Couiza

Couiza
Coat of arms
Couiza
Location within Languedoc-Roussillon region Couiza
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées
Department	Aude
Arrondissement	Limoux
Canton	Couiza
Intercommunality	Pays de Couiza
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Jacques Hortala
Area1	6.77 km2 (2.61 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	1,209
• Density	180/km2 (460/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	11304 / 11190
Elevation	218–563 m (715–1,847 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.

Couiza is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.

Couiza is located at the foothills of the Pyrenees, on the road between Limoux, going towards Carcassonne and Quillan, going towards Perpignan. Couiza, at the top of the Haute Valley of the Aude, is at the foot of the hill leading to Rennes-le-Château and is on the Aude River.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	1,126	—
1968	1,297	+15.2%
1975	1,314	+1.3%
1982	1,259	−4.2%
1990	1,287	+2.2%
1999	1,194	−7.2%
2008	1,209	+1.3%

Sights

The Château de Couiza, a 16th-century castle, was built by the Dukes of Joyeuse and is now a hotel and restaurant (Les Ducs de Joyeuse). There is also a good tourist office, another restaurant, two patisseries and a post office. There is also a church in Couiza dedicated to St. Jean the Baptist. The area around Couiza is rich in historic and geographic interest.

Transportation

The railway line from Carcassonne runs here stopping in Limoux and Espéraza on the way but the service is limited. Leaving Couiza the main road (D117) leads to Perpignan. Down to Barcelona or up to Narbonne and the TGV lines across the South of France.

See also

• Communes of the Aude department

References

• INSEE

External links

• Official website for Couiza (in French)
• Activities in and around Couiza, plus holiday accommodation