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Castelnaudary is a commune of the Aude département in the Languedoc-Roussillon région in southwestern France. It is a market town, and the capital of the territory of Lauragais. The town is located 50km southeast of Toulouse, about midway along the route from that city to the Mediterranean. This route has been used since at least Roman times, and today carries road, motorway, rail and canal links. Castelnaudary is the main port of the Canal du Midi to which it owed a period of prosperity in the 17th Century when agricultural and manufactured produce became easier to export. The Grand Bassin in the town is at 7ha the largest open area of water in the canal, and is today its major pleasure port.

Contents 1 Facts 2 History 3 Monuments and Landmarks 4 Notable People 5 Miscellaneous 6 External link 7 References

• Population: 11,600 (Chauriens or Castelnaudariens).
• Postal code: 11400
• INSEE code: 11076
• Area: 47.72 km²
• Average altitude: 165 m
• Market day: Monday

• 1103. First official mention of a settlement at Castelnaudary.
• 1211. During the Albigensian Crusade, Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester is besieged in Castelnaudary by the Count of Toulouse and the Count of Foix.
• 1235. Arrival of the Papal inquisition whose initial attempts to identify and persecute Cathars were unsuccessful due to the solidarity of the townsfolk.
• 31st October 1355. During the 100 Years War, the town is sacked by the Black Prince who travelling from Bordeaux, ravaged the weaker towns of Gascony and then the Lauragais as far as Narbonne. The town was pillaged and the inhabitants massacred. The town's walls were not rebuilt until 10 years later.
• 1477. The town becomes the capital of the comté of Lauragais under Louis XI of France.
• 1632. The capture of Henri II de Montmorency just outside the town leads to his execution at Toulouse on the orders of Cardinal Richelieu.
• 15th May 1681. Commissioning of the Canal du Midi.
• 1754. Construction of L'Ile de la Cybèle.
• 1814. Marshal Soult withdraws to the town after the Battle of Toulouse before signing a final surrender at Naurouze.

• L'Apothicairerie de l'Hôpital
• Le Collégiale Saint-Michel
• Les Ecluses Saint-Roch
• Le Grand Bassin
• L'Halle aux Grains
• L'Ile de la Cybèle.
• Le Moulin de Cugarel
• Le Présidial
• La Chapelle Notre-Dame de Pitié

Castelnaudary was the birthplace of:

• Pierre de Castelnau d1208
• Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil (1643 - 1725)
• Antoine-François Andréossy (1761-1828)
• Antoine Marfan (1858-1942), pediatrician
• Georges Canguilhem (1904-1995), philosopher and member of the Académie française who specialized in the philosophy of science

The 4th Foreign Regiment of the French Foreign Legion has been based in Castelnaudary since 1976, and the base is open to the public on 30 April and at Christmas.

Castelnaudary is the self-proclaimed "World Capital of Cassoulet". The correct ingredients of this extremely filling dish are a matter of sometimes heated debate, but it should generally include haricot beans, duck confit, pork, Toulouse sausages, vinegar, red wine, herbs, seasoning. Some versions of the recipe can take two days to make. The traditional container is an earthernware pot in the shape of a shallow inverted cone.

• Official website (in French)

Catlos, Brian (2004). The Rough Guide to Languedoc and Roussillon. Rough Guides, 107-110. ISBN 1-84353-244-1. 

André, Jacques (2003). Guide du Canal du Midi. Vert-Azur, 107-113. ISBN 2-911793-01-3. 

Coordinates: 43°19′07″N, 1°57′13″E