View source for Aude

{{short description|Department of France in Occitanie}}
{{distinguish|text = [[Aube]], the department in Northeastern France or the automotive company [[Audi]]}}
{{other uses|Aude (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox department for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Aude
| native_name             =
| native_name_lang        = fr<!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| type                    = [[Departments of France|Department]]
| image_skyline           = {{Photomontage|position=center
   | photo2a = Narbonne -) Narbonne Plage - panoramio (1).jpg
   | photo3a = Peyriac-de-Mer, february 2018 (06).jpg
   | photo1a = Carcassonne Cite.jpg
   | photo2b = Caudeval (2).jpg
   | size = 
   | spacing = 2
   | color = #FFFFFF
   | border = 0
   | foot_montage = }}
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = From top down, left to right: [[Carcassonne]], [[Prefectures in France|prefecture]] traversed by the [[Aude (river)|Aude]] River, Mediterranean coast near [[Narbonne]], [[Caudeval]] and [[Peyriac-de-Mer]]
| image_flag              = Drapeau non-offiicel fr département Aude.svg
| flag_alt                =
| image_shield            = Blason dpt fr Aude.svg
| shield_alt              =
| nickname                =
| motto                   =
| image_map               = Aude-Position.svg
| map_alt                 =
| map_caption             = Location of Aude in France
| pushpin_map             =
| pushpin_label_position  =
| pushpin_map_alt         =
| pushpin_map_caption     =
| coordinates             = {{coord|43|5|N|2|25|E|region:FR-11_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           =
| coordinates_footnotes   =
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = France
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of France|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitanie]]
| established_title       =
| established_date        =
| founder                 =
| seat_type               = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]]
| seat                    = [[Carcassonne]]
| parts_type              = [[Subprefectures in France|Subprefectures]]
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = [[Limoux]]<br>[[Narbonne]]
| government_footnotes    =
| leader_party            = [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
| leader_title            = [[List of presidents of departmental councils (France)|President of the Departmental Council]]
| leader_name             = Hélène Sandragné<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/601ef073-d986-4582-8e1a-ed14dc857fba|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=4 May 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
| unit_pref               = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_magnitude          =
| area_footnotes          = {{ref|area|1}}
| area_total_km2          = 6139
| area_note               =
| elevation_footnotes     =
| elevation_m             =
| elevation_min_m         =
| elevation_max_m         =
| population_total        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_as_of        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes2}}
| population_rank         = [[List of French departments by population|64th]]
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      =
| population_note         =
| blank_name_sec1         = [[Departments of France|Department number]]
| blank_info_sec1         = 11
| blank_name_sec2         = [[Arrondissements of France|Arrondissements]]
| blank_info_sec2         = [[Arrondissements of the Aude department|3]]
| blank1_name_sec2        = [[Cantons in France|Cantons]]
| blank1_info_sec2        = [[Cantons of the Aude department|19]]
| blank2_name_sec2        = [[Communes in France|Communes]]
| blank2_info_sec2        = [[Communes of the Aude department|433]]
| timezone1               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1             = +1
| timezone1_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +2
| postal_code_type        =
| postal_code             =
| area_code_type          =
| area_code               =
| iso_code                = FR-11
| website                 =
| footnotes               = {{note|area|1}} French Land Register data, which exclude [[estuary|estuaries]], and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| blank1_name_sec1                = Largest city
| blank1_info_sec1                = [[Narbonne]]
}}

'''Aude''' ({{IPAc-en|oʊ|d}} {{respell|OHD}}; {{IPA|fr|od|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-Aude.wav}}; {{IPA|oc|ˈawðe|lang}}) is a [[Departments of France|department]] in southern France, located in [[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitania]] and named after the river [[Aude (river)|Aude]].<ref name="sandre">{{Sandre|Y1--0200|L'Aude}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref> The departmental council also calls it "[[Catharism|Cathar]] Country" (French: ''Pays cathare'') after a group of religious dissidents active in the 12th to 14th centuries.

Its [[Prefectures in France|prefecture]] is [[Carcassonne]] and its [[Subprefectures in France|subprefectures]] are [[Limoux]] and [[Narbonne]]. As of 2019, it had a population of 374,070.<ref name=pop2019>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep11.pdf Populations légales 2019: 11 Aude], INSEE</ref> Aude is a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, [[Duke of Aquitaine]], and mother of Eudo, brother of Saint [[Hubertus]].{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} Aude was the name of [[Aude (character)|Roland's fiancée]] in the [[chanson de geste|''chansons de geste'']].

==Geography==

===Location===
Aude is located between the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and the [[Pyrenees|Pyrenees Mountains]].

It is part of the current region of [[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitanie]]. It is surrounded by the departments of [[Pyrénées-Orientales]], [[Ariège (department)|Ariège]], [[Haute-Garonne]], [[Tarn (department)|Tarn]], and [[Hérault]], with the [[Golfe du Lion]] on the east.

===Natural regions===
[[File:Carte Aude region naturelle.png|thumb|Natural regions of the Aude]]
The countryside in this department falls into several [[natural region]]s:
* 1 – [[Lauragais]]
* 2 – [[Montagne Noire]]
* 3 – [[Cabardès]]
* 4 – [[Carcassonne|Carcassonais]]
* 5 – [[Razès]]
* 6 – [[Quercorb]]
* 7 – [[Pays de Sault]]
* 8 – [[Minervois]]
* 9 – [[Corbières, Aude|Corbières]]
* 10 – [[Narbonnais]]

===Landscapes===
[[File:Quillan.jpg|thumb|Mountain landscape in the [[Razès]] at [[Quillan]]]]
Each natural region of the Aude has its own particular landscape. In the east, lagoons or coastal lakes separate land and sea. These were formed by accumulations of sediments carried down by the rivers Aude, [[Orb (river)|Orb]] and [[Hérault (river)|Hérault]]. There are many such lakes of brackish water. This environment is demanding for flora and fauna, as it suffers from the rigours of sea, sun, dryness and floods. [[Halophile]] (i.e., salt-loving) plants grow there. The area is also noted for the pink [[flamingo]] and the white [[stilt]].

Inland to the west, [[Maquis shrubland|shrub]] and [[Garrigue|scrub]] dominate the landscape of the drylands of the Aude and the [[Corbières Massif]]. This landscape is the result of forest clearance, maintained by the raising of livestock. The flora is varied and characterized by many species of [[orchids]]. The Sault countryside is dominated by [[beech]] groves and [[fir]] plantations up to the mountains. These forests are known for their [[mushroom]]s, and have a rich flora and fauna, including the [[Pyrenean lily]], the [[euproctis]] moth and [[horsetail]] of the woods.

To the north and west, the Black Mountain country is made up of forests of [[oak]] and [[beech]]. The Lauragais is a wooded landscape where grain farming has shaped the hills. There are bodies of water like the [[Lac de la Ganguise]]. Finally, the high valley of the Aude, otherwise called the Razès, consists of a [[riparian forest]] made of beech, [[alder]], [[Populus|poplar]] or [[Fraxinus|ash]]. It includes some [[peatlands]] that are very rare in southern France.

===Geology===
[[File:Aude (flume).png|thumb|Relief map with some main towns]]
The landscapes of Aude can be explained by its geology. In the south, there are [[sedimentary rocks]] folded during the formation of the Pyrenees. To the north and centre of Aude, the sedimentary rocks are less folded. At the extreme east, near the Mediterranean, the rocks are carved by normal collapse [[fault (geology)|faults]] which are due to the opening of the Golfe du Lion.

In the north, the Black Mountain and Minervois consist of [[schist]] and [[marble]], forming the southern edge of the [[Massif Central]]. These ancient rocks are over 300&nbsp;million years old and were deformed by the formation of the [[Variscan orogeny|Hercynian]] chain. The Montagne d'Alaric ([[Alaric II|Alaric]]'s Mountain)<ref>''{{cite web |title=The legend of the treasure of Alaric |url=http://www.rhedesium.com/the-legend-of-the-treasure-of-alaric.html |url-status=dead |access-date=12 March 2015 |archive-date=27 December 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171227235811/https://www.rhedesium.com/the-legend-of-the-treasure-of-alaric.html }}''</ref> near Carcassonne is an [[anticline|antiform fold]] in the shape of a vault and made of [[limestone]].

===Climate===
[[File:Port and lighthouse overnight storm with lightning in Port-la-Nouvelle.jpg|thumb|Lightning during an autumn storm off the coast of [[Port-la-Nouvelle]].]]
Aude is under the influence of a Mediterranean climate.

The autumn is characterized by violent and short storms.
The summer is often hot and dry, which is favorable to the culture of the vine and the olive-trees. Yet, the department has several contrasts in climate:
In the north, the Montagne Noire and, in the south, the Pays de Sault, have a mountainous climate with temperatures sometimes very low in winter.
In the west, the climate is under Aquitaine influence with heavier precipitation, while in the east the climate is purely Mediterranean.
In the centre, in the Limouxin, Carcassonnais and Razès areas, the climate is known as intermediary with significant exposure to winds.
The winds are often present in Aude. It is one of the windiest French departments, with 300 to 350 days of wind per year. This phenomenon is due mostly to the variations in relief north and south which create a kind of corridor.

In the north-west blows the [[Cers (wind)|Cers]], called Tramontane in Provence, which is a ground wind. It is a dry, somewhat violent wind and cold in winter. In the south-east blows the Autan, locally called the [[Marin (wind)|Marin]], which is hot and wet and comes from the sea.

These regular winds made it possible to install an industrial park of [[wind turbine]]s, as in the area of Avignonet-Lauragais.

{{Meteo France
|Town=Carcassonne<ref>[http://www.lameteo.org/index.php/climatologie/1589-normales-climatiques-1981-2010-carcassonne Data from the Station at Carcassonne] from 1981 to 2010 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
|Sunshine=2,130
|Rain=584
|Snow=7
|Storm=19
|Fog=14
}}

{{Weather box
|location = Carcassonne
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 9.7
|Feb high C = 11.1
|Mar high C = 14.4
|Apr high C = 17.0
|May high C = 21.0
|Jun high C = 25.4
|Jul high C = 28.6
|Aug high C = 28.3
|Sep high C = 24.5
|Oct high C = 19.3
|Nov high C = 13.5
|Dec high C = 10.3
|year high C = 18.6
|Jan mean C = 6.4
|Feb mean C = 7.4
|Mar mean C = 10.0
|Apr mean C = 12.4
|May mean C = 16.2
|Jun mean C = 20.1
|Jul mean C = 22.9
|Aug mean C = 22.7
|Sep mean C = 19.3
|Oct mean C = 15.3
|Nov mean C = 10.1
|Dec mean C = 7.1
|year mean C = 14.2
|Jan low C = 3.1
|Feb low C = 3.6
|Mar low C = 5.6
|Apr low C = 7.7
|May low C = 11.4
|Jun low C = 14.8
|Jul low C = 17.2
|Aug low C = 17.0
|Sep low C = 14.0
|Oct low C = 11.2
|Nov low C = 6.6
|Dec low C = 3.8
|year low C = 9.7
|Jan precipitation mm = 62.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 47.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 47.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 66.3
|May precipitation mm = 55.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 40.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 22.7
|Aug precipitation mm = 37.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 38.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 54.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 52.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 59.8
|year precipitation mm = 583.5
|Jan precipitation days = 9.1
|Feb precipitation days = 7.2
|Mar precipitation days = 7.5
|Apr precipitation days = 9.5
|May precipitation days = 7.4
|Jun precipitation days = 4.9
|Jul precipitation days = 3.8
|Aug precipitation days = 5.3
|Sep precipitation days = 5.2
|Oct precipitation days = 7.7
|Nov precipitation days = 8.4
|Dec precipitation days = 8.6
|year precipitation days = 84.6
|unit precipitation days = 1&nbsp;mm
|Jan sun = 94.7
|Feb sun = 116.5
|Mar sun = 168.9
|Apr sun = 186.6
|May sun = 209.8
|Jun sun = 253.1
|Jul sun = 276.5
|Aug sun = 260.8
|Sep sun = 218.6
|Oct sun = 147.4
|Nov sun = 103.1
|Dec sun = 93.5
|year sun = 2129.5
|source 1 = [http://www.lameteo.org/index.php/climatologie/1589-normales-climatiques-1981-2010-carcassonne Meteorological data for Carcassonne - 126m altitude, from 1981 to 2010] January 2015 {{in lang|fr}}
}}

===Hydrography===
The drainage system of Aude is dominated by its river of the same name. The river rises at the Roc d'Aude and passes through the [[Matemale]] and [[Puyvalador]] dams on the [[Capcir]] plateau at 1500m, then crosses the department from south to north across Axat, Limoux, and Quillan following the upper valley of the Aude. At Carcassonne, the river changes direction toward the Mediterranean Sea to the east, where it empties near [[Fleury, Aude|Fleury]].

==Principal towns==

The most populous commune is [[Narbonne]]; the prefecture [[Carcassonne]] is the second-most populous. As of 2019, there are 5 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants:<ref name=pop2019/>

{| class=wikitable
! Commune
! Population (2019)
|-
| [[Narbonne]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 55,516
|-
| [[Carcassonne]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 46,825
|-
| [[Castelnaudary]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 12,187
|-
| [[Lézignan-Corbières]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 11,317
|-
| [[Limoux]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 10,012
|}

==History==

===Prehistory===
[[File:Homme de Tautavel.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Skull of [[Tautavel Man]] discovered at [[Tautavel]], not far from Aude]]
Hammers and worked tools have been found on the hill of Grazailles at Carcassonne, dating from between 690,000 and 300,000 years ago. Most interesting is the skull of [[Tautavel Man]], discovered in 1971 by [[Henry de Lumley]] in the commune of [[Tautavel]] in the [[Pyrénées-Orientales]] department.<ref>Discovery made in July 1971 [http://www.tautavel.com/tau-5000.php?CatID=21&ArtID=11 See the Tautavel site] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307162403/http://www.tautavel.com/tau-5000.php?CatID=21&ArtID=11 |date=7 March 2009 }}</ref> It is the oldest-known skull in Europe. It dates from about 450,000 years BC. It is likely that Tautavel Man lived in all of this region.

===Roman Era===
The [[Roman Republic|Romans]], led by the consul-general [[Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 122 BC)|Domitius Ahenobarbus]], first occupied the [[oppidum]] of Montlaurès in 118 BC, a few kilometres to the north of [[Narbonne]]. This became the provincial capital and a very active mercantile port. The position was strategically important since it stood at the crossroads of two [[Roman roads]], the [[Via Aquitania]] and the [[Via Domitia]], as well as by the sea near the mouth of the river [[Aude (river)|Aude]]. [[Carcassonne]] became Latin in 30 BC <!-- meaning? -->with the creation of numerous grain farms. For almost two centuries, Aude enjoyed peace and strong economic growth.

===Barbarian invasions===
The [[Visigoths]] invaded the area in 435 AD at a time when [[Flavius Aetius]], the Roman senator, was busy suppressing the [[Bagaudes]], who were brigands or lawless types in central and northern Gaul. Roman authority was restored until 462. In 507, the victory of [[Clovis I]] at the [[battle of Vouillé]] permitted him to conquer [[Toulouse]] and [[Aquitaine]]. However, he could not recover the Aude territory, which, thanks to the help of the King of the [[Ostrogoths]], remained in the hands of the Visigoths. His troops defeated Clovis's son in 508. The region was part of [[Septimania]], so called because it was composed of seven [[Episcopal see|bishoprics]] that the Visigoth kings had established there: [[Elne]], [[Agde]], [[Narbonne]], [[Lodève]], [[Béziers]], [[Maguelonne]], and [[Nîmes]]. Septimania covered the Aude but also the whole region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

===Middle Ages===
In 817, [[Louis le Débonnaire]] detached Carcassès and [[Razès]] from Septimania to reunite them with the marquisate of [[Toulouse]] and the kingdom of [[Aquitaine]]. The first Count of Carcassonne was Oliba from the family of the [[Count of Barcelona|Counts of Barcelona]]. He established himself in 819. Razès was another county that was formed by an archbishop of Narbonne who had been chased from his town by the [[Saracens]]. He had transferred his episcopal seat to Razès and had procured the honours of the feudal title for the area. Narbonne formed a third county. Thus, in the ninth century, the département of Aude consisted of three counties: Carcassonne, Razès and Narbonne. In 880, the [[County of Razès]] was united by marriage to that of Carcassonne, never to be separated.

===Catharism in Aude===
In the 13th century, the region saw the development of [[Catharism]]: a [[Dualistic cosmology|dualistic]] Christian sect with similarities to [[Gnosticism]]. This religion was very quickly judged as heretical by the [[Catholic Church]]. Faced with its growing strength in the counties of Carcassonne and Toulouse, [[Pope Innocent III]] in 1209 declared a [[Albigensian Crusade|crusade]] against the [[Albigensians]]. The barons of the north united to form an army under the command of [[Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]]. Whereas the count of Toulouse [[Raymond VI]] received absolution, the Count of Carcassonne confronted the army alone. The city of Carcassonne became the refuge of numerous Cathars.

===The Protestant crisis and economic expansion of the department===
In 1561, religious troubles again arose at [[Carcassonne]] in the form of a Protestant crisis. Duke [[Henri I de Montmorency]], the Governor of the [[Languedoc]], joined the [[Reformed tradition|Reformed]] side in 1574. On the Catholic side, the Duke [[Anne de Joyeuse]] became head of the Catholic League. In September 1632, [[Henri II de Montmorency]] fought against the royal troops at the Battle of [[Castelnaudary]] and was defeated. He was condemned to death and executed at Toulouse.

===The creation of the department===
The present department is one of the original 83 departments created by the [[Constituent Assembly]] during the [[French Revolution]] on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the [[Provinces of France|former province]] of [[Languedoc]].
Administrative divisions were amended by the Act of 28 [[Pluviôse]] of Year 8, which created four arrondissements (reduced to three by Premier [[Raymond Poincaré]] in 1926) and reduced the number of cantons from 45 to 31.

===The 20th century===
The Aude enjoyed strong wine production whilst at the same time the grain farmers of [[Lauragais]] faced great difficulties. However, the department suffered from overproduction and a slump in sales of wine. In 1907 the crisis produced a [[1907 Languedoc Winemaker's Revolt|winemakers' revolt]]. This led to the establishment of many [[Winemaking cooperative]]s in Aude from 1909.

===Heraldry===
{{Blazon-arms
|img1=Blason département fr Aude.svg
|legend1=Arms of Aude
|text=
'''Blazon:'''<br />
''Gules, a cross of Toulouse Or within a bordure embattled argent.''
}}

==Economy==

===Overview===
{| class=wikitable
|-
!colspan=2|Economically active population by economic sector, 2019<ref>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2011101?geo=DEP-11 Dossier complet, Emplois selon le secteur d'activité], [[INSEE]] {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
|- align=right
|align=left|Agriculture||{{formatnum:8309}} people
|- align=right
|align=left|Industry||{{formatnum:9098}} people
|- align=right
|align=left|Construction||{{formatnum:8826}} people
|- align=right
|align=left|[[Tertiary sector]]||{{formatnum:100474}} people
|}
{{clear}}

===Agriculture and fisheries===
[[File:Port Leucate (Aude), view over Leucate.jpg|thumb|Entry to the port of [[Leucate]]]]
Aude is an agricultural area dominated by vineyards. In the east are the wines of [[Corbières AOC|Corbieres]] and La Clape, in the centre are [[Minervois]] and Côtes de Malepère, and in the south [[Limoux wine]]. In [[Lauragais]] grain is predominant, whereas in the [[Montagne Noire]] only [[sheep farming]] is possible. More recently there has been an increase in cultivation of [[olive]] trees for their oil.

[[Port-la-Nouvelle]] is the biggest fishing port in the department followed by [[Gruissan]]. In 1996 there were 127 vessels in Aude including 75 in Port-la-Nouvelle and 52 in Gruissan.<ref>[http://www.aude.pref.gouv.fr/Present1.asp#a3 Economy of the Aude] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528133111/http://www.aude.pref.gouv.fr/Present1.asp#a3 |date=28 May 2010 }} on the préfecture of Aude website {{in lang|fr}}</ref> These vessels were as follows:
* [[Fishing trawler]]s: 19 in Port-la-Nouvelle
* tuna boats: 2 in Port-la-Nouvelle
* small craft: 106 including 54 in Port-La-Nouvelle and 52 in Gruissan

Small craft are recreational boats such as dinghies with one man fishing a lake or motor launches with up to three people fishing in coastal waters. About 85% of small craft are intended for lake fishing as in the [[Étang de Thau]].

===Viticulture===
[[File:Vignoble Map Aude.svg|Map of wine growing areas of the Aude|thumb|400px]]
[[Viticulture]] is the main economic activity of the department due to its rich and varied soils. It was the Greeks who established vineyards in Aude and the Romans who determined the rights of exploitation. The first vines were planted in [[Minervois]] in the 1st century.

But the grapes and wines were not consumer products or self-sufficient for many years. Cereals and olive trees dominated the fertile plains of Aude. It was at the beginning of the 19th century that the wine industry developed in Aude and the rest of Languedoc-Roussillon. Wine then became a consumer product. Higher output was needed and vineyards replaced cereals on the plains. There was an initial period of prosperity to 1850 before [[phylloxera]] appeared towards 1870. At the end of the 19th century, Aude experienced a second period of prosperity but there was a wine crisis triggered in 1901 because of over-production, fraud, and slumping sales. It reached its peak during the winemakers revolt in 1907. The wine growers regrouped themselves into [[winemaking cooperative]]s to prevent fraud and deception. In 1919 then in 1935, a law of [[Appellation d'origine contrôlée|AOC]] was adopted under the leadership of Jean Capus. The [[INAO]] was set up as a body to control the application of the new laws.

After the [[Second World War]], the vineyards were revitalized and the region saw a mass of viticulture. The wine was produced in large quantities and satisfied a very demanding population. The product was supplied in large quantities at very low prices. In 1970 the market evolved replacing demand for quantity with demand for quality and causing a second wine crisis. Many events, negotiations, and attacks paralyzed the region and the economy. Emile Pouytès and the CRS Joel le Gof died at [[Montredon-des-Corbières]] on 4 March 1976 during this crisis. A large change in the Aude viticulture business started with a reorganization of the profession and the wine-growing region. Quality had to become the mark of wine from Aude.

The rich and varied soil of Aude together with abundant sunshine enables Aude to produce quality wines. Many wines emanate from the department, ranging in quality from [[table wine]]s to [[Appellation d'origine contrôlée|AOCs]], passing through [[vins de pays]] and [[VDQS]].

There are seven main areas of production:
* [[Cabardès AOC]] (1),
* [[Corbières AOC]] (6),
* [[List of appellations in Languedoc-Roussillon|Côtes Malepère]] AOC near Carcassonne (2),
* [[List of appellations in Languedoc-Roussillon|Coteaux du Languedoc]] on the plain of Narbonnais (5),
* [[Fitou AOC]] (7),
* [[Limoux wine]] (3),
* [[Minervois AOC]] (4).

These areas produce different wines such as ''[[Limoux wine|Blanquette de Limoux]]'', [[Chardonnay]] and sparkling wine from Limoux, ''La Clape'', [[Corbières, Aude|Corbières]], [[Fitou]], and [[Cabardès]].

===Industry and energy===
Industrial activity is strong in the upper valley of the Aude. It has been especially prominent around [[Limoux]] since the late nineteenth century; and the [[Lafarge (company)|Lafarge]] brick plant there is still booming.

Since the 1970s, however, the Aude has seen a rapid decline in its traditional industries such as shoe and hat making. More recent activity is mostly centred around [[Narbonne]], particularly [[dock (maritime)|dock]] facilities and [[petroleum|oil]] depots in [[Port-la-Nouvelle]].

From 1889, the high valley of Aude became increasingly important in generating [[hydroelectric]] power. Aude was the first department in France to transmit such power, from its plants at [[Alet-les-Bains]] and [[Quillan]]. Joachim Estrade established the first electricity company in France, the Southern Power Transmission Company (SMTF), in 1901. Its plant at [[Axat]]-Saint-Georges supplied the cities of Carcassonne and Narbonne at 20 [[kilovolts]].

Today Aude is the leading department in France for the number of wind turbines installed. There are 113 in operation. They produce some 91 [[megawatts]], which is the domestic electricity consumption of about 100,000 people.<ref>Source dated 7 March 2006: [http://www.aude.pref.gouv.fr/actualite/eolien/ppe.asp Préfecture of Aude] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822205825/http://www.aude.pref.gouv.fr/actualite/eolien/ppe.asp |date=22 August 2009 }} {{in lang|fr}}</ref> With the proliferation of these machines, the prefecture is seeking to establish with stakeholders a charter of good conduct for wind turbines.

===Crafts===
[[Crafts]] are very well represented in Aude with 14.6% of the population involved. Some 5,400 businesses operating in 250 craft professions achieved in the late 1990s an annual turnover of 3&nbsp;billion francs (400 million Euros).<ref>Data source is prefecture of Aude [http://www.aude.pref.gouv.fr/Present1.asp Presentation on Aude] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528133111/http://www.aude.pref.gouv.fr/Present1.asp |date=28 May 2010 }}</ref>

==Demography==
The inhabitants of Aude are known as ''Audois''. The 1990 census confirmed a growth in population since the 1960s with about 700 people more per year. This growth is explained by the return of pensioners aged over 60 years to their place of origin and to immigration from the Mediterranean basin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aude.gouv.fr/|title=AUDE|date=13 May 2022|website=aude.gouv.fr}}</ref>

At the last census, the population of Aude represented 0.5% of the French population and 14.1% of the population of Languedoc-Roussillon. It is predominantly rural with a density of 48 inhabitants per km<sup>2</sup>, which is slightly less than half the national average. The two main cities, Carcassonne and Narbonne, are medium-sized cities comprising only one third of the inhabitants of the department. In 2017, the department had 370,260 inhabitants.

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = SPLAF<ref name=splaf>[http://splaf.free.fr/11his.html Historique de l'Aude], SPLAF</ref> and INSEE<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=DEP-11 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |239642
|1800 |225228
|1806 |240993
|1821 |253194
|1831 |270125
|1836 |281080
|1841 |284285
|1846 |289661
|1851 |289747
|1856 |282833
|1861 |283606
|1866 |288626
|1872 |285927
|1876 |300065
|1881 |327942
|1886 |332080
|1891 |317372
|1896 |310513
|1901 |313531
|1906 |308327
|1911 |300537
|1921 |287052
|1926 |291951
|1931 |296880
|1936 |285115
|1946 |268889
|1954 |268254
|1962 |269782
|1968 |278323
|1975 |272366
|1982 |280686
|1990 |298712
|1999 |309962
|2007 |345779
|2012 |362339
|2017 |370260
}}

==Transport==
Two major roads cross the Aude. From west to east the [[A61 autoroute]] (Autoroute des Deux Mers) connects [[Narbonne]] and [[Toulouse]] via [[Carcassonne]]. From north to south, following the Mediterranean coast, the [[A9 autoroute]] links [[Montpellier]] with Spain.

The rail network follows the same route as the road network. It is a low speed system, but a project is under way to build a fast line to Spain as part of the [[Trans-European Rail network]].

Finally, Aude is crossed by the [[Canal du Midi]] which is a major waterway that allows tourists to pass from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. It comes into the west of Aude at [[Seuil de Naurouze]] then joins the Mediterranean at [[Sète]].

==Politics==
{{See also|Departmental Council of Aude}}[[File:Arrondissements et cantons de l'Aude.svg|thumb|400px|Map of arrondissements and cantons of Aude]]
The people of Aude expressed [[royalist]] opinions until the end of the [[Bourbon Restoration in France|Bourbon Restoration]]. In 1830 [[Republicanism|republican]] ideas began to develop and made this department a bastion of the [[left-wing politics|left]]. This growth is symbolized by two men, [[Armand Barbès]] and Theophile Marcou. Armand Barbès is a symbol of the struggle for a [[social democratic]] Republic.

It was in Aude that [[François Mitterrand]] had his highest score in the 1981 presidential election with just over 63% of the vote.

Only affluent coastal areas surrounding [[Narbonne]] and the department's prefecture, [[Carcassonne]] give consideration to the right.

The President of the Departmental Council is Hélène Sandragné of the [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]].

===National Assembly Representatives (before 2022)===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Constituency!!Member<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/|title=Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français|first=Assemblée|last=Nationale|website=Assemblée nationale}}</ref>!!Party
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[Aude's 1st constituency]]
| [[Danièle Hérin]]
| [[La République En Marche!]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[Aude's 2nd constituency]]
| [[Alain Péréa]]
| [[La République En Marche!]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[Aude's 3rd constituency]]
| [[Mireille Robert]]
| [[La République En Marche!]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
!colspan=2| Party || seats
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Socialist Party (France)}}" |<span style="color:#fff; font-size:140%;">•</span>
|[[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]] ||align="right"| 26
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Union for a Popular Movement}}" |
|[[Union for a Popular Movement]] ||align="right"| 4
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|French Communist Party}}" |<span style="color:#fff; font-size:140%;">•</span>
|[[French Communist Party]] ||align="right"| 2
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Left Radical Party}}" |<span style="color:#fff; font-size:140%;">•</span>
|[[Left Radical Party]] ||align="right"| 1
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Miscellaneous Left}}" |<span style="color:#fff; font-size:140%;">•</span>
|[[Miscellaneous Left]] ||align="right"| 1
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Independent Workers' Party}}" |
|[[Independent Workers' Party]] ||align="right"| 1
|}

==Education==
Aude department in 2008 had 364 primary schools (schools of the first degree) serving 30,771 students.
<ref name=Montpelier>[http://www.ac-montpellier.fr/ia11/scolarite/1erdegre.htm Academic inspection of the Aude] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720204223/http://www.ac-montpellier.fr/ia11/scolarite/1erdegre.htm |date=20 July 2011 }}, accessed 25 June 2009, Ac-montpellier.fr, accessed 16 August 2010</ref> Between 2000 and 2007, primary school enrollment steadily increased from 28,331 students to 30,491 students.<ref name=Montpelier /> At secondary level, the department had 31 colleges and 17 public and private high schools for about 23,000 students in 2006.<ref name=Montpelier />

Education in Aude now includes teaching in the [[Occitan language]].

==Culture==

===Festivals and traditions===
The [[Carnival of Limoux]] is an Aude festival which takes place over a period of ten weeks or more. This is one of the longest carnivals in the world. It takes place in the town of [[Limoux]] on the Place de la République every weekend from mid-January to the end of March. It is characterized by bands in [[Pierrot]] costumes (known as ''les fécos'') accompanied by musicians. In the region around Limoux a major celebration of gastronomy known as ''Toques et Clochers'' (literally, "Tall Hats & Steeples') organized by the winegrowers from Sieur d'Arques' takes place over the weekend of [[Palm Sunday]]. It permits the sale of a large quantity of wine in order to enhance local patronage.

===Sport===
Aude is the land of [[Rugby league in France|rugby league]] (rugby à XIII) with the teams of Limoux, Carcassonne and Lézignan among the elite. [[Puig Aubert]] (1925–1994) was a famous rugby league player who played with AS Carcassonne. There are numerous amateur rugby league clubs dotted all over the area.

[[Rugby union in France|Rugby union]] (rugby à XV) is also played in Aude. It appeared early in the twentieth century and the US-Quillan club dominated in the late 1920s. Jean Bourrel won the title in 1929 against [[Lézignan Sangliers|Lézignan]]. After the Second World War, the Carcassonne team took the lead. Recently, however, rugby union in the Aude has faced an uphill struggle in a sport that has become both globalized and more professional. The Narbonne team (known as Racing Club Narbonne-Mediterranean) has nevertheless managed to develop in the Pro D2 championship.

Every 15 August, in [[Quillan]], an international cycling competition takes place. This is the oldest of such contests in France.

The [[Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin|Tour de l'Aude]] is one of the most important female cycling events in the calendar. It generally takes place in May.

===Gastronomy===
[[File:Cassoulet Carcassonne FRA 001.JPG|thumb|Cassoulet as served at Carcassonne]]
{{lang|fr|[[Fréginat]]}}, a traditional type of fricassee of pork from [[Corbières, Aude|Corbières]], can be found throughout the department. It is made from pork and pig's liver with a local variety of white beans (Lingots de Castelnaudary) flavoured with garigue herbs. On the coast, eel stew (borrida d’anguilles) is a dish of choice. Finally, the [[cassoulet]] of Castelnaudary, made from white beans and sausage, is a typical dish of the [[Lauragais]].

Other specialties exist such as [[oysters]] from [[Gruissan]] and [[Leucate]]. [[Olive oil]] is also very widespread in the Aude and is a speciality of [[Bize-Minervois]]. ''Cartagena'' is a [[liqueur]] marketed by some manufacturers. Finally, the [[Blanquette de Limoux]] is a sparkling white wine popular in the department whose origin dates back to the sixteenth century.

===Occitan===
[[Occitan language|Occitan]] is spoken in the Aude in its Languedoc variant. The language emerged during the [[High Middle Ages]] from the [[Latin]] used in the south of [[Gaul]].

In Aude, Occitan was rarely used in writing before the 11th century. However, several poets and [[troubadours]] such as [[Raimon de Miraval]] used language based on courtly love{{clarify|reason=Are we supposed to understand "language based on courtly love" to be a euphemism for "Occitan"?|date=September 2017}} in the 12th and 13th centuries. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Occitan was used to draw up local administrative documents. In the 16th century, Occitan was used less than royal French, whose use was made compulsory by the edict of [[Villers-Cotterêts]] in 1539. However, it survived very well among the people until the 19th century, when public schools were established with teaching solely in French.

In the 1970s and the 1980s, new demands were made for the dignity of the language and for its teaching. Occitan speech reached a wider audience and singers like [[Claudi Marti]], ''Mans de Brèish'', and ''La Sauze'' promoted its use.

It was in Aude that the first Occitan radio station broadcast in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806092643/http://lengadoc.eu/ Ràdio Lenga] (Occitan) at 95.5 FM.

==Tourism==
[[File:Leucate-La Franqui (Aude), view from the cliffs.jpg|thumb|right|Beach at Leucate-La Franqui]]

Aude is a tourist department with a rich cultural heritage and varied natural sites. Since the 1990s, the Aude has developed the attractiveness of its territory by focusing on the development of the publicity surrounding [[Catharism]]. The Aude has been named ''Cathar Country'' by the General Council to mark the authentic and mysterious nature of the department, especially with its many [[Cathar castles]].

Tourism is also promoted through a stock of hotel rooms in all categories of 313,500 beds available year-round. Aude estimates the number of tourist overnight stays to be 17.11 million in 2010 with a turnover of 842 million euros providing 5,800 full-time jobs and 9,500 seasonal jobs.<ref>[http://www.cg11.fr/www/contenu/d_tourisme.asp General Council of Aude] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514065500/http://www.cg11.fr/www/contenu/d_tourisme.asp |date=14 May 2011 }}</ref>

In a very limited section of the Orbiel Valley the department has had occasional pollution problems because of its abandoned gold mines (with mercury and arsenic).

===Overview of tourist areas===
[[Carcassonne]] has been restored to much of its [[medieval]] appearance. [[Narbonne]] is a tourist destination due to its [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] ruins.
Other towns and villages worth visiting include [[Limoux]], [[Quillan]], [[Lézignan-Corbières]], [[Lagrasse]], [[Sigean]] and [[Leucate]].

[[Limoux]] lies in the upper Aude valley, 24&nbsp;km south of [[Carcassonne]]. It is known for its local wine, [[Blanquette de Limoux|Blanquette]], a sparkling white wine which is said to have been the forerunner of Champagne. Limoux hosts an extensive and varied market each Friday.

[[Quillan]] lies 27&nbsp;km further south in the upper Aude valley and is at the head of the branch railway from [[Carcassonne]].

[[Lézignan-Corbières]] lies on the main road between [[Carcassonne]] and [[Narbonne]]. It is called the capital of the [[Corbières (AOC)|Corbières]] and has a Wednesday morning market.

[[Lagrasse]] stands on the [[Orbieu|River Orbieu]] and has an 8th-century abbey, two very attractive bridges and an unchanged and very compact and delightful medieval stone village centre.

[[Sigean]], 18&nbsp;km south of [[Narbonne]], lies between the [[A9 autoroute]] and the coast and has an African [[Game reserve|Reserve]].

[[Leucate]] is a hilltop village, about 30&nbsp;km south of Narbonne, which has spread down to the coast where Leucate Plage is a popular beach resort.

The [[Corbières Massif]] forms the central part of the department. This is an area of dissected plateaux and escarpments which form an effective barrier to direct road communication. It is a very attractive and sometimes wild area of steep hills, hidden valleys, woodland and vines, and contains some of the most memorable [[Cathar]] sites including [[Quéribus]], [[Peyrepertuse]] and [[Villerouge-Termenès]].

The [[Lauragais]], that spreads on both sides of the administrative border between Aude and [[Haute-Garonne]], is a historic and cultural area known since the Middle Ages for its abundant agricultural productions. With [[Castelnaudary]] as a central and major city, this region is also famous for the role it played during the [[Albigensian Crusade]] and for its local heritage: [[Canal du Midi]] and its springs, abbeys and churches, castles, disk-shaped steles, dovecotes, windmills, bastides, etc.

Wine production is extensive across Aude, and local chateaux and domaines provide free tastings as well as sales of wine and other local produce. With the decline of some local wine production, local government policy is now to attract more tourists to the area, and to assist with this the Corbières area is now labelled on maps and road signs as [[Cathar]] country.

===Architectural heritage===
The Aude has about fifteen [[bastides]] which were built after the [[Treaty of Meaux]] in 1229 when the region was attached to the [[Capetian dynasty|Capetian]] crown of France. The bastide is a type of town based on a grid created in one building project on a greenfield site. The purpose of such construction was to weaken the local lords and attract people to new economic centres. These bastides came into competition with fortified villages based on ecclesiastical or seigneurial power. [[Chalabre]], [[Camps-sur-l'Agly]] and the Bastide Saint-Louis in Carcassonne are examples of bastides in the Aude.
[[File:190608 Burg-Puilaurens 01.jpg|thumb|right|Puilaurens Castle]]

The department has many castles that have been developed by the General Council of the Aude to stimulate tourism. The fortresses are often located on rocky peaks, such as the castles of Quéribus and [[Lastours]], which gave them a strategic position. The city of Carcassonne was the logistical hub of the country at the time of conflict with the Kingdom of [[Aragon]].

[[File:Fontfroide, Arbeitshof.jpg|thumb|left|[[Fontfroide Abbey]], Tourism highlight of Aude]]

Many abbeys exist throughout the department of Aude. The best known are [[Fontfroide Abbey]], [[Lagrasse Abbey]], the abbey of Sainte-Marie [[Villelongue-d'Aude]], and the Abbey of [[Saint-Hilaire, Aude|Saint-Hilaire]].

[[Narbonne Cathedral]] is a remarkable Gothic cathedral and remains unfinished. It is a symbol of the French presence in [[Languedoc]] in the [[Middle Ages]].

===Caving===
Aude has many caves suitable for [[speleology|speleological exploration]]. The ''Pays de Sault'' consists of one of the largest limestone areas of the Pyrenees. This geology lends itself to the formation of cavities and there are many 'barrencs' (the local name for [[Pit cave]]s). This plateau is home to a cave, the TM71, which is a superb cavity classified as a natural reserve since 1987. This is unique in France.

Other natural cavities of the Aude contain [[concretions]] like the Pit cave of [[Cabrespine]], the Aguzou Grotto, and the grotto of [[Limousis]]. The latter contains the largest block of [[aragonite]] yet discovered. In the Massif of Corbières on the plateau of Lacamp there are cavities formed by [[detritus (geology)|detrital rocks]] ([[marls]], [[clay]]s and [[puddingstone (rock)|puddingstone]]) carved by [[erosion]].

<gallery>
File:Narbonne Cathedrale Saint Just et Saint Pasteur.jpg|[[Narbonne]]
File:Castelnaudary bassin canal.jpg|[[Castelnaudary]]
File:France-Lagrasse-Village et Pont Vieux - 2005-12-27.jpg|[[Lagrasse]]
</gallery>

===Secondary housing===
According to INSEE {{as of|2017|lc=y}} 25.4% of available housing in Aude consisted of secondary residences.<ref>[https://statistiques-locales.insee.fr/#bbox=159546,5397722,229588,154528&c=indicator&i=bdcom.pt_log_rsecocc&s=2017&selcodgeo=11&view=map2 Part des résidences secondaires (y compris les logements occasionnels) dans le nombre total de logements (%)] [[INSEE]] {{in lang|fr}}</ref> The following table indicates the main communes in Aude (population more than 2,000) where second homes or occasional residences comprise more than 10% of total housing.<ref>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515532?sommaire=4516107 Logements et résidences principales en 2017], figures as at 1 January 2017</ref>

'''Communes with more than 10% Secondary Residences (2017)'''
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
! style="text-align:left"| Town
! style="text-align:left"| Population<ref name=pop2017>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/4265429/ensemble.pdf Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2017], [[Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques|INSEE]]</ref>
! style="text-align:left"| Number of homes
! style="text-align:left"| Second homes
! style="text-align:left"| % second homes
|-
| style="text-align:left" | [[Leucate]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:4428}}
| {{0|0}}{{formatnum:16240}}
| {{0|0}}{{formatnum:13662}}
| {{formatnum:84.1}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Gruissan]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:5000}}
| {{0|0}}{{formatnum:13133}}
| {{0|0}}{{formatnum:10492}}
| {{formatnum:79.9}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Fleury, Aude|Fleury]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:3825}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:9910}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:7761}}
| {{formatnum:78.3}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Port-la-Nouvelle]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:5567}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:7514}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:4546}}
| {{formatnum:60.5}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Sigean]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:5477}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:3485}}
| {{0|0 0 0}}{{formatnum:635}}
| {{formatnum:18.2}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Quillan]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:3258}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:2697}}
| {{0|0 0 0}}{{formatnum:462}}
| {{formatnum:17.1}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Ouveillan]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:2463}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:1389}}
| {{0|0 0 0}}{{formatnum:229}}
| {{formatnum:16.5}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Narbonne]]
| {{0|0}}{{formatnum:54700}}
| {{0|0}}{{formatnum:36842}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:5679}}
| {{formatnum:15.4}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Salles-d'Aude]]
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:3255}}
| {{0|0 0}}{{formatnum:1767}}
| {{0|0 0 0}}{{formatnum:261}}
| {{formatnum:14.8}}%
|}

==Arts==
===Cinema===
The diversity of the landscape, its authenticity, and the uniqueness of its monuments have attracted many filmmakers. Thus, the city of [[Carcassonne]] has been the setting for many films. The excellent state of preservation of this city offers an outstanding setting for historical films. In 1908 filmmakers abandoned scenery on canvas and [[Louis Feuillade]] filmed in front of the city towers for the ''Return of the cross'', ''Engagement oath'', and ''Enchanted guitar''. In 1924 major films were produced such as ''[[Le Miracle des loups (1924 film)|Le Miracle des Loups]]'' by [[Raymond Bernard (filmmaker)|Raymond Bernard]]. In 1928 for the two thousandth anniversary of the city of Carcassonne, [[Jean Renoir]] made ''Le Tournoi dans la cité''. In 1965 the city of Carcassonne appeared in ''[[The Sucker]]'' by [[Gerard Oury]]. In 1968 ''[[The Little Bather]]'' by [[Robert Dhéry]] (with [[Louis de Funès]] and [[Michel Galabru]]) shot at ''Cabanes de Fleury'' (at the mouth of the Aude).

More recently, the Count's castle in the city was the setting for ''[[The Visitors (1972 film)|The Visitors]]'' by [[Jean-Marie Poire]] in 1972, while the [[Château de Puivert]] was used in ''La Passion Béatrice'' by [[Bertrand Tavernier]] in 1987, and ''[[The Ninth Gate]]'' by [[Roman Polanski]] in 1999. The Beach at [[Gruissan]] is present in [[Betty Blue]] by [[Jean-Jacques Beineix]].

===Painters===
As for the cinema, it is the city of Carcassonne which attracts the greatest painters. {{ill|Jacques Ourtal|fr}} is the one who painted most of the city in trying to depict the city in different eras. Originally from [[Fontiers-Cabardès]], the Aude painter ''Eugène Pech'' has created paintings of the city many times which are today scattered in various public and private collections. The four eras of the city can still be found in settings for "The City Hall".

Another Aude artist, [[Marie Petiet|Marie-Louise Petiet]], is known for her transcriptions of scenes of popular life such as ''La marchande d'oranges'' (The Orange Seller) or ''La jeune fille aux oies'' (The young girl and the geese). Several of her works are visible at the Petiet Museum in Limoux. ''Les blanchisseuses'' (The Laundresses) depicting a laundry lesson is particularly remarkable and well-known. Finally, [[Paul Sibra]], an expert in landscape-painting, nicknamed "''le peintre du Lauragais''", produced thousands of paintings and drawings of scenes from or based on the rural life of the people of ''Lauragais'' in the 1940s.

{{ill|Achille Laugé|fr||de||it}} (born 1861 in Arzens, died 1944 in Cailhau), misunderstood because of his pointillist technique, was able to show the dawning of spring especially with the [[Broom (shrub)|broom]] and [[almond]] trees in bloom.

Another artist, {{ill|Lina Bill|fr}} (real name Louis Bonnot), born at [[Gruissan]] in 1855 and died in [[Avignon]] in 1936, painted Provence and the Mediterranean (museums of [[Narbonne]], [[Carcassonne]], and the [[Musée d'Orsay]] in Paris).

==Notable people==
* [[Varro Atacinus|Publius Terentius Varro Atacinus]] (82 – c. 35 BC), Roman epic poet.<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Varro, Publius Terentius |volume= 27 |page=924 |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Saint Prudent]] (3rd century), Archbishop of Narbonne and martyr
* [[Saint Sebastian]] (3rd century AD), Christian martyr, according to legend from [[Gallia Narbonensis]].<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Sebastian, St |volume= 24 |last= Delehaye |first= Hippolyte |author-link= Hippolyte Delehaye |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Ermengarde, Viscountess of Narbonne|Ermengarde de Narbonne]] (1127–1196), Vicountess of Narbonne
* [[Fabre d'Églantine|Fabre d'Eglantine]] (1750–1794), composer, actor, playwright, and politician, guillotined during the [[Reign of Terror|Terror]].<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Fabre d'Églantine, Philippe François Nazaire |volume= 10 |page=118 |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Félix Barthe]] (1795–1863), Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, Minister of Justice, and first president of the Court of Auditors
* [[Charles Cros]] (1842–1888), poet and scientist, he originated the process of colour photography and the phonograph
* [[Marcelin Albert]] (1851–1921), leader of the revolt of the wine growers in 1907
* [[Prosper Montagné]] (1865–1948), chef, author of numerous books on gastronomy
* [[Léon Blum]] (1872–1950), politician, Member of Parliament for Narbonne who became Prime Minister in 1936
* [[Louis Barthas]] (1879–1952), cooper, author, and veteran of WWI
* [[Henry de Monfreid|Henri de Monfreid]] (1879–1974), adventurer and writer, author of numerous books including the Secrets of the Red Sea
* [[Louis Alibert|Loís Alibèrt]] (1884–1959) Occitan linguist, notable author of a grammar and a dictionary based on classical standard Occitan
* [[Pierre Reverdy]] (1889–1960), writer, a precursor of [[surrealism]]
* [[Joseph Delteil]] (1894–1978) writer from [[Pieusse]]
* [[Joë Bousquet]] (1897–1950), poet and surrealist writer
* [[René Iché]] (1897–1954), modern sculptor and [[French Résistance]] fighter during WWII.
* [[Roger Peyrefitte]] (1907–2000) writer
* [[Charles Trenet]] (1913–2001), singer and poet born at Narbonne, famous for the song [[La Mer (song)|La Mer]]
* [[Jean Cau (writer)|Jean Cau]] (1925–1993), writer, columnist, journalist, born in [[Bram, Aude|Bram]], he was secretary for [[Jean-Paul Sartre]]
* [[Gérard Schivardi]] (1950–), Mayor of Mailhac, candidate in the French Presidential election of 2007
* [[Olivia Ruiz]] (1980–), singer, born in Carcassonne
* [[Dimitri Szarzewski]] (1983–), Hooker on the French Rugby Union Team
* [[Camille Lacourt]] (1985–), swimmer, born in Narbonne
* [[Spanghero (surname)|Spanghero Family]], famous Rugby Union players, who began their careers at RC Narbonne
* [[Didier Codorniou]], former international rugby player
* [[Amédée Domenech]], former international rugby player

==See also==
* [[County of Razès]]
* [[Cantons of the Aude department]]
* [[Communes of the Aude department]]
* [[Arrondissements of the Aude department]]
* [[Diocese of Aude]]
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Carcassonne-Narbonne]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* ''The Colours of Aude'', André Authier and Jean-Philippe Vidal, Pélican {{ISBN|978-2-7191-0630-3}} {{in lang|fr}}
* ''Aude from prehistory to today'', Jacques Crémadeilis, Saint-Jean-d’Angély, 1989, 430 p. {{in lang|fr}}
* ''Aude People: biographical dictionary'', Rémy Cazals and Daniel Fabre, Carcassonne, Association des Amis des Archives de l’Aude, Société d’études scientifiques de l’Aude, 1990, 347 p. {{in lang|fr}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110718115942/http://recherche.univ-montp3.fr/cercam/article.php3?id_article=412 Michel Gayraud], ''Narbonne ancient origins at the end of the 3rd century''. Paris, De Boccard, Revue archéologique de Narbonnaise, Supplément 8, 1981, 591 p. {{in lang|fr}}
* ''History of Narbonne'', Jacques Michaud and André Cabanis, Toulouse, Privat, 2004, 330 p. {{in lang|fr}}
* ''Aude, Cathar Country'', collective work, Guides Gallimard, 2004 {{in lang|fr}}
* Bilotte M. et Al., ''Géology of the Department of Aude'', Société d'études scientifiques de l'Aude, 1989 {{in lang|fr}}
* ''I write to you of Carcassonne'', Claude Marti and Patrice Cartier, Du Mont, 2011 {{in lang|fr}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
{{EB9 Poster|Aude}}
* [https://www.aude.fr/ Departmental council website] {{in lang|fr}}
* [http://www.aude.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website] {{in lang|fr}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101103053449/http://www.audetourisme.com/en/index.php Aude official tourism website]

{{Departments of France}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Aude| ]]
[[Category:1790 establishments in France]]
[[Category:Departments of Occitania (administrative region)]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1790]]
[[Category:Massif Central]]