- Marciac
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Marciac
MarciacAdministration Country France Region Midi-Pyrénées Department Gers Arrondissement Mirande Canton Marciac] Intercommunality Bastides et Vallons du Gers Mayor Jean-Louis Guilhaumon
(2008–2014)Statistics Elevation 142–247 m (466–810 ft)
(avg. 154 m/505 ft)Land area1 20.60 km2 (7.95 sq mi) Population2 1,231 (2008) - Density 60 /km2 (160 /sq mi) INSEE/Postal code 32233/ 32230 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: 43°31′30″N 0°09′45″E / 43.525°N 0.1625°E
Marciac is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France. It is known for its annual international jazz festival, which runs for a fortnight every summer.
Contents
Features
The town is characteristic of the bastides in the area - central village square with the town hall a main feature, with the village shops clustered along the four sides of the square. Wide arched pavements allow dining out of doors in the summer, when music is piped around the square. The town convent (now the town hall and cinema) and church steeples are lit up at night. The town is also home to many restaurants, including "Le Monde A L'Envers" (The World Upside Down), run by London chef Victoria Heath.
Population
Historical population of Marciac 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2008 996 1065 1131 1119 1211 1160 1231 Jazz
A great emphasis is placed on jazz in the town, which is taught as a regular subject in local schools. The town itself is known for its annual 'Jazz in Marciac' festival, held for a fortnight in August. A marquee ('le chapiteau') capable of seating 5,000(6,000) is erected on the rugby field, with( a concert every night) two concerts hosted there every night for the duration of the festival,and free music from 1100 till 2000 every day. Stalls selling a variety of related and non-related merchandise are erected in and around the centre of the village square, where free concerts are given during the day. Other musical events take place around the town at the same time, such as the 'Atelier de Jazz'.
Personalities
- Jean Laforgue, born in Marciac in 1782, is mainly known for having edited and censored the first edition (known as Edition Laforgue) of Giacomo Casanovas memoirs, Histoire de ma vie.
See also
References
External links
Categories:- Communes of Gers
- Gers geography stubs
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