Figeac

Figeac
Subprefecture and commune
A general view of Figeac
Coat of arms
Figeac Location within Occitanie region Figeac
Coordinates: 44°36′31″N 2°01′54″E
Country	France
Region	Occitanie
Department	Lot
Arrondissement	Figeac
Canton	Figeac-1 and 2
Intercommunality	Pays de Figeac-Cajarc
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	André Mellinger
Area1	35.16 km2 (13.58 sq mi)
Population (2011)2	9,773
• Density	280/km2 (720/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	46102 /46100
Elevation	170–451 m (558–1,480 ft) (avg. 225 m or 738 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Figeac (French pronunciation: ​[fiʒak]; Occitan: Fijac) is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. Figeac is a sub-prefecture of the department.

History

Figeac is on the via Podiensis, a major hiking medieval pilgrimage trail which is part of the Way of St. James. Today, as a part of France's system of trails it is labelled the GR 65.

Notable people

Jean-François Champollion, the first translator of Egyptian hieroglyphics, was born in Figeac, where there is a Champollion Museum. On the "Place des écritures" (writings place) is a giant copy of the Rosetta stone, by Joseph Kosuth. The German film historian Lotte H Eisner hid from the Nazis in Figeac during World War II.

The actor Charles Boyer was also born in Figeac.

Media

Louis Malle's 1974 film, Lacombe Lucien, was filmed in Figeac.

See also

• Communes of the Lot department

External links

• Figeac website
• Tourist office
• Picture of the Place des Ecritures
• Explore the local area

 Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Figeac". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.