Canet-in-Roussillon

Geography

Canet in Roussillon is located at the east of Perpignan (Perpinyà) , on the Mediterranean coast. The commune is divided into two distinct entities: Canet-in-Roussillon itself (the old center) and Canet-Beach (the seaside resort).
The mouth of the Small fireclay cup (the Small fireclay cup), river taking its source in Cerdagne (Cerdanya) , is located just at the north of the agglomération.
The city is bordered in the western south by the pond known as of Canet - Saint Nazaire (Sant Nazari) , is stretch of water brackish (approximately 3 km length for 2 km at the broadest point) having a fauna and a rather rich flora (presence of many species of birds).
Because of the strong automobile traffic forwarding between Canet and Perpignan, a Expressway ensures the connection between the two villes.

History

The occupation of the site of Canet goes back to Prehistory, as the discovery of outils.
attests it A Celtic tribe then settled forwards Jesus-Christ. A field of funeral urns of this period was excavated in the years 1970-1980 with the site of the current allotment of the Holm oaks (inter alia).
For the Roman period, Canet was undoubtedly used as maritime outlet for the town of Ruscino. A big number of goods was to forward by the beach. Traces of Roman occupation besides were discovered with the Puig Del Baja (located at the east of the current village, towards the sea) and were excavated in the years 1980 pennies the aegis of the association of the Friends of the Canet Old man. Ceramics was then exhumed, as well as the foundations of several constructions which could not be clearly identified because of their bad condition of conservation. On this same site were discovered more recent vestiges, tonic at the time wisigothic (S). There too ceramics was put at the day, as well as substructions letting think of the presence of a habitat wisigothique.
The habitat was fixed then on the site of the current village, near the castle, because of insecurity growing in this 8th siècle.
It is undoubtedly at that time that the first fortifications were established. The castle itself is quoted about 1050, under the reign of Gausfied II, then count of Roussillon. The lords of Canet were during the centuries which followed relatively powerful characters, having many terres.
In 1642, the city was put at evil by the French bombardments: many houses were destroyed, and the finally delivered city. At the beginning of the 18th century the fortress is definitively given up by the army: it will be used then as stone quarry with the population of the village.
At the 19th century, the ramparts are cut down (or at least portions which were not integrated into dwellings). The “sea bathings” and the activities related then start to develop, after some first steps at the 18th century. In 1900 the station is connected to Perpignan by a tram with metric gauge track (dismantled since, unfortunately…) : one then sees the establishment of many constructions " in dur" along the beach. In 1909, Canet-Beach is officially classified " station balnéaire". Rise was all the more large the following years with the introduction of paid vacations in 1936, in spite of the Second world war which gave a crushing argument of a few years to the development of the station.
Today Canet is always a dynamic city, summer like hiver.

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

The viscontal castle

the viscontal castle is attested as of the middle of the 11th century. Certain elements of the Rempart S go up at that time, just as the Saint Martin's day vault.
Of the rehandlings was carried out at the following centuries, in particular at the 14th century: a Patio, surrounded by galleries with stone columns, was established, just as the major part of the current external enclosure. It is at that time also that the Abside of the vault was equipped with a strengthened tower, which required the heightening of its apse. In 1688, a remarkable well with ice was established in the north of the vault. Definitively given up after the French revolution, the castle was then used as stone quarry for the inhabitants of the village. Today classified historic building, it is in the course of restoration by the Friends of the Canet Old man.

the Saint Martin's day vault of the castle was used as parish church at the village of Canet between second half of the 11th century and the beginning of the 16th century, where it was supplanted by the new Saint-Jacob church, more roomy. From the architectural point of view, the church had in the beginning a framed single nave and an apse arched in Cul of furnace. The nave was arched at the 12th century, and with the S, the apse was elevated to allow the establishment of a tower and a vault was grafted in the north of the nave. Building it remains today only the major part of the northern wall and the apse surmounted by the tower. Work of restoration allowed a total trade-in of the remaining facing of the walls, and the progressive rebuilding of the southern and western walls.

The old village

the church Saint-Jacob is mentioned in 1241 in the will of one of the lords of Canet. This writing mentions that the building is located apart from the walls of the city, which will be worth to him besides to be shaven at the 14th century by king d' Aragon. The king then decided to refund this damage by financing the construction of a new church. The building site was very long, and was completed only in 1408. One century later, at the beginning of the 16th century, work are probably undertaken (stone gone back to 1510 sealed in the current frontage), but whose exact content remains rather obscure: apparently it would be about a restoration of the nave. At the 17th century, the nave is equipped with two additional side chapels. At the conclusion of the Revolution, the majority of furniture was destroyed, except for rare elements. In the years 1890, one undertook a general repair of the building: restoration of the bell-tower, the frontage (stone carrying the date of 1892), and of the roof.
From the architectural point of view, the current church is with single nave, covered by a frame with arcs diaphragms. It is flanked of three vaults on both sides, and is finished by a pentagonal apse arched on intersecting ribs.
the old village is very picturesque, with its sinuous lanes, its shaded small squares and its beautiful residences, the majority restored or in the course of restoration, some going back to the 17th century.
the village was formerly strengthened. Besides there remain important vestiges of the strengthened enclosure , which was bored of three doors (at least) and was flanked of 14 turns. Altered at the 15th century, it was mainly destroyed at the 19th century. There remain about it however some relatively imposing vestiges, like the tower known as " bascule" , another close relation of old the " Carry mer" (street of the Virgin), and finally the tower " of in Pixa Cabres" , near the old mill, flanked of an imposing piece of curtain (the unit was recently restored).

The seaside

Walk of the seaside on more than 1,5 kilometer, of the port until Southern Canet. The walk can obviously continue so much towards north (Sainte-Marie) that towards the south (Saint-Cyprien), by the beach.

Personalities related to the commune

Laure Manaudou

See too

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