Montolieu

Commune in Occitanie, France

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Commune in Occitania, France

Coat of arms

Location of Montolieu

(2020–2026) Bernard Lauret^[1]Area

23.65 km² (9.13 sq mi)Population

(2021)^[2]

828 • Density35/km² (91/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)INSEE/Postal code

11253 /11170

Elevation123–407 m (404–1,335 ft)
(avg. 200 m or 660 ft)¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Montolieu (French pronunciation: [mɔ̃tɔljø] ^ⓘ; Occitan: Montoliu) is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.

Village of books

Sometimes referred to as "Village of Books", Montolieu contains fifteen bookshops, mostly specializing in second-hand and antiquarian books. Many artists also live and work in Montolieu, with five workshops and galleries of painters and sculptors and three photographers' studios. It also contains a substantial cactus garden, the Cactuseraie d'Escaïre-Figue. In 1989, Michel Braibant, a bookbinder in Carcassonne, initiated the Village of the Book in Montolieu. He created the Association "Montolieu Village du Livre", and founded the Arts and Crafts Museum of the Book.

Starting in 1991, bookshops and craftspersons of the book such as bookbinders and calligraphers set up shop in Montolieu.
A museum is created, le "Musée des Arts et Métiers du Livre"
The Paper Mill in Brousse is restored and reactivated.
Periodical cultural events are organized, such as "The Spring of Books", "Lire en Fête" and "Cuvée spéciale"
Nearly fifty buildings were renovated, and about fifteen beds and breakfast progressively opened up.
In 1992, Montolieu reopened its primary school.

Each year, Montolieu welcomes over 52,000 visitors. Additionally, 2,000 students from primary and high schools discover Montolieu's workshops. Today, Montolieu offers the following:

Used and antiquarian bookshops
Working craftspeople of books and art.
The Arts and Crafts of the Book Museum.
Graphic and plastic art galleries and expositions.
Bibliophilia stocks.
Educational activities around the Book and its craft.
Many artists, sculptors, painters, photographers and musicians.
A heritage classified as historical monument.
An intermunicipal tourism office, from the Cabardes to the Canal du Midi.

Since its creation, Montolieu Village du Livre has facilitated the continuation and development of many shops and services, allowing its economy and employment to thrive. These include bars, restaurants, coffee shops and bed-and-breakfast places, a market place, a tobacco/newspaper store, a baker, a hairdresser, a pre-school and a primary school, doctors and a drugstore, a swimming pool, a campsite, tennis courts, a soccer field, some organic farmers, and an organic vegetable vending machine, and fifteen bookstores, seven artists' workshops and seven craftspeople of the book.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	896	—
1975	837	−0.97%
1982	852	+0.25%
1990	807	−0.68%
1999	786	−0.29%
2009	766	−0.26%
2014	861	+2.37%
2020	833	−0.55%
Source: INSEE^[3]

References

^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE