La Barben
Commune
The Château of La Barben
Coat of arms
Location of La Barben
La Barben Show map of France La Barben Show map of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Coordinates: 43°37′51″N 5°10′38″E / 43.6308°N 5.1772°E / 43.6308; 5.1772
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Bouches-du-Rhône
Arrondissement	Aix-en-Provence
Canton	Pélissanne
Intercommunality	Aix-Marseille-Provence
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Franck Santos[1]
Area 1	22.85 km2 (8.82 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]	850
• Density	37/km2 (96/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	13009 /13330
Elevation	87–204 m (285–669 ft) (avg. 114 m or 374 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

La Barben (French pronunciation: [la baʁbɛ̃]; Occitan: La Barbent) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France.

The town is perhaps best known for its castle and its zoo.^[3]

Geography

La Barben is located about 18 km northwest of Aix-en-Provence and 5 km east of Salon-de-Provence. Access to the commune is by the D572 road from Salon-de-Provence, which passes through the centre of the commune and continues east to Saint-Cannat. The D17 from Pélissanne to Éguilles forms the southwestern border of the commune. The D67E from Lambesc to Coudoux forms the southeastern border of the commune. The D22A comes from Pelissane and passes through the village, continuing as the D22 to join the D572 in the centre of the commune next to the zoo.^[4]

The commune is served by routes 9 and 14 of the Libébus network.^[5]

The Touloubre river flows through the centre of the commune from the east and continues west to join the Mediterranean Sea south of Saint-Chamas. The Vallat de Boulery forms the northern border of the commune as it flows west to join the Touloubre at the village. The Canal de Marseille comes from the south and passes through the centre of the commune continuing north-east.^[4]

Climate

Comparison of local Meteorological data with other cities in France^[6]

Town	Sunshine (hours/yr)	Rain (mm/yr)	Snow (days/yr)	Storm (days/yr)	Fog (days/yr)
National average	1,973	770	14	22	40
La Barben[7]	-	580	2	20	8
Paris	1,661	637	12	18	10
Nice	2,724	767	1	29	1
Strasbourg	1,693	665	29	29	56
Brest	1,605	1,211	7	12	75

Weather Data for La Barben

Neighbouring communes and villages

History

Middle Ages

The death of Queen Joanna I of Naples created a succession crisis for the County of Provence with the cities of the Union of Aix (1382-1387) supporting Charles III of Naples against Louis I, Duke of Anjou. The King of France, Charles VI, intervened and sent the Seneschal of Beaucaire, Enguerrand d'Eudin, who conquered La Barben in the summer of 1383. When Louis I died and his widow, Marie of Blois, Duchess of Anjou, arrived in Provence to defend the rights of her son, Louis II of Naples, she claimed that the seneschal gave her the city which she refused on the instruction of the King of France.^[8]

Heraldry

The official status of the arms remains to be determined Blazon: Party per pale, first Gules, an arched bridge Vert masoned in Sable; second Or, a chevron Azure between three leopard's heads of Sable erased affrontant tongued in Gules. N.B. These arms do not respect the Rule of tincture and are therefore faulty.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors^[9]

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Barbenais or Barbenaises in French.^[10]

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has many buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

• A Laundry at La Blancherie (18th century)^[13]
• A Chateau Garden on the D22 (17th century)^[14]
• A Bridge over the Canal de Marseille on RN572 (19th century)^[15]
• A Montjoie^{[Note 1]} at La Baou^[16]
• The fortified Chateau de la Barben (11th century)^[17]
• A Farmhouse at La Baou (18th century)^[18]
• The Clos Farmhouse at Sufferchoix (15th century)^[19]
• A Farmhouse at Val d'Estable (18th century)^[20]

Other sites of interest

• The La Barben Zoo

Zoo Picture Gallery

• 
  Giraffes
• 
  Panther
• 
  Rhinoceros
• 
  Wallaby
• 
  Elephant
• 
  Capybara
• 
  Camel
• 
  Bison
• 
  Hippopotamus
• 
  Lion

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

• The Parish Church of Saint-Sauveur^[21] The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
  • 2 Chairs (19th century)^[22]
  • A Statue: Virgin and child (18th century)^[23]
  • A framed Painting: the Transfiguration (1632)^[24]
  • A Painting: Saint Jerome (17th century)^[25]
• The Benedictine Church of Saint-Sauveur (11th century)^[26]
• The Benedictine Convent of Saint-Victor-de-Danes at Le Mounestier (12th century)^[27]
• A Monumental Cross at Val d'Estable (17th century)^[28]
• A Monumental Cross at La Beaumé de Matelas (19th century)^[29]

Notable people linked to the commune

• Count Auguste de Forbin (1777-1841), painter, pupil of Jacques-Louis David, Director of the Louvre Museum.