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{{For|the Renaissance composer of the same name|Carpentras (composer)}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Carpentras
|commune status         = [[Subprefectures in France|Subprefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image                  = Hotel de Ville de Carpentras.JPG
|caption                = Town hall
|image coat of arms     = Blason ville fr Carpentras (Vaucluse).svg
|arrondissement         = Carpentras
|canton                 = Carpentras
|INSEE                  = 84031
|postal code            = 84200
|mayor                  = Serge Andrieu<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=2 December 2020|language=fr}}</ref>
|term                   = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality       = [[Communauté d'agglomération Ventoux-Comtat Venaissin|CA Ventoux-Comtat Venaissin]]
|coordinates            = {{coord|44.0558|05.0489|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m            = 95
|elevation min m        = 56
|elevation max m        = 212
|area km2               = 37.92
|population             = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}

'''Carpentras''' ({{IPA|fr|kaʁpɑ̃tʁa}}, formerly {{IPA|fr|kaʁpɑ̃tʁas|}};<ref>{{Cite book|title=Traité complet de la prononciation française dans la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ht9FAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA271|publisher=Mauke|date=1871|language=fr|first=M.-A.|last=Lesaint}}</ref> [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]] [[Occitan language|Occitan]]: ''Carpentràs'' in classical norm or ''Carpentras'' in Mistralian norm; {{langx|la|Carpentoracte}}) is a [[Communes of France|commune]] in the [[Vaucluse]] [[Departments of France|department]] in the [[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]] [[Regions of France|region]] in southeastern [[France]].

As capital of the [[Comtat Venaissin]], it was frequently the residence of the [[Avignon papacy|Avignon popes]]; the [[Papal States]] retained possession of the Venaissin until the [[French Revolution]]. Nowadays, Carpentras is a commercial center for Comtat Venaissin and is famous for the [[Truffle|black truffle]] markets held from winter to early spring.

Carpentras briefly held France's all-time high-temperature record, during the [[June 2019 European heat wave|heatwave of June 2019]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/28/france-on-red-alert-as-heatwave-forecast-to-reach-record-45c|title = France records all-time highest temperature of 45.9C|website = [[TheGuardian.com]]|date = 28 June 2019}}</ref>

==History==
===Classical antiquity===
[[File:Carpentras Stela, in CIS II 141 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|The [[Carpentras Stela]], found in the town in 1704, was the first [[Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions|Northwest Semitic (i.e. Canaanite or Aramaic) inscription]] published anywhere in modern times.<ref name="Gibson1975">{{cite book|last=Gibson|first=J. C. L.|title=Textbook of Syrian Semitic Inscriptions: II. Aramaic Inscriptions: Including Inscriptions in the Dialect of Zenjirli|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nXkHAQAAIAAJ|date=30 October 1975|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-813186-1|page=120|quote=The Carpentras stele: The famous funerary stele ([[Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum|CIS ii]] 141) was the first Syrian Semitic inscr. to become known in Europe, being discovered in the early 18 cent.; it measures 0.35 m high by 0.33m broad and is housed in a museum at Carpentras in southern France.}}</ref>]]

Carpentras was a commercial site used by [[Greece|Greek]] merchants in ancient times, and known to Romans at first as '''Carpentoracte Meminorum''', mentioned by [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]], then renamed '''Forum Neronis''' ("Forum of Nero"); the city retains a [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] [[Arch of Carpentras|triumphal arch]], that has been enclosed by the bishops' palace, rebuilt in 1640, now a law court, and a [[machicolation|machicolated]] [[city gate]], the ''Porte d'Orange''.
[[File:Hotel dieu carpentras by JM Rosier.jpg|left|thumb|''Hôtel-Dieu'' in Carpentras]]

===Ancient Diocese of Carpentras===
For the history of the [[bishopric]] of Carpentras, see [[Ancient Diocese of Carpentras]].

