Belcastel, Aveyron

Belcastel
15th-century bridge 15th-century bridge
Coat of arms of Belcastel Coat of arms
Belcastel
Location within Midi-Pyrénées region Belcastel
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées
Department	Aveyron
Arrondissement	Rodez
Canton	Rignac
Intercommunality	Pays Rignacois
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Claude Cayla
Area1	10.74 km2 (4.15 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	228
• Density	21/km2 (55/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	12024 / 12390
Elevation	391–707 m (1,283–2,320 ft) (avg. 450 m or 1,480 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Belcastel (Bèl Castèl in Occitan) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.

The village is medieval in character, with cobbled streets and lauze-roofed (stone tiled) houses. The bulk of the village and the castle (Château de Belcastel) are situated on the steep north bank of the Aveyron river. Several buildings including the 15th-century church are on the south side of the river, with a similarly aged bridge (pictured) connecting the two. A ruined fort can also be found about a kilometre west of the village on the south bank of the river. It was nominated as one of the "most beautiful villages of France" (Les Plus Beaux Villages de France), and the local council regularly hosts watercolour competitions and art exhibitions during the summer.

File:Belcastel 01.jpg

General view

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	279	—
1968	280	+0.4%
1975	266	−5.0%
1982	249	−6.4%
1990	245	−1.6%
1999	251	+2.4%
2008	228	−9.2%

See also

• Communes of the Aveyron department

References

• INSEE

External links

• Tourism in Belcastel
• Photographs of Belcastel
• Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue (French)