Saint-Gaudens, sub-prefecture of the Haute- Garonne, at 405 m altitude on the edge of a terrace overlooking the valley of the Garonne. Across the Pyrenees, it is a natural crossroads between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, between Lourdes and Toulouse Val d' Aran ( Spain).
Inhabited since ancient times ( Iron Age, Roman ), and originally called Mas -Saint- Pierre, the city takes its present name of martyrdom Gaudens, shepherd boy victim of the Visigoths at the end of the fifth century for refusing to give up his faith : beautiful legend !
Subsequently, the city flourished around the Romanesque church of the 11th century. Free city ( chartered 1202 ), then the capital of Nébouzan surrounded by solid walls, an important regional market, Saint-Gaudens is the economic capital of Comminges. Ravaged by Protestants Montgomery ( 1569 ), then the seat of the United Nébouzan after attachment to the kingdom of France ( 1607 ), it is called a moment "Mont- Unit" during the Revolution, and then joined the department of Haute -Garonne.
Saint-Gaudens, based on its rich past and its heritage, has become a dynamic and enjoyable cultural and economic center.