===Middle Ages===
At the beginning of the [[Avignon Papacy]], [[Pope Clement V]] took up residence, along with the [[Roman Curia]], in Carpentras in 1313. His successor, [[Pope John XXII]], settled definitively at [[Avignon]].

===Municipal library===
[[Joseph-Dominique d'Inguimbert]], Bishop of Carpentras from 1735 to 1754, established a great scholarly library which [[Jean-François Delmas (palaeographer)|Jean-François Delmas]], the chief librarian as of 2009, has called "the oldest of our municipal libraries"; known as the [[Bibliothèque Inguimbertine]] and now holding around 140,000 books, it is known to bibliophiles all over France and is scheduled to move into roomier quarters in the former [[Hôtel-Dieu of Carpentras|Hôtel-Dieu]] in 2013.<ref>Thomas Wieder, "[http://www.lemonde.fr/livres/article/2009/08/13/un-cabinet-de-curiosites-a-carpentras-4-5_1228125_3260.html Un cabinet de curiosités à Carpentras]," ''Le Monde des Livres'', August 13, 2009.</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=December 2010}}

===French Revolution and return to France===
Until 1791, Carpentras was part of the Papal States, not of the Kingdom of France.

Like most communities across France, Carpentras played a role in the 1789-1799 [[French Revolution]], particularly during the rule of the [[French Directory]]. After the 'Anti-Royalist' September 4, 1797 [[Coup of 18 Fructidor]], on October 22, 1797, counter-revolutionaries take the city's government and hold it in protest for 24 hours.

===Jewish community===
{{Main|Papal Jews}}
Into the 20th and 21st centuries, Carpentras has been an important centre of French [[Judaism]] and is home to the oldest [[synagogue]] in France, which opened in 1367 and is still active today.{{when|date=April 2022}} The Jewish cemetery was [[French and European Nationalist Party#AnchorCemetery|desecrated]] by members of the [[French and European Nationalist Party]] in May 1990, causing a public uproar and a demonstration in [[Paris]] that was attended by 200,000 people, including then-president [[François Mitterrand]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.humanite.fr/popup_imprimer.html?id_article=774664 |title=Imprimer :: Le procès de quatre profanateurs néo-nazis après six ans de fausses pistes - l'Humanite |access-date=2009-07-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015201524/http://www.humanite.fr/popup_imprimer.html?id_article=774664 |archive-date=2008-10-15 }}</ref>

==Population==
{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|6973|Carpentras}}</ref> and INSEE (1968–2017)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-84031#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |9900
|1800 |8489
|1806 |9674
|1821 |9099
|1831 |9817
|1836 |9224
|1841 |9776
|1846 |10198
|1851 |10711
|1856 |10891
|1861 |10918
|1866 |10848
|1872 |10524
|1876 |10479
|1881 |9699
|1886 |9685
|1891 |9778
|1896 |10797
|1901 |10443
|1906 |10721
|1911 |11390
|1921 |11191
|1926 |11805
|1931 |12632
|1936 |13732
|1946 |14222
|1954 |15076
|1962 |18199
|1968 |21388
|1975 |24251
|1982 |24838
|1990 |24212
|1999 |26090
|2007 |28526
|2012 |28520
|2017 |28309
}}

==Geography==
Carpentras stands on the banks of the river [[Auzon (Sorgue)|Auzon]], a tributary of the [[Sorgue]]. It is 23&nbsp;km southwest of [[Mont Ventoux]], and 23&nbsp;km northeast of [[Avignon]]. [[Carpentras station]] has rail connections to Sorgues and Avignon.

===Climate===
In the [[Köppen climate classification]], Carpentras has a borderline [[humid subtropical]] (''Cfa''),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://planificateur.a-contresens.net/europe/france/provence_alpes_cote_d_azur/carpentras/3028542.html | title=Météo et climat : Carpentras (France) - Quand partir à Carpentras ?}}</ref> and [[hot-summer mediterranean climate]] (''Csa'') with cool winters and hot summers. The rainiest seasons are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October), where heavy downpours may happen.

