Aire-sur-l'Adour

Aire-sur-l'Adour Aira d'Ador (Occitan)
Commune
Former market place
Coat of arms
Location of Aire-sur-l'Adour
(2020–2026)		Xavier Lagrave[1]
Area 1	58 km2 (22 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]	6,220
• Density	110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	40001 /40800
Elevation	68–176 m (223–577 ft) (avg. 80 m or 260 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Aire-sur-l'Adour (French: [ɛːʁ syʁ laduʁ]; Occitan: Aira d'Ador or simply Aira) is a commune in the Landes department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.

It lies on the river Adour in the wine area of southwest France. It is an episcopal see of the Diocese of Aire and Dax. The nearest large towns are Mont-de-Marsan to the north and Pau to the south.

History

Aire (Atura, Vicus Julii) once was the residence of the kings of the Visigoths. Here in 506 Alaric II drew up his code, the Breviarium Alaricianum.

Famed bullfighter Iván Fandiño died in Aire-sur-l'Adour after being gored by a bull on 17 June 2017.

Sights

• Aire Cathedral, built in the 11th century but renovated in the 14th and 17th centuries.
• The Gothic church of Sainte-Quitterie is dedicated to Saint Quiteria, who, according to Christian tradition, was beheaded here in the fifth century. This church is on the pilgrimage route called the Way of St. James.

Population

Personalities

• Pierrette Le Pen, mother of Marine Le Pen and ex-wife of Jean-Marie Le Pen
• Florian Cazalot, rugby union player, born 1985 in Aire-sur-l'Adour

Twin towns

• Castro-Urdiales, Spain

References

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Aire-sur-l'Adour.