Condom (), 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.
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 or .
The name of the town has nothing to do with the condom, which in French is called . 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 and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
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 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
Sister cities
Condom is twinned with: Grünberg, Hesse, Germany Toro, Castile and León, Spain