| Brive-la-Gaillarde | ||
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Visitor center
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 Brive-la-Gaillarde
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Location within Limousin region
Brive-la-Gaillarde
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| Coordinates: 45°09′30″N 1°31′56″E / 45.1583°N 1.5321°ECoordinates: 45°09′30″N 1°31′56″E / 45.1583°N 1.5321°E | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Limousin | |
| Department | Corrèze | |
| Arrondissement | Brive-la-Gaillarde | |
| Intercommunality | Brive | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Philippe Nauche | |
| Area1 | 48.59 km2 (18.76 sq mi) | |
| Population (2008)2 | 49,675 | |
| • Density | 1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 19031 / 19100 | |
| Elevation | 102–315 m (335–1,033 ft) (avg. 142 m or 466 ft) |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
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Brive-la-Gaillarde (French pronunciation: [bʁiv la ɡajaʁd]; Limousin dialect of Occitan language: Briva la Galharda) is a commune of France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Corrèze department. It has around 50,000 inhabitants, while the population of the urban area was 89,260 in 1999. Although it is by far the biggest commune in Corrèze, the capital is Tulle. In French popular culture the town is associated to a song by Georges Brassens.
Contents
History[edit]
Even though the inhabitants settled around the 1st century, the city only started to grow much later. Starting around the 5th century, the original city starts to develop around a church dedicated to Saint-Martin-l'Espagnol. During the 12th century walls are built around the city and during the Hundred Years' War a second wall is built. These fortifications no longer exist and are now replaced by boulevards.
The commune was named "Brive" until 1919, when it was renamed "Brive-la-Gaillarde". The word "Gaillarde" (still used in current French) probably stands for bravery or strength in the city's name, but it can also refer to the city's walls. Brive now extends outside of its original boundaries into Malemort and Ussac.
During World War II, Brive-la-Gaillarde was a regional capital of the Resistance, acting as a seat of several clandestine information networks and several of the principal resistance movements, including the Armée secrète (or “Secret Army”) and the Mouvements Unis de la Résistance (or “United Movements of the Resistance”).
Brive-la-Gaillarde was the first city of Occupied France to liberate itself by its own means, on 15 August 1944. For this, the city received the “Croix de guerre 1939-1945” military decoration.
The medieval centre is mainly a commercial district with retail shops and various cafés. It is also the location of the city hall, the main police station, and the Labenche museum. One notable landmark outside the inner city is the Pont Cardinal, a bridge which used to be a crossing point for travelers from Paris to Toulouse.
Administration[edit]
The most recent mayors of Brive-la-Gaillarde were:
- 1966-1995: Jean Charbonnel
- 1995-2008: Bernard Murat
- 2008–present: Philippe Nauche
Population[edit]
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1793 | 5,847 | — |
| 1800 | 5,762 | −1.5% |
| 1806 | 7,608 | +32.0% |
| 1821 | 6,801 | −10.6% |
| 1831 | 8,031 | +18.1% |
| 1836 | 8,843 | +10.1% |
| 1841 | 8,350 | −5.6% |
| 1846 | 8,382 | +0.4% |
| 1851 | 8,889 | +6.0% |
| 1856 | 9,384 | +5.6% |
| 1861 | 9,854 | +5.0% |
| 1866 | 10,389 | +5.4% |
| 1872 | 10,765 | +3.6% |
| 1876 | 11,920 | +10.7% |
| 1881 | 14,182 | +19.0% |
| 1886 | 15,707 | +10.8% |
| 1891 | 16,803 | +7.0% |
| 1896 | 18,111 | +7.8% |
| 1901 | 19,496 | +7.6% |
| 1906 | 20,636 | +5.8% |
| 1911 | 21,486 | +4.1% |
| 1921 | 21,711 | +1.0% |
| 1926 | 24,049 | +10.8% |
| 1931 | 26,718 | +11.1% |
| 1936 | 29,074 | +8.8% |
| 1946 | 33,501 | +15.2% |
| 1954 | 36,088 | +7.7% |
| 1962 | 40,175 | +11.3% |
| 1968 | 46,561 | +15.9% |
| 1975 | 51,828 | +11.3% |
| 1982 | 51,511 | −0.6% |
| 1990 | 49,765 | −3.4% |
| 1999 | 49,127 | −1.3% |
| 2008 | 49,675 | +1.1% |
Transport[edit]
Brive-la-Gaillarde railway station offers connections to Limoges, Périgueux, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Toulouse, and several regional destinations. The A20 motorway connects Brive with Limoges and Toulouse, the A89 with Bordeaux.
Sport[edit]
The city is home to a rugby union team, CA Brive.
It also hosted the 2009 Junior World Rowing Championships.
Personalities[edit]
Brive-la-Gaillarde was the birthplace of:
- Guillaume Dubois (1656–1723), cardinal and statesman
- Pierre André Latreille (1762–1833), entomologist
- Guillaume Marie Anne Brune (1763–1815), marshal of France
- Cédric Villani (1973 -), mathematician; Fields Medalist in 2010
- Jean-Joseph Sanfourche was employed as a sales manager for the company Aumarchand, located in the Dordogne, and by a company in Brive
- Cédric Heymans (1978– ), French international rugby union player
- Dimitri Yachvili (1980– ), French international rugby union player
International relations[edit]
Twin towns – Sister cities[edit]
Brive-la-Gaillarde is twinned with:
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "British towns twinned with French towns". Archant Community Media Ltd. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
External links[edit]
- Official website (French)
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