| Beaumont-de-Lomagne | ||
| Location | ||
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| Time Zone | CET (GMT +1) | |
| Coordinates | ||
| Administration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | France | |
| Region | Midi-Pyrénées | |
| Department | Tarn-et-Garonne | |
| Arrondissement | Castelsarrasin | |
| Canton | Beaumont-de-Lomagne | |
| Mayor | Doctor Faustin LLIDO (1st) |
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| Statistics | ||
| Land area¹ | 46 km² | |
| Population² (1999) |
3959 | |
| - Density | 79/km² | |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | ||
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | ||
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Beaumont-of-Lomagne is a commune in France, located in the département of Tarn-et-Garonne and the region of Midi-Pyrénées. Inhabitants of Beaumont-de-Lomagne are called the Beaumontois.
Contents |
Geography
The river Gimone runs through the town.
History
Beaumont-de-Lomagne, bastide, was founded in 1276 following the act of coregency between the abbey of Grandselve and King Philip III of France - the King was represented by his seneschal for Toulouse, Eustace de Beaumarchais. The town was granted a very liberal charter of laws - by the standards of the period - in 1278, which defined the rights and the duties of its inhabitants. In 1280, work commenced on a vast church; its flat apse showing the influence of Cîtaux. The bell-tower, was made in the 15th century and resembled that of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse. The market hall, in the center of the town square, was designed to shelter the Saturday market. The construction of the church finished in around 1430 and the bishop of Montauban, driven out of his city by the English, in fact made it his church until 1432. The 14th century marked the beginning of the Hundred years war. Taken by the English in 1345, Beaumont was recaptured in 1350 but continued to undergo plunderings by "Great Companies" and through civil war due to the opposition of two military chiefs: Count of Foix and Jean I,Comte d'Armagnac. The century ended with an epidemic of the plague which killed 500. Beaumont, a catholic town was surrounded by 3 protestant towns: Montauban, Mas-Grenier and Mauvezin. In 1577, Henri III sold Beaumont to Henri III of Navarre (future Henri IV), chief of the Protestants from whom a troop came to massacre a hundred Beaumontois. In December 1580, 600 mercenaries of Montauban, demobilized, took Beaumont and remained there for 2 months, causing much damage. When peace returned, many Beaumontois adopted idea of tolerance advocated by Henri IV. In the 17th century, Louis XIII besieged several cities in the south-west, one of which was Beaumont. The "Chateau de Roi" was destroyed by royal decree. In 1639 Louis sold Beaumont to the Prince of Condé. Under Louis XIV, Beaumont was still under the jurisdiction of viscount Armand de Bourbon, prince de Conti, one of the nobility involved in the Fronde, Beaumont was therefore part of the rebellion which caused considerable losses to the town. There was an occupation of the town in 1651 by troops from the Prince revolting against the king. The incident finished without combat, but Beaumont, ruined, had to pay a large fine. A terrible epidemic of plague occurred during these events. In 1702, the town had only 2 400 inhabitants. With this period of peace, it undertook various works and became prosperous again. In 1777, the ramparts were destroyed. The warlike past of Beaumont was no more. After having sent a delegate to the States General, Beaumont created a revolutionary club. From 1790, the town formed part of the department of Haute-Garonne and was isolated to the profit of Grenade, its neighbour and rival, which became the chief town of district. In 1808, there were new department divisions by Napoleon: Beaumont was from then on in the Tarn-et-Garonne region. Nowadays, though the importance of large fairs has decreased, Beaumont remains an important agricultural market thanks to the cultivation of garlic. Of its past which was not without glory, it retains the memories thanks to its old buildings: the church, semi-fortress whose imposing mass dominates the town, the large market with the important covering as well as about fifteen private mansions the majority of which date from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Administration
List of mayors
- March 2001 - present: Faustin Llido, UMP party
Population
Historical population:
Places and monuments
- Hotel Toureilh (18th century) now the Town Hall
- 15th century covered market
- Statue of the mathematician Pierre Fermat
- Hotel Fermat 1500/1800 - Rue de Fermat
- House of the two crosses (16th century) - Rue de l'église
- Gothic Church Southerner and Toulouse octagonal bell-tower; its construction began around 1280
- Presbytery (around 15th century) - Rue de Presbytere
- House of the Lord of Argombat (XVIè) - Rue de l'église
- Hotel of the Saltworks then Rouble - Rue de Fermat
- House of Jean of Armagnac, (XVè century) - rue de la République
- Hotel of Noble (XVIIIè) - rue de la République
- Hotel Alders (XVIè and XVIIIè) - rue de Lomagne
- Cordeliers, Hospital St Jacques in XIIIè and XIVè, convent in XVIIè. - street Despeyrous
- Brood of Clarisses XVIIè - street Toureilh
- Hotel Long, fine of XVIIIè. - street Nationale
- Hotel of François Border - street Nationale
- House of François Darquier, - street Darquier
- Premières houses of Beaumont street Launac and street Toureilh
Famous people associated with the town
- The mathematician Pierre de Fermat was born in the town on August 20 1601.
