Cognac, France

Cognac

Coat of arms
Cognac

Coordinates: 45°42′N 0°20′W / 45.70°N 0.33°W / 45.70; -0.33Coordinates: 45°42′N 0°20′W / 45.70°N 0.33°W / 45.70; -0.33
Country France
Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department Charente
Arrondissement Cognac
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Michel Gourinchas
Area1 15.5 km2 (6.0 sq mi)
Population (2008)2 19,066
 • Density 1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 16102 / 16100
Elevation 5–53 m (16–174 ft)
(avg. 27 m or 89 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.

Cognac (French: [kɔ.ɲak]) is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.

Geography

Cognac is situated on the river Charente between the towns of Angoulême and Saintes. The majority of the town has been built on the river's left bank, with the smaller right bank area known as the Saint Jacques district. The town is situated on one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela and home to the French Air Force training base 709. Cognac is 400 kilometres (250 mi) southwest of Paris.

Climate

Climate data for Cognac, France (1981–2010 averages)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.4
(65.1)		 22.5
(72.5)		 26.2
(79.2)		 31.0
(87.8)		 34.0
(93.2)		 38.2
(100.8)		 40.1
(104.2)		 39.6
(103.3)		 36.4
(97.5)		 30.6
(87.1)		 24.7
(76.5)		 20.5
(68.9)		 40.1
(104.2)
Average high °C (°F) 9.4
(48.9)		 11.0
(51.8)		 14.4
(57.9)		 16.9
(62.4)		 20.8
(69.4)		 24.3
(75.7)		 26.8
(80.2)		 26.7
(80.1)		 23.5
(74.3)		 18.9
(66)		 13.0
(55.4)		 9.8
(49.6)		 18.0
(64.4)
Average low °C (°F) 2.8
(37)		 2.8
(37)		 4.9
(40.8)		 6.9
(44.4)		 10.6
(51.1)		 13.6
(56.5)		 15.3
(59.5)		 15.0
(59)		 12.3
(54.1)		 9.8
(49.6)		 5.5
(41.9)		 3.3
(37.9)		 8.6
(47.5)
Record low °C (°F) −17.5
(0.5)		 −19.4
(−2.9)		 −10.2
(13.6)		 −2.9
(26.8)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 3.0
(37.4)		 6.4
(43.5)		 5.5
(41.9)		 2.2
(36)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 −8.4
(16.9)		 −14.5
(5.9)		 −19.4
(−2.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 71.9
(2.831)		 52.0
(2.047)		 57.7
(2.272)		 71.0
(2.795)		 65.1
(2.563)		 52.3
(2.059)		 48.2
(1.898)		 47.3
(1.862)		 59.8
(2.354)		 81.2
(3.197)		 86.3
(3.398)		 84.3
(3.319)		 777.1
(30.594)
Average precipitation days 11.7 9.2 10.1 11.3 10.7 7.5 7.0 6.6 8.0 11.4 11.7 11.9 117.0
Average relative humidity (%) 87 82 76 74 75 72 69 72 76 83 87 88 78.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 83.0 111.9 162.4 180.5 215.9 238.4 249.9 244.8 199.2 137.3 91.2 81.4 1,995.9
Source #1: Meteo France[1][2]
Source #2: Infoclimat.fr (humidity, 1961–1990)[3]

History

Unknown prior to the 9th century, the town was subsequently fortified. During the Hundred Years' War, the town changed sides on several occasions as the result of fighting and treaties in the region.

Francis I granted the town the right to trade salt along the river, guaranteeing strong commercial success, which in turn led to the town's development as a centre of wine and later brandy.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
17932,846—    
18002,827−0.7%
18063,134+10.9%
18212,947−6.0%
18313,409+15.7%
18414,118+20.8%
18464,947+20.1%
18515,835+18.0%
18567,085+21.4%
18618,167+15.3%
18669,412+15.2%
187213,677+45.3%
187614,900+8.9%
188114,087−5.5%
188615,200+7.9%
189117,392+14.4%
189620,228+16.3%
190119,483−3.7%
190619,469−0.1%
191119,188−1.4%
192118,876−1.6%
192617,452−7.5%
193117,404−0.3%
193616,305−6.3%
194617,479+7.2%
195419,026+8.9%
196220,798+9.3%
196822,062+6.1%
197522,237+0.8%
198220,660−7.1%
199019,528−5.5%
199919,525−0.0%
200819,066−2.4%

The inhabitants of the town are known as Cognaçais.

Sights

The area also contains many Romanesque churches as well as several châteaux.

Cognac brandy

Main article: Cognac

The town gives its name to one of the world's best-known types of brandy or eau de vie. Drinks must be made in certain areas around the town of Cognac and must be made according to strictly-defined regulations to be granted the name Cognac.

Cognac is a unique spirit in that it is double-distilled. This process can be viewed in one of the many "Grande Marque" Cognac houses which all have visitor centres. Most central in the town are Hennessy, Martell, Otard, Camus and Remy Martin. About 15 km (9.32 mi) East of Cognac is Jarnac, home to Courvoisier.

There are six vineyard areas around the Cognac area, all of which are within the Appellation Controlee for Cognac, but which are considered to vary in quality from the best growth area of "Grande Champagne" (nothing to do with the Champagne wine region in NE France), through "Petite Champagne" then "Borderies", "Fins Bois", "Bon Bois" and finally "Bois Ordinaire". The best Cognacs are generally only made using Grande and Petite Champagne grapes, but all Cognac is produced by blending a variety of "Eau de Vie" which can be made from grapes from different locations, and from different vintages. It is the Cellar master's skill that ensures that a brand's Cognac is recognisable regardless of when it is produced since he can blend multiple eaux de vie to achieve the right taste for his house.

Different qualities of Cognac are produced by all brands, and include VS ("Very Special"); VSOP ("Very Superior [or, more commonly, "Special", though the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac specifies "Superior"] Old Pale") and XO ("eXtra Old"). (English terms are still used, since in the early days of Cognac production it was the British and Irish who were the main consumers and also became some of the main producers of Cognac, using techniques acquired from the distillation of whisky, etc.) These are controlled by the length of time the Cognac is allowed to mature in oak barrels, a minimum time being required at each grade level. The longer the Cognac matures in the barrel the smoother it will generally become. Once it is bottled no further development takes place. Most houses still have barrels of Cognac dating back to the 19th century sitting in their cellars waiting for fine blending by the Cellar Master.

Personalities

Sport

Twin towns—sister cities

Cognac is twinned with:

The Musée des arts du Cognac 
The Château des Valois 
The Château des Valois 

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Données climatiques de la station de Cognac" (in French). Meteo France. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Climat Poitou-Charentes" (in French). Meteo France. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Normes et records 1961-1990: Cognac-Châteaubernard (16) - altitude 30m" (in French). Infoclimat. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  4. ↑ http://www.bernezac.com/Cognac_St_Leger_03.jpg
  5. ↑ Archived February 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ "British towns twinned with French towns". Archant Community Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 2013-07-05. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  7. ↑ Tovuz in Azerbaijan, Cognac in France become sister cities retrieved 22 May 2015
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