Montauroux
{{Infobox French commune
|name = Montauroux
|native name = {{native name|oc|Montauron}}
|commune status = Commune
|image = Chateau de la colle noire.jpg
|caption = The Château de la Colle-Noire, in Montauroux
|image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Montauroux (Var).svg
|arrondissement = Draguignan
|canton = Roquebrune-sur-Argens
|INSEE = 83081
|postal code = 83440
|term = 2020–2026
|intercommunality = Pays de Fayence
|coordinates = {{coord|43.6192|6.7658|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m =
|elevation min m = 150
|elevation max m = 400
|area km2 = 33.41
|population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}
Montauroux ({{IPA|fr|mɔ̃toʁu}}; {{langx|oc|Montauron}}) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France.
Its neighbour town is the smaller, picturesque Callian, which can be seen across a small valley. In 2019, Montauroux had a population of 6,548. Its inhabitants are called Montaurousiens.
Geography
File:2007 1209montauroux sous la neige.jpg
Montauroux is situated in the east of the Var and at the border of the Alpes-Maritimes. Montauroux rises in tiers of altitudes from 150 m to 400 m. The village has a southern exposure, facing the Esterel massif and the St Cassien Lake. Montauroux is located midway between the sea which is {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} away and the first ski resort which is {{convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}}, away. Montauroux benefits from an exceptional amount of sunny days and is visited by tourists in the summer months, many hotels are often fully booked for the summer by mid-April or earlier.
It is also part of the Pays de Fayence, a communauté de communes.
Demographics
{{Historical populations
|source = INSEE[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-83081#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
|percentages = pagr
|align = none
|1968 |1053
|1975 |1375
|1982 |1997
|1990 |2773
|1999 |4017
|2007 |5048
|2012 |6019
|2017 |6411
}}
Climate
In 2010, the climate of the commune was a clear Mediterranean climate, according to a study by the French National Centre for Scientific Research based on a series of data covering the period 1971-2000. In 2020, Météo-France characterised this as abundant rainfall in autumn and winter (250 to 300 mm in autumn), very good sunshine in summer (insolation fraction > 75%), and a mild winter (8 °C) with little fog.
For the period 1971-2000, the average annual temperature is 13.2 °C, with an annual thermal range of 15.7 °C . The average annual cumulative precipitation is 1,003mm, with 6.3 days of precipitation in January and 2.7 days in July. For the period 1991-2020, the average annual temperature observed at the nearest Météo-France meteorological station, “St Cézaire sur Siagne”, in the commune of Saint-Cézaire-sur-Siagne, 4 km as the crow flies, is 13.3 °C and the average annual precipitation is 970.5mm. The maximum temperature recorded at this station is 36.4 °C, reached on 28 June 2019; the minimum temperature is −8.1 °C, reached on 12 February 2010.
{{Weather box
| location = Saint-Cézaire-sur-Siagne, 1991–2020 normals, records 1991–present
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| Jan record high C = 23.5
| Feb record high C = 24.5
| Mar record high C = 23.1
| Apr record high C = 24.7
| May record high C = 29.6
| Jun record high C = 36.4
| Jul record high C = 36.1
| Aug record high C = 35.6
| Sep record high C = 31.4
| Oct record high C = 28.9
| Nov record high C = 24.8
| Dec record high C = 23.0
| year record high C = 36.4
| Jan high C = 10.0
| Feb high C = 10.6
| Mar high C = 13.4
| Apr high C = 16.7
| May high C = 19.6
| Jun high C = 24.2
| Jul high C = 27.6
| Aug high C = 27.7
| Sep high C = 23.4
| Oct high C = 18.6
| Nov high C = 13.7
| Dec high C = 10.7
| year high C = 18.0
| Jan mean C = 6.1
| Feb mean C = 6.3
| Mar mean C = 8.8
| Apr mean C = 12.0
| May mean C = 14.8
| Jun mean C = 19.0
| Jul mean C = 22.1
| Aug mean C = 22.0
| Sep mean C = 18.3
| Oct mean C = 14.2
| Nov mean C = 9.8
| Dec mean C = 6.8
| year mean C = 13.3
| Jan low C = 2.2
| Feb low C = 2.0
| Mar low C = 4.2
| Apr low C = 7.2
| May low C = 9.9
| Jun low C = 13.9
| Jul low C = 16.5
| Aug low C = 16.4
| Sep low C = 13.1
| Oct low C = 9.8
| Nov low C = 5.9
| Dec low C = 3.0
| year low C = 8.7
| Jan record low C = -4.5
| Feb record low C = -8.1
| Mar record low C = -3.2
| Apr record low C = -1.8
| May record low C = 2.7
| Jun record low C = 5.2
| Jul record low C = 10.7
| Aug record low C = 9.2
| Sep record low C = 4.4
| Oct record low C = 0.4
| Nov record low C = -3.4
| Dec record low C = -6.6
| year record low C = -8.1
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 75.4
| Feb precipitation mm = 75.2
| Mar precipitation mm = 80.3
| Apr precipitation mm = 81.4
| May precipitation mm = 77.4
| Jun precipitation mm = 62.7
| Jul precipitation mm = 23.7
| Aug precipitation mm = 27.3
| Sep precipitation mm = 65.4
| Oct precipitation mm = 127.2
| Nov precipitation mm = 161.1
| Dec precipitation mm = 113.4
| year precipitation mm = 970.5
| source 1 = Météo-France{{cite web|url=https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_06118002.pdf|title=Fiche 6118002|publisher=Météo-France|access-date=12 September 2024}}
}}
Routes of communications and transport
= Road network =
Montauroux is accessible by the departmental road RD 562, linking Draguignan to Grasse, as well as the RD 37, then the national road 7, towards the coast. This road crosses the A8 motorway, at exit 39.
