Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs

Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs (French pronunciation: [ʁaba le tʁwɑ sɛɲœʁ]; Occitan: Ravat) is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France.

Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
Ravat (Occitan)
A general view of Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
A general view of Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
Location of Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
Map
Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs is located in France
Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs is located in Occitanie
Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs
Coordinates: 42°51′24″N 1°33′13″E / 42.8567°N 1.5536°E / 42.8567; 1.5536
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentAriège
ArrondissementFoix
CantonSabarthès
IntercommunalityPays de Tarascon
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Yolande Denjean[1]
Area
1
26.96 km2 (10.41 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
366
 • Density14/km2 (35/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
09241 /09400
Elevation548–2,196 m (1,798–7,205 ft)
(avg. 625 m or 2,051 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Name

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The real name of the village is Rabat, but since 1931 the French post office administration has decided that the name has to be labelled as Rabat-les-Trois-Seigneurs to avoid a confusion with the city of Rabat in Morocco. Note that the village was called Rabat since Charlemagne in the 8th century, four centuries before Rabat in Morocco that was founded only in 1150.[clarification needed]

The expression "les trois seigneurs" means in French "of the three lords". It is a reference to a mountain called "Le pic des trois seigneurs" that close the Courbière valley in which Rabat is settled. The name come from the fact that three valleys (Courbière, Vicdessos, Couserans) are closed by this peak. As each of the valleys has a different lord, the peak is a place common to three lords and so is called "Peak of the three lords". A legend said that every year in summer, the three lords met on the flat stone at the top of the peak and discussed together.

The inhabitants of Rabat are called Rabatols in Occitan (the historical local language) or Rabatois.

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 260—    
1975 287+1.42%
1982 311+1.15%
1990 298−0.53%
1999 264−1.34%
2007 293+1.31%
2012 330+2.41%
2017 356+1.53%
Source: INSEE[3]

Geography

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The village of Rabat is settled in the valley of the Courbière, a mountain river. Most of the 15 km of the river are on the village territory.

History

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Man has settled in the valley of the Courbière since more than 17,000 years. Many archaeological artifacts from the Magdalenian period have been found in the valley (cavern of Bédheilac).

Sights

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Rabat church's older portion was built in the 10th century and has a famous wooden altarpiece.

Personalities

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Church of Rabat as seen from the road to Bédeilhac
 
Church of Rabat altarpiece

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE