Condom, Gers

For other uses, see Condom (disambiguation).
Condom


Coat of arms
Condom

Coordinates: 43°58′N 0°22′E / 43.96°N 0.37°E / 43.96; 0.37Coordinates: 43°58′N 0°22′E / 43.96°N 0.37°E / 43.96; 0.37
Country France
Region Occitanie
Department Gers
Arrondissement Condom
Canton Condom
Intercommunality La Ténarèze
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Gérard Dubrac
Area1 97.37 km2 (37.59 sq mi)
Population (2008)2 7,193
 • Density 74/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 32107 / 32100
Elevation 62–190 m (203–623 ft)
(avg. 82 m or 269 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.

Condom (Occitan: Condòm; French pronunciation: ​[kɔ̃dɔ̃]), also referred to as Condom-en-Armagnac, is a commune in southwestern France in the department of Gers, of which it is a subprefecture.

Geography

Localisation

The town of Condom is located in the northern part of the department of Gers, halfway between Mont-de-Marsan (to the west) and Montauban (to the east), and north of Auch.

Condom and its surrounding communes

Roads and transports

Way of St. James

Condom is a town on the Via Podiensis, one of the three major French arms of the pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James. This particular route begins in Le Puy and ends in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. Pilgrims arrive at Condom after Miradoux and continue on to Larressingle.

Toponymy

There is no relationship between the English word condom and this town. The toponym Condom comes from the Gaulish words condate and magos combined into Condatomagos, which means "market or field, of the confluence". Condatómagos evolved into Condatóm and then into Conddóm. Condom was first recorded in Latin in the 10th century as Condomus or Condomium.[1] It is where the river Gèle flows into the river Baïse.

Although the French word for a condom is préservatif, in 1995 the town's mayor, taking advantage of the incidental relationship between the town's name and the English word, opened a museum of contraceptives, which closed in 2005.[2]

In 1987, a letter was sent from Condom asking to twin with Oakham, England. However this was denied due to the embarrassment caused by the town name in English.

Politics and administration

Mayors

Mayor Term start Term end
Jean Dubos 1983 1983
Jacques Moisan 1989 1995
Gérard Dubrac 1995 2008
Bernard Gallardo 2008 2014
Gérard Dubrac 2014

Twin towns

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18006,861—    
18067,298+6.4%
18217,319+0.3%
18317,323+0.1%
18416,915−5.6%
18467,195+4.0%
18517,205+0.1%
18567,553+4.8%
18618,070+6.8%
18668,140+0.9%
18728,282+1.7%
18767,873−4.9%
18818,555+8.7%
18867,902−7.6%
18917,405−6.3%
18967,045−4.9%
19016,578−6.6%
19066,435−2.2%
19116,380−0.9%
19215,773−9.5%
19266,355+10.1%
19316,310−0.7%
19366,233−1.2%
19466,725+7.9%
19546,781+0.8%
19626,850+1.0%
19687,326+6.9%
19757,853+7.2%
19827,634−2.8%
19907,717+1.1%
19997,251−6.0%
20087,193−0.8%
20107,012−2.5%

Sites of interest

Condom is the site of two castles, the Château de Mothes and the Château de Pouypardin, both started in the 13th century. In total, 19 sites in Condom are listed as monuments historiques by the French Ministry of Culture, including the cathedral, churches and houses.

Condom is known for the production of Armagnac, an international music festival of "bandas", an international chess tournament and an international chess marathon. It is also known for its tourism with farm campings and boating on waterways. It is also home to a museum about Armagnac.[3][4]

A statue of The Three Musketeers and d'Artagnan can be found near the church. It was created in 2010 by Zurab Tsereteli.[5]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ernest Nègre , "Toponymie générale de la France, Volume 1", p.192
  2. ↑ Meslin, Franck (4 August 2012). "La capote colle toujours à la peau de Condom Tous les projets ont capoté". Sud-Ouest (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Musée de l'Armagnac Pays en France (retrieved November 6, 2007)
  4. ↑ The Town of Condom (retrieved November 6, 2007)
  5. ↑ http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-73234222/stock-photo-condom-france-september-statue-of-d-artagnan-and-the-three-musketeers-the-sculptor-is-zurab.html
  6. ↑ "General Stéphane Abrial: Chief of Staff of the French Air Force" (PDF). NATO. 2009-08-04. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
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