La Barben

Coordinates: 43°37′51″N 5°10′38″E / 43.6308°N 5.1772°E / 43.6308; 5.1772
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La Barben
Commune
The Château of La Barben
The Château of La Barben
Coat of arms of La Barben
Coat of arms
Location of La Barben
Map
La Barben is located in France
La Barben
La Barben
La Barben is located in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
La Barben
La Barben
Coordinates: 43°37′51″N 5°10′38″E / 43.6308°N 5.1772°E / 43.6308; 5.1772
CountryFrance
RegionProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
DepartmentBouches-du-Rhône
ArrondissementAix-en-Provence
CantonPélissanne
IntercommunalityAix-Marseille-Provence
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Franck Santos[1]
Area
1
22.85 km2 (8.82 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
850
 • Density37/km2 (96/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
13009 /13330
Elevation87–204 m (285–669 ft)
(avg. 114 m or 374 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

La Barben (French pronunciation: [la baʁbɛ̃]; Occitan: La Barbent) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France.

The town is perhaps best known for its castle and its zoo.[3]

Geography[edit]

La Barben is located about 18 km northwest of Aix-en-Provence and 5 km east of Salon-de-Provence. Access to the commune is by the D572 road from Salon-de-Provence, which passes through the centre of the commune and continues east to Saint-Cannat. The D17 from Pélissanne to Éguilles forms the southwestern border of the commune. The D67E from Lambesc to Coudoux forms the southeastern border of the commune. The D22A comes from Pelissane and passes through the village, continuing as the D22 to join the D572 in the centre of the commune next to the zoo.[4]

The commune is served by routes 9 and 14 of the Libébus network.[5]

The Touloubre river flows through the centre of the commune from the east and continues west to join the Mediterranean Sea south of Saint-Chamas. The Vallat de Boulery forms the northern border of the commune as it flows west to join the Touloubre at the village. The Canal de Marseille comes from the south and passes through the centre of the commune continuing north-east.[4]

Climate[edit]

Town Sunshine

(hours/yr) 		Rain

(mm/yr)		 Snow

(days/yr)		 Storm

(days/yr)		 Fog

(days/yr)
National average 1,973 770 14 22 40
La Barben[7] - 580 2 20 8
Paris 1,661 637 12 18 10
Nice 2,724 767 1 29 1
Strasbourg 1,693 665 29 29 56
Brest 1,605 1,211 7 12 75

Weather Data for La Barben

Climate data for Salon-de-Provence
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 11.0
(51.8) 		12.4
(54.3) 		15.7
(60.3) 		18.4
(65.1) 		22.8
(73.0) 		26.9
(80.4) 		30.2
(86.4) 		29.7
(85.5) 		25.3
(77.5) 		20.6
(69.1) 		14.6
(58.3) 		11.4
(52.5) 		19.9
(67.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.1
(43.0) 		7.0
(44.6) 		9.9
(49.8) 		12.6
(54.7) 		16.7
(62.1) 		20.6
(69.1) 		23.6
(74.5) 		23.3
(73.9) 		19.4
(66.9) 		15.4
(59.7) 		10.0
(50.0) 		6.8
(44.2) 		14.3
(57.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.1
(34.0) 		1.6
(34.9) 		4.1
(39.4) 		6.8
(44.2) 		10.6
(51.1) 		14.3
(57.7) 		17.0
(62.6) 		16.8
(62.2) 		13.5
(56.3) 		10.2
(50.4) 		5.3
(41.5) 		2.2
(36.0) 		8.6
(47.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 50.9
(2.00) 		34.7
(1.37) 		35.7
(1.41) 		58.3
(2.30) 		48.9
(1.93) 		26.3
(1.04) 		10.6
(0.42) 		33.7
(1.33) 		78.2
(3.08) 		84.9
(3.34) 		67.0
(2.64) 		50.7
(2.00) 		579.9
(22.83)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 5.1 4.8 4.5 6.3 5.2 3.2 1.5 2.9 4.8 6.5 6.2 5.5 56.5
Source: Meteorological data for Salon-de-Provence - 59m altitude, from 1981 to 2010 January 2015

Neighbouring communes and villages[4][edit]

History[edit]

Middle Ages[edit]

The death of Queen Joanna I of Naples created a succession crisis for the County of Provence with the cities of the Union of Aix (1382-1387) supporting Charles III of Naples against Louis I, Duke of Anjou. The King of France, Charles VI, intervened and sent the Seneschal of Beaucaire, Enguerrand d'Eudin, who conquered La Barben in the summer of 1383. When Louis I died and his widow, Marie of Blois, Duchess of Anjou, arrived in Provence to defend the rights of her son, Louis II of Naples, she claimed that the seneschal gave her the city which she refused on the instruction of the King of France.[8]

Heraldry[edit]

Arms of La Barben
Arms of La Barben
 The official status of the arms remains to be determined

Blazon:
Party per pale, first Gules, an arched bridge Vert masoned in Sable; second Or, a chevron Azure between three leopard's heads of Sable erased affrontant tongued in Gules.

N.B. These arms do not respect the Rule of tincture and are therefore faulty.



Administration[edit]

List of Successive Mayors[9]

From To Name
1995 2006 Alain Ruault
2006 2008 Jean-Luc Vasserot-Merle
2008 2020 Christophe Amalric
2020 2026 Franck Santos

Demography[edit]

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Barbenais or Barbenaises in French.[10]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 316—    
1800 496+6.65%
1806 383−4.22%
1821 385+0.03%
1831 330−1.53%
1836 304−1.63%
1841 325+1.34%
1846 359+2.01%
1851 348−0.62%
1856 324−1.42%
1861 316−0.50%
1866 329+0.81%
1872 294−1.86%
1876 310+1.33%
1881 306−0.26%
1886 311+0.32%
1891 275−2.43%
1896 269−0.44%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 283+1.02%
1906 282−0.07%
1911 231−3.91%
1921 212−0.85%
1926 192−1.96%
1931 192+0.00%
1936 196+0.41%
1946 207+0.55%
1954 224+0.99%
1962 259+1.83%
1968 315+3.32%
1975 350+1.52%
1982 420+2.64%
1990 500+2.20%
1999 555+1.17%
2007 704+3.02%
2012 724+0.56%
2017 845+3.14%
Source: EHESS[11] and INSEE[12]

Culture and heritage[edit]

The Chateau de la Barben
At the zoo

Civil heritage[edit]

The commune has many buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

  • A Laundry at La Blancherie (18th century)[13]
  • A Chateau Garden on the D22 (17th century)[14]
  • A Bridge over the Canal de Marseille on RN572 (19th century)[15]
  • A Montjoie[Note 1] at La Baou[16]
  • The fortified Chateau de la Barben (11th century)[17]
  • A Farmhouse at La Baou (18th century)[18]
  • The Clos Farmhouse at Sufferchoix (15th century)[19]
  • A Farmhouse at Val d'Estable (18th century)[20]
Other sites of interest
Zoo Picture Gallery
  • Giraffes
    Giraffes
  • Panther
    Panther
  • Rhinoceros
    Rhinoceros
  • Wallaby
    Wallaby
  • Elephant
    Elephant
  • Capybara
    Capybara
  • Camel
    Camel
  • Bison
    Bison
  • Hippopotamus
    Hippopotamus
  • Lion
    Lion

Religious heritage[edit]

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

  • The Parish Church of Saint-Sauveur[21] The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
    • 2 Chairs (19th century)[22]
    • A Statue: Virgin and child (18th century)[23]
    • A framed Painting: the Transfiguration (1632)[24]
    • A Painting: Saint Jerome (17th century)[25]
  • The Benedictine Church of Saint-Sauveur (11th century)[26]
  • The Benedictine Convent of Saint-Victor-de-Danes at Le Mounestier (12th century)[27]
  • A Monumental Cross at Val d'Estable (17th century)[28]
  • A Monumental Cross at La Beaumé de Matelas (19th century)[29]

Notable people linked to the commune[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  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". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Official website for the zoo
  4. ^ a b c Google Maps
  5. ^ La Barben on the Libébus website (in French)
  6. ^ Paris, Nice, Strasbourg, Brest
  7. ^ Data from the Station at Salon-de-Provence, sources:Salon-de-Provence
  8. ^ Geneviève Xhayet, Supporters and adversaries of Louis d'Anjou during the war of the Union of Aix Archived 2015-07-23 at the Wayback Machine, Historical Provence, Fédération historique de Provence, Vol. 40, No. 162, "Autour de la guerre de l'Union d'Aix", 1990, p. 407 and 413 (note 61). (in French)
  9. ^ List of Mayors of France (in French)
  10. ^ Le nom des habitants du 13 - Bouches-du-Rhône, habitants.fr
  11. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet La Barben, EHESS (in French).
  12. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  13. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000215 Laundry (in French)
  14. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13001029 Chateau Garden (in French)
  15. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000211 Bridge over the Canal de Marseille (in French)
  16. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000441 Montjoie (in French)
  17. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00081199 IA13000219 Chateau de la Barben (in French)
  18. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000217 Farmhouse at La Baou (in French)
  19. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000214 Clos Farmhouse at Sufferchoix (in French)
  20. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000213 Farmhouse at Val d'Estable (in French)
  21. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00125709 Parish Church of Saint-Sauveur (in French)
  22. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM13001966 2 Chairs (in French)
  23. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM13001965 Statue: Virgin and child (in French)
  24. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM13001356 Framed Painting: the Transfiguration (in French)
  25. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM13001355 Painting: Saint Jerome (in French)
  26. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000218 Benedictine Church of Saint-Sauveur (in French)
  27. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000216 Benedictine Convent of Saint-Victor-de-Danes at Le Mounestier (in French)
  28. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000212 Monumental Cross at Val d'Estable (in French)
  29. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA13000210 Monumental Cross at La Beaumé de Matelas (in French)

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ A Stone or pile of stones used to mark a migratory trail, a pilgrimage route, the limit of a territory, or to commemorate a battle

External links[edit]

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