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location =  Carpentras (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1963–present)
|Jan record high C = 21.0
|Feb record high C = 23.1
|Mar record high C = 28.1
|Apr record high C = 30.8
|May record high C = 35.4
|Jun record high C = 44.3
|Jul record high C = 41.6
|Aug record high C = 42.2
|Sep record high C = 36.0
|Oct record high C = 31.2
|Nov record high C = 24.9
|Dec record high C = 21.5
|year record high C = 44.3
|Jan record low C = -15.4
|Feb record low C = -12.5
|Mar record low C = -11.8
|Apr record low C = -2.9
|May record low C = 0.1
|Jun record low C = 4.4
|Jul record low C = 7.6
|Aug record low C = 6.7
|Sep record low C = 2.2
|Oct record low C = -3.1
|Nov record low C = -9.0
|Dec record low C = -12.0
|year record low C = -15.4
|Jan high C = 11.1
|Feb high C = 12.8
|Mar high C = 17.1
|Apr high C = 20.4
|May high C = 24.6
|Jun high C = 29.1
|Jul high C = 32.3
|Aug high C = 31.9
|Sep high C = 26.4
|Oct high C = 21.1
|Nov high C = 15.0
|Dec high C = 11.3
| year high C = 21.1
|Jan mean C = 6.1
|Feb mean C = 6.9
|Mar mean C = 10.5
|Apr mean C = 13.6
|May mean C = 17.7
|Jun mean C = 21.7
|Jul mean C = 24.4
|Aug mean C = 24.0
|Sep mean C = 19.5
|Oct mean C = 15.3
|Nov mean C = 9.9
|Dec mean C = 6.5
| year mean C = 14.7
|Jan low C = 1.0
|Feb low C = 1.1
|Mar low C = 4.0
|Apr low C = 6.9
|May low C = 10.8
|Jun low C = 14.4
|Jul low C = 16.5
|Aug low C = 16.1
|Sep low C = 12.7
|Oct low C = 9.5
|Nov low C = 4.9
|Dec low C = 1.8
| year low C = 8.3
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 46.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 34.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 41.3
|Apr precipitation mm = 61.1
|May precipitation mm = 55.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 41.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 25.7
|Aug precipitation mm = 40.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 98.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 87.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 90.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 41.9
|year precipitation mm = 665.5
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 5.9
| Feb precipitation days = 4.8
| Mar precipitation days = 5.1
| Apr precipitation days = 6.8
| May precipitation days = 6.3
| Jun precipitation days = 4.5
| Jul precipitation days = 3.0
| Aug precipitation days = 3.7
| Sep precipitation days = 5.5
| Oct precipitation days = 6.6
| Nov precipitation days = 7.9
| Dec precipitation days = 5.6
| year precipitation days = 65.8
|Jan sun = 151.4
|Feb sun = 173.1
|Mar sun = 229.6
|Apr sun = 243.9
|May sun = 285.1
|Jun sun = 328.0
|Jul sun = 363.0
|Aug sun = 326.7
|Sep sun = 257.2
|Oct sun = 190.6
|Nov sun = 148.6
|Dec sun = 138.1
|year sun = 2835.3
|source 1 = Meteociel<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=84031001
|title=Normales et records pour Carpentras (84)
|publisher=Meteociel
|access-date=14 December 2024}}</ref>}}

==Economy==
{{expand section|date=April 2023}}
*[[Roux Graineterie of Carpentras]]

==Traditions==
[[File:Truffle Market in Carpentras.jpg|280px|right|thumb|Truffle market in Carpentras]]
Carpentras is famous for the [[truffle]] market that takes place every Friday morning during the winter months.<ref>[http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/provence/black_truffles/ Truffle Market]</ref>

Its traditional confectionery is the ''berlingot'', a small hard candy with thin white stripes, originally made from the syrup left over from conservation of fruits.

