Carla-Bayle
Commune in Occitanie, France
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carla-Bayle is a commune in the department of Ariège in southwestern France. It was the birthplace of Pierre Bayle (1647–1706), a Protestant philosopher and writer known for his works on religious toleration and his early encyclopedia.
Carla-Bayle | |
|---|---|
 Town hall | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Carla-Bayle | |
  Carla-Bayle  Carla-Bayle | |
| Coordinates: 43°09′05″N 1°23′39″E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Occitania |
| Department | Ariège |
| Arrondissement | Saint-Girons |
| Canton | Arize-Lèze |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2023–2026) | Jean-François Sans[1] |
Area 1 | 35.52 km2 (13.71 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[2] | 787 |
| • Density | 22.2/km2 (57.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 09079 /09130 |
| Elevation | 236–411 m (774–1,348 ft) (avg. 396 m or 1,299 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
History
Originally named Carla-le-Comte, the commune became a center of Protestant Huguenot activity in the 16th century before the government suppressed it. Protestant philosopher and writer Pierre Bayle was born there, and was taught in his early years by his father, a Protestant minister. He briefly converted to Catholicism, before reverting to the Protestant Reform faith. His rejection of Catholicism led to his need to leave France. Later the government oppressed Protestants, who remained the majority in Carla. A Protestant stronghold, it was besieged by the royal army and its walls and chateau demolished.
During the revolution the commune was renamed Carla-le-Peuple. After the monarchy was restored it was renamed Carla-Bayle in honor of Pierre Bayle. Bayle's childhood home is now a museum and the town is home to many galleries and a number of artists.
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 602 | — |
| 1975 | 538 | −1.59% |
| 1982 | 469 | −1.94% |
| 1990 | 578 | +2.65% |
| 1999 | 645 | +1.23% |
| 2009 | 755 | +1.59% |
| 2014 | 773 | +0.47% |
| 2020 | 797 | +0.51% |
| Source: INSEE[3] | ||
