Saurat

Municipality of Saurat

Altitude: 678m
Location: in the Ariège Pyrenees Regional Park between the cave of Bédeilhac and the valley of the same name preceding the Col de Port
Number of inhabitants: 619
Distances: Tarascon-sur-Ariege 6 km

Saurat is a large mountain village with character on the road to Massat.

The village of Saurat has retained its morphology of associated districts, prior to the central Middle Ages and the construction of a castle -now gone- in Saurat. It was a fortress of the lords of Rabat which was recovered by the counts of Foix in the 12th century. The latter built the castle of Montorgueil between Saurat and Aynat and abandoned the fortification of Saurat. Montorgueil was probably itself replaced by the castle of Calames in the middle of the 13th century. These ruins are located on the eastern edge of the town of Saurat.

At the end of the Middle Ages, this large village of 80 taxed households had an iron forge which was used until the 20th century. In Modern times, miners (iron, limestone, slate mines, etc.), blacksmiths and coal miners were numerous in Saurat and the blow was hard when they were forbidden to go to work in Spain in 1765. Indeed, many were the workers of the high Ariège to expatriate part of the year to survive, but the State considered that this represented a danger for the local industry.

The many gaps and hamlets on the slopes developed above all after the Middle Ages and were very populated during the demographic peak of the mid-19th century: the town then had more than 4,400 inhabitants! Today the town has only 644 inhabitants. about. but retains its authenticity of character with its churches as well as its surrounding monuments such as the Château de Miramont and the Calamès tower.

Opening hours of the town hall:
Monday to Friday: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday :10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (welcome by the mayor)

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