Chateau de Foix is one of the most interesting sights in the Southern Pyrenees. This majestic citadel, towering on a rocky hill above the city of the same name, is listed by the French Ministry of Culture on the list of monuments of national importance. The three towers – the main architectural elements of this castle – are examples of fortification art from different periods. The two square towers belong to the XII century, and a large round tower was built in the XV century.

Chateau de Foix, whose foundation dates back to the tenth century, was a strong fortress that withstood Simon de Montfort IV’s repeated attacks between 1211 and 1217 during the Albigoi crusade.

In 1272, when Count Foix refused to recognize the sovereignty of the king of France, Philip “Bald” personally took over the leadership of the expedition against the city, after which the count gave up.

In 1290, at a meeting in the Béarn district and the county of Foix, the city was practically abandoned by the counts. Gaston the Third was the last to live in the castle, and by the sixteenth century the castle had lost its military purpose.

Subsequently, the castle was used as a prison until 1864.

Other interesting attractions to see include:

The court building (1811) – the governor’s palace of Foix, which then became the property of the state.
Arget Square: an 18th century stone fountain (made of sandstone)

Street Rue des Chapeliers – in house number 23 the hotel Sere-Treville (belonged to the family of Treville, captain of the musketeers of the king, a friend of D’Artagnan) was previously located.

Rue du Palais de Justice is the first residential street of the city where the first church of Foix was built.

Rue de l’Arget street – here there are two medieval towers

Rue de la préfecture street – a house with caryatids

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The history of Catalonia: the city of Ripoll and the Romanesque monastery of Santa Maria

The history of Catalonia: the city of Ripoll and the Romanesque monastery of Santa Maria

The first mentions of the presence of people in Ripoll belong to the Bronze Age (1500-600 BC). This information refers to small, disparate settlements near the Ter and Freser rivers, surrounded by mountains. The findings of bronze objects and tools confirm these assumptions.

In the IX century, residents of the surrounding areas began to concentrate around the place that today is called the city of Ripoll. The initiator of the settlement in this area was Count Wilfred the Hairy (Guifré el Pelós) (840-897).

This historical character of French origin, considered one of the fathers of the Catalan nation, founded in 879 the Romanesque monastery of Santa Maria. The monastery was governed by a community of monks on the orders of St. Benedict. The first head of the monastic community was Abbot Oliba, whose name is associated with the main stages of the formation of the monastery as the center of lands in the area of Ripoll. These works were closely associated with the increase in the political, economic and jurisdictional power of the monastery in Catalonia.

For the sake of their security, the Ripolians settled near the monastery, which built a wall in the XIV century in order to guarantee peace for the population and not to be attacked from the outside. Security, as well as the construction of a water channel from the Fraser River, provoked the development of trade in the region. The water channel became the most powerful economic engine for the population and contributed to the development of industries such as iron processing, weaving, and woodworking.

In 1428, however, the monastery and its walls suffered serious damage as a result of an earthquake. The restoration of the monastery, which took place in the 15th century, led to the appearance of arches and vaults already in the Gothic style. However, the structure of the church has not been changed.

The city itself continued to develop beyond the destroyed walls of the monastery, when two new districts and new quarters appeared. And the precipice on the other side of the river Ter, formed as a result of the earthquake, was chosen by the abbot Climent Mai in 1573 as the site for the construction of the first Ripoll hospital.

Despite the fact that the population respected the monastery, confrontations between the monastery and the villagers, who in one way or another wanted to get rid of economic control and pressure from the abbey, were not uncommon in that era.

This situation was exacerbated by the consequences of military conflicts. First of all, we are talking about the so-called Spanish-French War of the Reapers 1640-1659 (Guerra dels Segadors) and the presence of French troops in the territory of Ripoll.

During the 16th and 18th centuries, Ripoll experienced rapid economic growth, in particular, thanks to the manufacturing of firearms (cannons, muskets). This fact made Ripoll one of the main weapon centers of both Spain and all of Europe.

In parallel, the city developed textile production, a chocolate factory appeared, and mills were built for the production of flour. This situation persisted until the beginning of the XIX century. During the War of Independence (1808-1814), the French often attacked Ripoll. The walls of the city suffered serious damage.

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The cradle of Catalonia: Ripoll and its tourist attractions

The cradle of Catalonia: Ripoll and its tourist attractions

Ripoll (Catalan version – Ripoll) is a municipality in Spain, which is part of the province of Girona in the autonomous community of Catalonia. The municipality is part of the Ripollès district.

The city is located in a picturesque green mountain gorge where you can find the confluence of two rivers: Ter and Freser.

The first mentions of the presence of people in Ripoll belong to the Bronze Age (1500-600 BC). This information refers to small, disparate settlements near the Ter and Freser rivers, surrounded by mountains. The findings of bronze objects and tools confirm these assumptions.

In the IX century, residents of the surrounding areas began to concentrate around the place that today is called the city of Ripoll. The initiator of the settlement in this area was Count Guifré el Pelós (840-897).

Ripoll, because of its strategic location at the crossroads and because of its early industrial and business activities — the cradle of Catalonia’s industrialization — has always been the focus of French and Spanish military conflicts throughout history.

Throughout its history, Ripoll served as a major industrial center, primarily associated with metallurgy and iron processing. For example, in the 16th and 18th centuries, the city was known throughout Europe for its connection with the production of firearms, mainly cannons and muskets.

