Carpentras

For the Renaissance composer of the same name, see Carpentras (composer).

Carpentras (French pronunciation: [kaʁpɑ̃tʁa], formerly [kaʁpɑ̃tʁas];^[3] Provençal Occitan: Carpentràs in classical norm or Carpentras in Mistralian norm; Latin: Carpentoracte) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.

Carpentras
Subprefecture and commune
Town hall
Coat of arms
Location of Carpentras
Carpentras Show map of France Carpentras Show map of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Coordinates: 44°03′21″N 5°02′56″E
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Vaucluse
Arrondissement	Carpentras
Canton	Carpentras
Intercommunality	CA Ventoux-Comtat Venaissin
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Serge Andrieu[1]
Area 1	37.92 km2 (14.64 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	30,854
• Density	810/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	84031 /84200
Elevation	56–212 m (184–696 ft) (avg. 95 m or 312 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

As capital of the Comtat Venaissin, it was frequently the residence of the Avignon popes; the Papal States retained possession of the Venaissin until the French Revolution. Nowadays, Carpentras is a commercial center for Comtat Venaissin and is famous for the black truffle markets held from winter to early spring.

Carpentras briefly held France's all-time high-temperature record, during the heatwave of June 2019.^[4]

History

Classical antiquity

The Carpentras Stela, found in the town in 1704, was the first Northwest Semitic (i.e. Canaanite or Aramaic) inscription published anywhere in modern times.^[5]

Carpentras was a commercial site used by Greek merchants in ancient times, and known to Romans at first as Carpentoracte Meminorum, mentioned by Pliny, then renamed Forum Neronis ("Forum of Nero"); the city retains a Roman triumphal arch, that has been enclosed by the bishops' palace, rebuilt in 1640, now a law court, and a machicolated city gate, the Porte d'Orange.

Hôtel-Dieu in Carpentras.

Ancient Diocese of Carpentras

For the history of the bishopric of Carpentras, see Ancient Diocese of Carpentras.

Middle Ages

At the beginning of the Avignon Papacy, Pope Clement V took up residence, along with the Roman Curia, in Carpentras in 1313. His successor, Pope John XXII, settled definitively at Avignon.

Municipal library

Joseph-Dominique d'Inguimbert, Bishop of Carpentras from 1735 to 1754, established a great scholarly library which Jean-François Delmas, the chief librarian as of 2009, has called "the oldest of our municipal libraries"; known as the Bibliothèque Inguimbertine and now holding around 140,000 books, it is known to bibliophiles all over France and is scheduled to move into roomier quarters in the former Hôtel-Dieu in 2013.^{[6][full citation needed]}

French Revolution and return to France

Until 1791, Carpentras was part of the Papal States, not of the Kingdom of France.

Like most communities across France, Carpentras played a role in the 1789-1799 French Revolution, particularly during the rule of the French Directory. After the 'Anti-Royalist' September 4, 1797 Coup of 18 Fructidor, on October 22, 1797, counter-revolutionaries take the city's government and hold it in protest for 24 hours.

Jewish community

Into the 20th and 21st centuries, Carpentras has been an important centre of French Judaism and is home to the oldest synagogue in France, which opened in 1367 and is still active today^[when?]. The Jewish cemetery was desecrated by members of the French and European Nationalist Party in May 1990, causing a public uproar and a demonstration in Paris that was attended by 200,000 people, including then-president François Mitterrand.^[7]

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 9,900 —     1800 8,489 −2.17% 1806 9,674 +2.20% 1821 9,099 −0.41% 1831 9,817 +0.76% 1836 9,224 −1.24% 1841 9,776 +1.17% 1846 10,198 +0.85% 1851 10,711 +0.99% 1856 10,891 +0.33% 1861 10,918 +0.05% 1866 10,848 −0.13% 1872 10,524 −0.50% 1876 10,479 −0.11% 1881 9,699 −1.54% 1886 9,685 −0.03% 1891 9,778 +0.19% 1896 10,797 +2.00%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 10,443 −0.66% 1906 10,721 +0.53% 1911 11,390 +1.22% 1921 11,191 −0.18% 1926 11,805 +1.07% 1931 12,632 +1.36% 1936 13,732 +1.68% 1946 14,222 +0.35% 1954 15,076 +0.73% 1962 18,199 +2.38% 1968 21,388 +2.73% 1975 24,251 +1.81% 1982 24,838 +0.34% 1990 24,212 −0.32% 1999 26,090 +0.83% 2007 28,526 +1.12% 2012 28,520 −0.00% 2017 28,309 −0.15%
Source: EHESS[8] and INSEE (1968–2017)[9]

Geography

Carpentras stands on the banks of the river Auzon, a tributary of the Sorgue. It is 23 km southwest of Mont Ventoux, and 23 km northeast of Avignon. Carpentras station has rail connections to Sorgues and Avignon.