==Personalities==
Carpentras was the birthplace of (chronologically):
* [[Carpentras (composer)|Carpentras]] (also known as Elzéar Genet) (c.1470&ndash;1548), prominent early [[Renaissance music|Renaissance]] composer
* [[Hercule Audiffret]] (1603–1659), orator and Superior General of the ''[[Christian Doctrine Fathers|Congrégation des Doctrinaires]]''
* [[Louis Archimbaud]] (1705&ndash;1789), composer and [[organist]] of [[Carpentras Cathedral]]
* [[Joseph Duplessis]] (1725&ndash;1802), [[portrait]]ist
* [[Jean-Pierre-Xavier Bidauld]] (1743&ndash;1813), [[painter]]
* [[Jean-Joseph-Xavier Bidauld]] (1758&ndash;1846), [[painter]]
* [[Alexis-Vincent-Charles Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym]], (1765&ndash;1851), author and [[Demonology|demonologist]]
* [[Victor Olivier de Puymanel]] (1768&ndash;1799), [[French Navy]] volunteer, and adventurer in [[Vietnam]]
* [[François-Vincent Raspail]] (1794&ndash;1878), [[chemist]], [[physiologist]], and [[socialist]]
* [[Jean-Joseph Bonaventure Laurens]] (1801&ndash;1890), [[painter]], [[lithographer]], [[musician]]
* [[Édouard Daladier]] (1884&ndash;1970), politician and [[Prime Minister of France]] at the start of the [[Second World War]]
* [[Daniel Lazard]] (1941&ndash;), [[computer scientist]]
* [[Bruno Boscherie]] (1950&ndash;), [[fencing|fencer]], Olympic Gold medalist
* [[Christophe Maé]] (1975&ndash;), [[musician]] and [[composer]]
* [[Éric Salignon]] (1982&ndash;), racing driver
* [[Thomas Mangani]] (1987&ndash;), professional [[association football|footballer]]
* [[Raphaël Cacérès]] (1987&ndash;), professional footballer

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}

Carpentras is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
*{{flagicon|SUI}} [[Vevey]], Switzerland<ref name="Swiss twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.asccre.ch/fr/N208/vaud-waadt-vaud.html|title=Association Suisse des Communes et Régions d'Europe|access-date=2013-07-20|work=L'Association suisse pour le Conseil des Communes et Régions d'Europe (ASCCRE)|language=fr|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724051705/http://www.asccre.ch/fr/N208/vaud-waadt-vaud.html|archive-date=2012-07-24}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Seesen]], Germany
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ponchatoula]], Louisiana, USA
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Camaiore]], Italy

==See also==
* [[Arch of Carpentras]]
* [[Communes of the Vaucluse department]]
* [[Henri Raybaud]] 
* [[Hôtel-Dieu of Carpentras]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Carpentras}}
*{{wikivoyage-inline|Carpentras}}
* [http://www.carpentras.fr/ Carpentras official website] (in French)
* {{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Carpentras |volume=5 |page=386 |short=1}}
* Pictures of Carpentras Cathedral: [https://web.archive.org/web/20051013015329/http://catholique-avignon.cef.fr/divers/histoire/cathed/St-siff-fac.jpg], [https://web.archive.org/web/20051013015319/http://catholique-avignon.cef.fr/divers/histoire/cathed/Carp.jpg]
* Pictures of Carpentras Synagogue: [http://perso.orange.fr/max-claude/F84-CarpentrasSynagogue.jpg], [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/inventai/itiinv/synag/fr/syna4.gif], [http://perso.orange.fr/max-claude/F84-CarpentrasSynagogue01.jpg]

{{Vaucluse communes}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Carpentras| ]]
[[Category:Communes of Vaucluse]]
[[Category:Subprefectures in France]]