Condom, Gers

Condom (Occitan: Condòm), also called Condom-en-Armagnac or Condom-sur-Baïse, is a commune in southwestern France in the department of Gers, Occitanie region, of which it is a subprefecture.

Condom
Subprefecture and commune
Condom Cathedral.
Coat of arms
Location of Condom
Condom Condom
Coordinates: 43°58′N 0°22′E
Country	France
Region	Occitanie
Department	Gers
Arrondissement	Condom
Canton	Baïse-Armagnac
Intercommunality	La Ténarèze
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Gérard Dubrac
Area 1	97.37 km2 (37.59 sq mi)
Population  (2014)	6,835
• Density	70/km2 (180/sq mi)
Demonym	Condomois
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	32107 /32100
Elevation	62–190 m (203–623 ft) (avg. 82 m or 269 ft)
Website	www.condom.org
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Name of the city

The name Condom comes from the Gaulish (an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Europe) words condate-ó-magos which means "market of the confluence". Condatómagos later became Condatóm and then Conddóm. The spelling Condom first came from Latin in the 10th century as Condomus or Condomium.

The name of the town has nothing to do with the condom, which in French is called préservatif. There used to be a museum of condoms in Condom, but it closed in 2005.

History

After the colonization of the area by the Romans, the Abbey of Saint Pierre was built in 1011. During the Hundred Years' War, the city was taken twice by the English. The Saint Pierre Cathedral was begun in 1507.

Way of St. James

Condom is a town on the Via Podiensis (the Le Puy Route), one of the three major French pilgrimage routes of the Way of St. James. This particular route begins in Le Puy and ends in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. Pilgrims came to Condom from Miradoux and continue on to Larressingle.

Geography

Condom is a commune found along the Baïse river, between Armagnac and Agenais. Condom is the main town of the Condomès or Ténarèze region.

The commune has an area of 97.37 km² (37.59 sq mi) and its average altitude is 82 m (269 ft); at the city hall, the altitude is 73 m (240 ft).

Condom and its neighboring communes

Condom is surrounded by the communes:

• Gers department: Gazaupouy, Castelnau-sur-l'Auvignon, Caussens, Béraut, Maignaut-Tauzia, Cassaigne, Larressingle and Larroque-sur-l'Osse,
• Lot-et-Garonne department: Lannes et Moncrabeau.

Climate

The climate of Condom, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.

Population

The inhabitants of Condom are known, in French, as Condomois (women: Condomoises).

With a population of 6,835 (2014), Condom has a population density of 70 inhabitants/km².

Evolution of the population in Condom

Economy

The commune of Condom depends mainly of the agriculture, the tourism and the trade.

Important agricultural products are Armagnac (an alcoholic beverage like a brandy), Floc de Gascogne (a regional apéritif) and foie gras.

Places of interest

Some of places of interest are:

• Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Condom (Saint Peter's Cathedral)
• The cloister of the Cathedral.
• Saint-Jacques church
• Musée de l'Armagnac, a museum of the Armagnac drink.

Gallery

• 
  Cathedral of Saint Pierre in Condom
• 
  Cloister of the cathedral, Condom
• 
  Port of Condom on the Baïse river
• 
  Cathedral of Saint Pierre in Condom

Sister cities

Condom is twinned with:

• Grünberg, Hesse, Germany
• Toro, Castile and León, Spain

Related pages

• Arrondissement of Condom
• Communes of the Gers department

Other websites

• City Council website (in French)
• Office de Tourisme - Condom/La Ténarèze (in French)