Climate

In the Köppen climate classification, Carpentras has a borderline humid subtropical (Cfa),^[10] and hot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa) with cool winters and hot summers. The rainiest seasons are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October), where heavy downpours may happen.

Climate data for Carpentras (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1963–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	21.0 (69.8)	23.1 (73.6)	28.1 (82.6)	30.8 (87.4)	35.4 (95.7)	44.3 (111.7)	41.6 (106.9)	42.2 (108.0)	36.0 (96.8)	31.2 (88.2)	24.9 (76.8)	21.5 (70.7)	44.3 (111.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	11.1 (52.0)	12.8 (55.0)	17.1 (62.8)	20.4 (68.7)	24.6 (76.3)	29.1 (84.4)	32.3 (90.1)	31.9 (89.4)	26.4 (79.5)	21.1 (70.0)	15.0 (59.0)	11.3 (52.3)	21.1 (70.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	6.1 (43.0)	6.9 (44.4)	10.5 (50.9)	13.6 (56.5)	17.7 (63.9)	21.7 (71.1)	24.4 (75.9)	24.0 (75.2)	19.5 (67.1)	15.3 (59.5)	9.9 (49.8)	6.5 (43.7)	14.7 (58.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	1.0 (33.8)	1.1 (34.0)	4.0 (39.2)	6.9 (44.4)	10.8 (51.4)	14.4 (57.9)	16.5 (61.7)	16.1 (61.0)	12.7 (54.9)	9.5 (49.1)	4.9 (40.8)	1.8 (35.2)	8.3 (46.9)
Record low °C (°F)	−15.4 (4.3)	−12.5 (9.5)	−11.8 (10.8)	−2.9 (26.8)	0.1 (32.2)	4.4 (39.9)	7.6 (45.7)	6.7 (44.1)	2.2 (36.0)	−3.1 (26.4)	−9.0 (15.8)	−12.0 (10.4)	−15.4 (4.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	46.3 (1.82)	34.2 (1.35)	41.3 (1.63)	61.1 (2.41)	55.6 (2.19)	41.7 (1.64)	25.7 (1.01)	40.6 (1.60)	98.7 (3.89)	87.6 (3.45)	90.8 (3.57)	41.9 (1.65)	665.5 (26.20)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	5.9	4.8	5.1	6.8	6.3	4.5	3.0	3.7	5.5	6.6	7.9	5.6	65.8
Source: Meteociel[11]

Economy

• Roux Graineterie of Carpentras

Traditions

Truffle market in Carpentras

Carpentras is famous for the truffle market that takes place every Friday morning during the winter months.^[12]

Its traditional confectionery is the berlingot, a small hard candy with thin white stripes, originally made from the syrup left over from conservation of fruits.

Personalities

Carpentras was the birthplace of (chronologically):

• Carpentras (also known as Elzéar Genet) (c.1470–1548), prominent early Renaissance composer
• Hercule Audiffret (1603–1659), orator and Superior General of the Congrégation des Doctrinaires
• Louis Archimbaud (1705–1789), composer and organist of Carpentras Cathedral
• Joseph Duplessis (1725–1802), portraitist
• Jean-Pierre-Xavier Bidauld (1743–1813), painter
• Jean-Joseph-Xavier Bidauld (1758–1846), painter
• Alexis-Vincent-Charles Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym, (1765–1851), author and demonologist
• Victor Olivier de Puymanel (1768–1799), French Navy volunteer, and adventurer in Vietnam
• François-Vincent Raspail (1794–1878), chemist, physiologist, and socialist
• Jean-Joseph Bonaventure Laurens (1801–1890), painter, lithographer, musician
• Édouard Daladier (1884–1970) politician and Prime Minister of France at the start of the Second World War
• Daniel Lazard (1941–), computer scientist
• Bruno Boscherie (1950–), fencer, Olympic Gold medalist
• Christophe Maé (1975–), musician and composer
• Éric Salignon (1982–), racing driver
• Thomas Mangani (1987–), professional footballer
• Raphaël Cacérès (1987–), professional footballer

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Carpentras is twinned with:

• Vevey, Switzerland^[13]
• Seesen, Germany
• Ponchatoula, Louisiana, USA
• Camaiore, Italy

See also

• Arch of Carpentras
• Communes of the Vaucluse department
• Henri Raybaud
• Hôtel-Dieu of Carpentras