Figeac facts for kids

Figeac
	Figeac
	View of the old city of Figeac
	Coat of arms
Administration
Country	France
Region	Occitanie
Department	Lot
Arrondissement	Figeac
Canton	capital of 2 Cantons
Intercommunality	Pays de Figeac-Cajarc
Mayor	André Mellinger; (2014-2020)
Statistics
Elevation	170–451 m (558–1,480 ft); (avg. 311 m or 1,020 ft*)
Land area1	35.16 km2 (13.58 sq mi)
Population2	9,826 (2013)
- Density	279/km2 (720/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	46102/ 46100
Website	www.mairie-cahors.fr
	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.

Coordinates: 44°36′31″N 2°01′54″E / 44.6086°N 2.0317°E / 44.6086; 2.0317

Figeac (Occitan: Fijac) is a commune in southern France in the region of Occitanie. It is the sous-prefecture (capital) of the arrondissement of the same name in the Lot department.

It is also the capital of 2 cantons: Figeac-1 and Figeac-2.

History

In the late ninth century, the King Pepin I of Aquitaine founded a monastery in Figeac; the town developed around the monastery as an important city on the pilgrimage routes. In the 14th century, the walls of Figeac were built.

Figeac is on the via Podiensis, a major medieval pilgrimage trail which is part of the Way of St. James.

Geography

Figeac is on the southwestern edge of the central plateau (Massif Central), north of the valley of the Lot river, on the right bank of the Célé river, a left tributary of the Lot.

The commune has an area of 35.16 km² (13.58 sq mi) and its average altitude is 311 m (1,020 ft); at the city hall, the altitude is 200 m (660 ft).

Figeac and its neighboring *communes*

Figeac is surrounded by the communes:

Gers department: Camburat, Planioles, Viazac, Lunan, Capdenac, Faycelles, Béduer,Camboulit,Lissac-et-Mouret.

Climate

The climate of Figeac, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.

Population

With a population of 9,826, Figeac has a population density of 279 inhabitants/km².

The inhabitants of Figeac are known, in French, as Figeacois (women: Figeacoises).

People from or related to Figeac

Jean-François Champollion, the first translator of Egyptian hieroglyphs, was born in Figeac, where there is a Champollion Museum. On the "Place des écritures" ("Square of the Writings"), there is a giant copy of the Rosetta Stone, by Joseph Kosuth.
The actor Charles Boyer was also born in Figeac.