However, the equally important role of the city is the cultural heritage of Catalonia. Not without reason, at the end of the 19th century the phrase “Ripoll – the cradle of Catalonia” appeared. And one of the best Catalan writers of all time, Jacint Verdaguer, in his Canigó poem describes the city in the 11th song:

“In Ripoll, we discover the quintessence of modernism in architecture, created during technological progress and industrialization in the vicinity of the Ter and Freser rivers”.

Major tourist attractions and what to see:

The main architectural landmark of the city is the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll. This is one of the most famous and memorable historic buildings in Catalonia. Gothic basilica, vaults and arches make it a must-visit for art lovers. Many famous names in Catalan history are associated with the monastery: Count Gifre the Hairy (Guifré el Pelós), considered as one of the fathers of the Catalan nation, Abbot Oliba, Count Ramon Berenguer III and IV, Bishop Josep.

Opening hours:

Summer schedule (from April 1 to September 30)

Morning: from 10:00 to 14:00.

Afternoon: from 16:00 to 19:00.

Sunday and public holidays: from 10:00 to 14:00

From June 26 to September 11

On Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00.

Winter hours (from October 1 to March 30)

Morning: from 10:00 to 13:30.

Afternoon: from 15:30 to 18:00.

Sunday and public holidays: from 10:00 to 14:00.

December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 6: CLOSED

December 24 and 31 and January 5: from 10:00 to 14:00.

The Ethnographic Museum of Ripoll is also a must-visit as it is considered to be the main ethnographic museum in Catalonia.

The museum, in particular, features the L’Scriptorium Archive, an important tourist attraction in Ripoll. The archive contains the original manuscripts written by the Benedictine monks of the monastery of Santa Maria. Many of the documents date back to the 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries. The archive in Ripoll is named as one of the most important artefacts of Europe from a paleographic, textual and artistic point of view. In particular, in the archive you can see the originals of two great handwritten Bibles from the 11th century.

The L’Scriptorium Archive is a permanent exhibition that, interactively and didactically, makes it possible to discover the cultural past of the Monastery of Santa Maria.

Opening hours:

September to June

From Tuesday to Saturday: from 10:00 to 13:30 and from 16:00 to 18:00

Sunday and public holidays: from 10:00 to 14:00

July August

From Tuesday to Saturday: from 10:00 to 13:30 and from 16:00 to 19:00

Sunday and public holidays: from 10:00 to 14:00

* Mondays of August: from 10 to 14 hours

Prices: 4 euros. The last Sunday of every month is free.

Address: Plaça de l’Abat Oliba s / n 17500 Ripoll, telephone: 972 703 144

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Thermal tourism and SPA. Hydrogen sulfide baths with hot water in the open air. Saint-Thomas-les-Bains, East Pyrenees, France

Thermal tourism and a healthy lifestyle. Hydrogen sulfide baths with hot water in the open air. Saint-Thomas-les-Bains, East Pyrenees, France

Imagine an amphitheater made of stone, in the center of which is a blue lagoon, and next to it is a round pool for children. This is the outer part of the thermal complex of San Thomas (Saint-Thomas-les-Bains).

The thermal water of the San Thomas complex is one of the warmest Pyrenean springs (it can reach 58°C). The water temperature in the lagoon ranges between 34° to 38° (depending on the time of year).

The outdoor pools are equipped with a jacuzzi, massage jets and temperature-controlled “sulfuric” showers.

The chemical composition of the water (1 litre):

Sodium Sulfur – 0.0222

Sodium – 0.0210

Sodium bicarbonate – 0.0478

Silicon Dioxide – 0.0620

Sodium Chloride – 0,0150

Sodium Sulphate – 0,0110

Lime sulfate, lime and magnesia – 0,0200

Nitrogen substance – 0,0600.

The healing properties of water are known to moisturize the skin, heal wounds, and can be used for relaxation therapies.

In addition to the three outdoor pools, the thermal complex includes a visit to the steam bath (hammam) with eucalyptus essential oils and a course of color therapy. Inside the complex there is also a sauna and jacuzzi. Among the procedures of massage rooms you can find mud baths, wraps, modern methods of facial and body care. There is also a tea room.

Age restrictions (internal SPA)- children up to 12 years.

Near the complex is a laboratory which manufactures cosmetics.

The baths were reconstructed in 1993.

Opening hours:
Sunday 10 AM-7:40 PM
Monday 10 AM-7:40 PM
Tuesday 10 AM-7:40 PM
Wednesday 10 AM-7:40 PM
Thursday 10 am-7:40 pm
Friday 10 am-7:40 pm
Saturday 10 am-7:40 pm

How to get there?

From Andorra: take the N145, N260 and N152 to Puigcerda, then the N152 and N154 to the border of Spain and France, then the D63 and D30 to N116 (road to Perpignan). After the village of Haut-Conflent, turn onto the CD28, which leads to the village of Saint-Thomas (1099 m), and then follow the signs to Saint-Thomas-les-Bains (altitude 1156 m).

From Perpignan: N116. After the village of Haut-Conflent, turn onto the CD28, which leads to the village of Saint-Thomas (1099 m), and then follow the signs to Saint-Thomas-les-Bains (altitude 1156 m). The road is very picturesque! The nearest village is Fontpédrouse (2, 5 km).

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