Villefranche-de-Rouergue

Villefranche-de-Rouergue () is a commune in southern France in the Aveyron department, in the region of Occitanie. It is the sous-prefecture (capital) of the arrondissement of the same name in the Aveyron department.

History
In 1252, Alphonse de Poitiers, Count of Toulouse, sent Jean d'Arcis, Seneschal of Rouergue, to build a city along the Aveyron as a new capital for Rouergue (an old French province): Villefranche-de-Rouergue. From 1369 to the French Revolution, Villefranche-de-Rouergue was the capital of Rouergue.

Geography
Villefranche-de-Rouergue is in the valley of the Aveyron river along the line that separates the Causses (limestone plateaus) from the Ségala geographical region.

There are mines of copper, lead, tin, iron and silver.

The Alzou river joins in the city, as a right tributary, the Aveyron river.

Villefranche-de-Rouergue has an area of , and its average altitude in the city is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

 350px|Map of the commune Villefranche-de-Rouergue

Villefranche-de-Rouergue is surrounded by the communes Saint-Rémy, Maleville, La Bastide-l'Évêque, Morlhon-le-Haut, Sanvensa, La Rouquette, Savignac and Toulonjac.

Climate
The climate of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.

Population
The inhabitants of Villefranche-de-Rouergue are known, in French, as Villefranchois (women: Villefranchoises).

With a population of 11,822, Villefranche-de-Rouergue has a population density of  inhabitants/km2.

Evolution of the population in Villefranche-de-Rouergue

Villefranche-de-Rouergue forms with Toulonjac the urban area of Villefranche-de-Rouergue with a population of 12,644 inhabitants (2013) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, formed by 16 communes with a population of 20,180 inhabitants and an area of .

 Administration 
Villefranche-de-Rouergue is a subprefecture of the Aveyron department, the capital of the arrondissement of Villefranche-de-Rouergue and the administrative centre () of the canton of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, with 13,282 inhabitants (2014).

It is part of the intercommunality Le Grand Villefranchois ().

 Sister cities 
Villefranche-de-Rouergue is twinned with:
  Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Pula, Croatia
  Sarzana, Italy

Gallery

References

Related pages
 Arrondissements of the Aveyron department
 Communes of the Aveyron department

Other websites

Mairie de Villefranche-de-Rouergue - Official website   
 Office de Tourisme de Villefranche-de-Rouergue 

Category:Subprefectures in France
Category:Communes in Aveyron