# Palalda

Palalda (French pronunciation: ; Catalan: Palaldà) is a former commune in Pyrénées-Orientales, now part of Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda.

## Geography

Palalda is located above the river Tech, to the northeast of Amélie-les-Bains and to the east of Montbolo.

## History

The first mention of Palalda is from the year 814, as being the western limit of the territory of Céret.
On 1 October 1942, the commune of Palalda is linked to Amélie-les-Bains to create the new commune of Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda.
42°29′02″N 2°40′29″E﻿ / ﻿42.48389°N 2.67472°E﻿ / 42.48389; 2.67472

## Politics and administration
### Canton

In 1790, Palalda is included in the canton of Arles, which remains the same after being united to Amélie-les-bains in 1942.

### Mayors

| Beginning | End | Name |
| 1844 | 1847 | François Vilascèque |
| 1847 | 1849 | Martin Bardetis |
| 1849 | 16.4.1855 | Martin Pagès |
| 16.5.1855 | 2.5.1857 | Martin Forga |
| 2.5.1857 | 1870 | Jean Cambouliu |
| 1870 | 2.1874 | François Alduy |
| 2.1874 | 8.10.1876 | Jean Bartre |
| 8.10.1876 | 30.9.1883 | Sauveur Dalmau |
| 30.9.1883 | 21.5.1884 | Pierre Dejaule |
| 21.5.1884 | 20.5.1888 | Joseph Cabanes |
| 20.5.1888 | 26.11.1899 | Laurent Alduy |
| 26.11.1899 | 15.5.1904 | Joseph Dagues (father) |
| 15.05.1904 | 25.5.1914 | Joseph Dagues (son) |
| 25.5.1914 | 10.12.1919 | Louis Villacèque |
| 10.12.1919 | 22.12.1921 | François Dagues |
| 22.12.1921 | 24.1.1922 | Jean Garrigue |
| 29.1.1922 | 17.5.1925 | Joseph Pauly |
| 17.5.1925 | 19.5.1929 | Antoine Forga |
| 19.5.1929 | 19.5.1935 | Joseph Baux |
| 19.5.1935 | 27.7.1941 | Michel Fons |
| 21.8.1941 | 1.10.1942 | Marti |

## Demography
### Ancien Régime

Population under the Ancien Régime is calculated either in number of feu fiscal (f, fire tax), or in number of inhabitants (H).
Historical population of Palalda (Source: Jean-Pierre Pélissier, Paroisses et communes de France : dictionnaire d'histoire administrative et démographique, vol. 66 : Pyrénées-Orientales, Paris, CNRS, 1986) :
| Year | 1378 | 1470 | 1515 | 1553 | 1709 | 1720 | 1730 | 1767 | 1774 | 1789 | 1790 |
| Population | 21 f | 10 f | 14 f | 14 f | 101 f | 100 f | 112 f | 546 H | 120 f | 200 f | 646 H |

### Modern times

Historical population of Palalda (Source: Jean-Pierre Pélissier, Paroisses et communes de France : dictionnaire d'histoire administrative et démographique, vol. 66 : Pyrénées-Orientales, Paris, CNRS, 1986) :
| Year | 1794 | 1796 | 1800 | 1804 | 1806 | 1820 | 1826 | 1831 | 1836 | 1841 | 1846 | 1851 | 1856 | 1861 | 1866 | 1872 | 1876 | 1881 | 1886 | 1891 | 1896 | 1901 | 1906 | 1911 | 1921 | 1926 | 1931 | 1936 |
| Population | 397 | 529 | 522 | 524 | 573 | 594 | 610 | 614 | 655 | 710 | 772 | 783 | 758 | 757 | 839 | 810 | 908 | 850 | 800 | 1117 | 914 | 800 | 886 | 953 | 902 | 1142 | 1172 | 1363 |

## Sites of interest

* The romanesque church of Saint Martin, built in the 12th century and partly rebuilt between the 15th and 16th centuries.

## Culture
### Poetry

* Confidences d'un moutard parisien (1912) is a poem by the writer Marc Anfossi which mentions Palalda, Montbolo and Montalba-d'Amélie.

## Notable people

* Jean Trescases, a French military was born in Palalda