Carpentras

Sister cities

• Ponchatoula
• Seesen
• Camaiore
• Vevey

History

Carpentras was a commercial site used by Greek merchants in ancient times, and known to Romans at first as Carpentoracte Meminorum, mentioned by Pliny, then renamed Forum Neronis ("Forum of Nero"); the city retains a Roman triumphal arch, that has been enclosed by the bishops' palace, rebuilt in 1640, now a law court, and a machicolated city gate, the Porte d'Orange. For the history of the bishopric of Carpentras, see Ancient Diocese of Carpentras. At the beginning of the Avignon Papacy, Pope Clement V took up residence, along with the Roman Curia, in Carpentras in 1313. His successor, Pope John XXII, settled definitively at Avignon. The original north-facing section of the Hôtel de Ville on Rue des Halles was completed in around 1740. The Hôtel-Dieu on Place Aristide Briand was commissioned by Joseph-Dominique d'Inguimbert for use as a hospital and was built between 1750 and 1760. It now accommodates the Bibliothèque Inguimbertine which Jean-François Delmas, the chief librarian, has called "the oldest of our municipal libraries". Until 1791, Carpentras was part of the Papal States, not of the Kingdom of France. Like most communities across France, Carpentras played a role in the 1789-1799 French Revolution, particularly during the rule of the French Directory. After the 'Anti-Royalist' September 4, 1797 Coup of 18 Fructidor, on October 22, 1797, counter-revolutionaries attacked the Hôtel de Ville. Into the 20th and 21st centuries, Carpentras has been an important centre of French Judaism and is home to the oldest synagogue in France, which opened in 1367. The Jewish cemetery was desecrated by members of the French and European Nationalist Party in May 1990, causing a public uproar and a demonstration in Paris that was attended by 200,000 people, including…

Geography

Carpentras stands on the banks of the river Auzon, a tributary of the Sorgue. It is 23 km southwest of Mont Ventoux, and 23 km northeast of Avignon. Carpentras station has rail connections to Sorgues and Avignon. In the Köppen climate classification, Carpentras has a borderline humid subtropical (Cfa), and hot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa) with cool winters and hot summers. The rainiest seasons are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October), where heavy downpours may happen.