Villefranche-de-Rouergue (; often known as Rouergue (Languedocien: Vilafranca de Roergue ) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Villefranche-de-Rouergue station has rail connections to Toulouse, Figeac and Aurillac.
History
At the end of the Albigensian Crusade from the northern "barons" against the southern Occitania on a religious pretext (fighting the Cathar heresy), the count of Toulouse was defeated and concluded the Treaty of Paris in 1229. With this, the Count gave the Rouergue county to his daughter. She married Alphonse de Poitiers, brother of Saint Louis, King of France. Alphonse founded Villefranche on the place of an old village called La Peyrade in 1252.
In 1348 it was so flourishing that sumptuary laws were passed. Soon afterwards the town fell into the hands of Edward the Black Prince, but was the first place in Guyenne to rise against the English. New privileges were granted to the town by Charles V, but these were taken away by Louis XI.
- Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Pula, Croatia
- Sarzana, Italy
Population
Climate
See also
- Villefranche XIII Aveyron
- Émilie de Rodat
- Armand-François Chateauvieux, dramatist and playwright born in Villefranche-de-Rouergue (1770)
- Communes of the Aveyron department
References
External links
- Villefranche-de-Rouergue official website
- Tourist office website
- Pictures of Villefranche-de-Rouergue in "Paysages d'Aveyron"
- Walking in the streets of Villefranche-de-Rouergue Part I/Part II/Part III