Najac
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Najac is a commune in the Aveyron département in southern France.
Najac is a picturesque village set along a ridge above a bend in the Aveyron river in the French department of the same name. In the earlier part of the last century the village used to be a rural community of around 2000 people but, in more recent times has suffered from a marked population decline. This phenomenon is common to many villages in the same area and is largely explained by long-term trends of worker migration towards larger towns and cities in France. Several films exist concerning the village and its surrounds; for example, La Vie Comme Elle Va.
The village, once famous for its hams, now relies heavily on a seasonal tourism trade. Nevertheless, most surrounding land in the commune is still farmed and there are still a significant number of long-term inhabitants. During the summer months, the population increases significantly due to second home owners and holidaymakers. The majority of holiday home owners are English, Dutch or from the north of France and, as a result, house prices in the immediate area have increased sharply.
The village is well known for its historic buildings and apparently medieval character. The partly ruined château dominates; it was built by the villagers in 1253 on the orders of Alphonse de Poitiers. (See main article Château de Najac.) In addition, the 13th century Eglise Saint-Jean, built by the villagers as a punishment for their Cathar beliefs, overlooks the lower village, while at the other end of the village, the faubourg has the typical architecture of many bastide villages with timber-framed houses and commercial arcades grouped around an open area.
Najac is also one of the 140 or so Plus Beaux Villages de France (The most beautiful villages of France), which in addition to ensuring its tourism status, also gives it access to additional funds towards maintaining the village fabric.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
Plus Beaux Villages de France English language page
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