Foix (; ) is a commune, the former capital of the County of Foix. Today it is the préfecture of the Ariège department in southwestern France in the Occitanie region.
It is to south of Toulouse, close to the border with Spain and Andorra. The city is only the second city of the department after Pamiers. Of all French préfectures, Foix is the one with fewest people living in it.
History
The Romans built a fort on the rocky hill where the Château de Foix castle now overlooks the town. The town of Foix probably owes its origin to an oratory founded by Charlemagne, which afterwards became the Abbey of Saint Volusianus in 849. The current area of the department was part of the old County of Foix.
Geography
The city of Foix lies in the foothills of the Pyrénées mountains, in southern France. It is on the confluence of the Ariège and Arget rivers. Foix is at to the south of Toulouse.
The commune has an area of . Its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
The commune of Foix is surrounded by the communes Arabaux, Cos, Crampagna, Ferrières-sur-Ariège, Ganac, Montgaillard, Pradières, Saint-Jean-de-Verges, Saint-Pierre-de-Rivière and Vernajoul.
Climate
The climate of Foix, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.
Population
The inhabitants of Foix are known, in French, as Fuxéens (women: Fuxéennes).
Foix has a population of 6,9,721 (2014), and population density of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Foix
Foix forms, with other 5 communes, the urban area of Foix with a population of 14,552 inhabitants (2013) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Foix, formed by 17 communes with a population of 18,406 inhabitants (2013) and an area of .
Administration
Foix is the prefecture of the Ariège department, the capital of the arrondissement of Foix and the administrative centre () of the canton of Foix (with 13,700 inhabitants in 2014).
It is part of the intercommunality Pays Foix-Varilhes ().
Twinned and partner towns
Foix is twinned with: Lleida, Spain Andorra la Vella, Andorra
Sites of interest
The main historic building is the Castle of the Counts of Foix or, simply, Castle of Foix; it is on the top of a rocky hill that overlooks the city. The old town, with narrow streets and houses of traditional architecture. Saint-Volusien Abbey The Villote (small town), in the Middle Ages, was a space outside the walls surrounding the city built in 1330.