Aurillac

Aurillac is a town and commune in the Auvergne région of France, préfecture (capital) of the Cantal département, at 44° 55′ 44″ N 2° 26′ 38″ E. Population (1999) 52,662.

The inhabitants of Aurillac are called the Aurillacois, and are also Cantaliens.

Aurillac is often thought to be one of the coldest cities in France, however this is untrue, as it's simply the city at the highest altitude shown on the TV weathercasts.

Economy

The historical capital of the umbrella, Aurillac makes more than half the umbrellas produced in France. This amounts to 250,000 units in 1999, which equates to 100 jobs.

This industry has suffered several decades of decline at the end of the 20th century. To strengthen their position the Aurillac umbrella factories regrouped in 1997 as an Economic Interest Group, or GIE, and launched under a single label, L'aurillac Parapluie.

Miscellaneous

Aurillac was the birthplace of:

• Gerbert of Aurillac, Pope Sylvester II
• The Revolutionary Jean-Baptiste Carrier was born in a nearby village.
• Paul Doumer (1857-1932), President of France
• Marie Marvingt (1875–1963), an athlete who won numerous awards in swimming, fencing, shooting, ski jumping, ice skating, and bobsledding

Some of the better known churches of Aurillac are:

• Église Saint Géraud
• Église Notre Dame aux Neiges
• Église Sacré Cœur
• Église Saint-Joseph Ouvrier

Aurillac is traversed by the Jordanne River.