= Rail network =
- The town had two stations which are now disused:
- Montauroux Station (Central-Var Line),
- Tanneron Station.
- The closest SNCF stations are those of Cannes and Saint-Raphaël-Valescure station, for high speed trains to Paris, Nancy and Nice, and regional trains (TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) to Nice, Marseille and Toulon.[https://m.ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur/se-deplacer/fiches-horaires Rechercher une fiche horaire], TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, accessed 10 June 2022.[https://mmt.vsct.fr/sites/default/files/swt/CPAC/2021-10/carte-reseau-TER-2020_tcm65-18531_tcm65-248750.pdf La carte du réseau TER SUD], TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, accessed 10 June 2022.{{GaresConnexions website}}
= Public Transport =
An. on-demand public transport service is available in the canton of Fayence. It allows you to go to the municipalities of Adrets-de-l'Esterel, Fayence, Mons, Callian, Seillans, Saint-Paul-en-Forêt, and Tourrettes. The town is also served by Varlib lines no. 3001, to the Grasse bus station, and line no. 3601, to Fréjus and Saint-Raphaël, as well as line 3002 to Cannes.
= Air Transport =
Montauroux is accessible via Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, in the Alpes-Maritimes.
Seismicity
There are three seismicity zones in the Var:
- Zone 0 : Negligible risk. This is the case for many municipalities on the Var coast, as well as part of the municipalities in the center of Var.
- Zone Ia : Very low risk. Mainly concerns the municipalities included in a band going from the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, to the Massif de l'Esterel.
- Zone Ib : Mainly the 21 municipalities in the north of the department.
The commune of Montauroux is in a very low seismic risk zone “Ia”.[http://www.var.pref.gouv.fr/ddrm/IMG/pdf/sismique.pdf seismicity of the Var on the site of the prefecture].
Toponymy
There are two different theories on the possible origin of the name “Montauroux”:
- a historical theory is it derives form the placing of a fort on the mountain by knight Peter of Aurosa in 1040 {{Citation needed|date=April 2024}};
- a more local and more popular theory is it derives from the Provençal words for 'the mountains exposed to the wind'. Indeed, the west-facing limestone rock bar on which the old village rests, turns pink when the mistral blows in the distance.
Business and Commerce
= Agriculture =
- The breeding of cattle, goats and poultry.
- Farmers.
:: The Pays de Fayence community of communes has developed an Intercommunal Pastoral Orientation Plan (POPI),[https://paca.chambres-agriculture.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/Provence-Alpes-Cote_d_Azur/020_Inst_Paca/CA83/Documents/1_actualites/archives/2017/POPI_PaysdeFayence.pdf POPI] and an action plan for the maintenance and development of pastoral livestock.[https://www.cc-paysdefayence.fr/economie-agriculture-foret/agriculture Le POPI]
= Tourism =
- Restaurants.[http://www.tourisme-montauroux.fr/preparer-son-sejour/se-restaurer.htm Restaurants].
- Hotel Le relay du lac, Les Bastides des Chaumettes (Lagrange holiday homes),[http://www.tourisme-montauroux.fr/preparer-son-sejour/se-loger.htm Accueils touristiques].
- Operation of rural lodges{{cite web |access-date=2024-02-03 |language=fr-FR |title=Réserver un hébergement |url=https://www.paysdefayence.com/preparer-mon-sejour/reserver-un-hebergement/ |website=OTI Pays de Fayence}} (Haute Vue{{cite web |access-date=2024-02-03 |language=en |title=Luxury Villa {{!}} Haute Vue |url=https://www.haute-vue.com/ |website=Haute Vue Villa}},...).
- Campsites, Lake leisure camp,
- Guest rooms.
= Commerce =
- Local shops and services.[http://www.journaldunet.com/management/ville/montauroux/ville-83081/entreprises Commerces et services de proximité].
- The Montauroux glassworks: created in 1970, its originally manufactured glass paste mosaics, but is now a glass blower producing a variety of decorative products, jewellery and glass tableware.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Commons category|Montauroux}}
{{Var communes}}
{{authority control}}