Aups

French commune
nomcommune=Aups
région=Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
département=Var
arrondissement=Brignoles
canton=Aups
insee=83007
cp=83630
maire=Antoine Faure
mandat=2008-
intercomm=
longitude=6.22482654
latitude=43.62843140
alt moy=505 m
alt mini=390
alt maxi=1077 m
hectares=6415
km²=64.15
sans=1903
date-sans=1999
dens=30
date-dens=1999

Aups is a commune in the Var department in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in southern France. The name of Aups in Occitan Provençal of Mistralian norm is Z'Aup (pronounced "Zaou").

Geography

Located in Provence at 500m alt, Aups is in the first foothills of the Alps. The town is at the gates of Verdon River, at 60km from the sea and 80km from the snow stations. Aups is named "Capital of Haut-Var" and "Capital of truffle" and is integrated in the "Parc naturel régional du Verdon" since 2000.Its typically Mediterranean climate make the village a heathly place to live.

History

The village was named "Oppidum de Alpibus" then "Castrum de Alpibus", "castrum de Almis", then "Alps" and now Aups. The place was colonized by the Oxybians during the Ancient Rome, near of Via Aurelia going from Fréjus ("Forum Julii") to Riez ("Forum Reii"). Julius Caesar has visited Aups ("Castrum de Alpibus") on the way of the conquest of Gaul and has said « I prefer to be the first in Aups than to be the second in Roma ».

The town has been looted by the Huguenots in 1574. They massacred 18 Aupsois. A "Maiden of the massacre" was erected on the torture place, in the Clock street. Aups was the centre of the Var Republican insurgency in 1851 against the coup d'Etat of Napoleon III. In December 10, the village was engaged in a real man hunt. Its nickname became "The red Center Var".

Aups was a high place of French resistance during World War II. The city earned the "Croix de guerre avec palmes".

Tourism

Truffles

Aups has the third largest black truffle market of France, known for its quality and importance. This market is held every Thursday from November to February.

Provençal Market

There is a colourful Provençal market, every Wednesday and Saturday featuring local products and handicrafts.

People from Aups

* The Blacas house - an old Provençal house, lords and dukes of Aups since the 12th century
* Pierre Petit (1831 - 1910) - photographer
* General Jean-Baptiste Girard (1775 - 1815) - Général and baron d'Empire who fought the Napoleonic Wars.
* J. R. R. Tolkien had a holiday house near of the village.

Pictures