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PLACE NAMES


 
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Forcalquier
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Forcalquier is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.
Forcalquier is located between the Lure and Luberon mountain ranges, about 30 km (19 mi) south of Sisteron and 10 km (6.2 mi) west of the Durance river. In the Middle Ages it was the capital of Haute-Provence.
Forcalquier is built around the slopes of a steep conical hill, crowned by an octagonal chapel, Notre Dame de Provence, where the medieval citadel once stood. The citadel was destroyed in 1601; the chapel with its panoramic view was built in 1875. It has a carillon that can be heard every Sunday morning during the summer.
The oldest part of the town is the area around the Place Saint-Michel with its Renaissance fountain (1511) and its narrow side-streets. There many doorways dating to the 12th to 16th centuries can be found.
The present commercial and social center of town, the Place du Bourguet, is located below the Place St. Michel. The 12th century "concathedral" Notre Dame de l'Assomption with its bell towers stands across from the Place du Bourguet.
The Cordeliers Convent was built in the 13th century by Franciscans named "cordeliers" because of their rope belts. This convent was occupied by monks continuously until the Revolution. It now houses the Université EuropĂ©enne des Senteurs & Saveurs. The Port de Cordeliers is all that remains of the town's fortified walls.
Monday morning is market day in Forcalquier. The market fills the Place du Bourguet and the adjoining streets.
Noteworthy is the Musée Municipal with its prehistoric and Gallo-Roman artifacts, glass works, and faïence pottery from Mane, Apt and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.
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