# Plaigne

> commune in Aude, France

**Wikidata**: [Q1083232](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1083232)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaigne)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/plaigne

## Summary

Plaigne is a commune located in the Aude department of southern France, situated in the historical region of Occitanie. The small rural municipality sits at coordinates 43.1736° N latitude and 1.8117° E longitude, and is part of the canton of Belpech within the arrondissement of Carcassonne. As a commune of France, it operates under the administrative framework established following the French Revolution.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Aude department, Occitanie region, southern France
- **Coordinates**: 43.173611111111° N, 1.8116666666667° E
- **Administrative hierarchy**: Part of canton of Belpech, arrondissement of Carcassonne
- **Country**: France
- **Administrative division type**: Commune of France (territorial subdivision established +1789)
- **Department inception**: Aude department created March 4, 1790
- **Population range**: 109 to 160 residents across recorded data points
- **Wikipedia title**: Plaigne
- **Wikidata description**: commune in Aude, France
- **Sitelink count**: 41

## FAQs

**What region is Plaigne located in?**

Plaigne is located in the Aude department, which is part of the Occitanie region in southern France. The commune falls within the canton of Belpech and the arrondissement of Carcassonne.

**What type of administrative area is Plaigne?**

Plaigne is a commune, which is the smallest territorial subdivision for municipalities in France. The commune as an administrative unit was established during the French Revolution in 1789.

**What are the geographic coordinates of Plaigne?**

Plaigne is situated at latitude 43.173611111111° north and longitude 1.8116666666667° east.

**How large is Plaigne?**

The population data shows figures ranging from 109 to 160 residents across multiple recorded years, indicating Plaigne is a small rural commune typical of the Aude department's interior regions.

**What is the historical context of Aude department?**

The Aude department was created on March 4, 1790, during the early years of the French Revolution, as part of the initial division of France into departments.

## Why It Matters

Plaigne represents the quintessential rural French commune that forms the backbone of France's administrative structure. Though small in population, such communes are essential to understanding France's decentralized governance system, where over 34,000 communes operate as the lowest level of territorial administration. The commune system, dating to 1789, embodies the revolutionary principle of local self-governance that replaced the older parish and seigniorial systems. Plaigne's location in Aude places it in one of France's most historically rich departments, where ancient settlements, medieval fortifications, and Cathar heritage sites dot the landscape. The commune's participation in the canton of Belpech connects it to broader regional administrative functions, ensuring local citizens have representation in departmental governance. Understanding Plaigne and similar small communes provides insight into France's unique blend of centralized state structure and local autonomy.

## Notable For

- **Rural character**: Represents the small agricultural communes that dominate the interior landscape of the Aude department
- **Historical department**: Located in Aude, a department created during the foundational period of the French Revolution in 1790
- **Administrative connectivity**: Part of the canton system that provides intermediate representation between communes and the arrondissement level
- **Southern France location**: Situated in the Occitanie region, France's largest region by area, known for its Mediterranean climate and diverse terrain

## Body

### Geography and Location

Plaigne is a rural commune positioned in the southern French department of Aude, within the Occitanie region. The municipality's geographic coordinates place it at 43.173611111111° north latitude and 1.8116666666667° east longitude. This location situates the commune in the interior upland areas of the Aude department, away from the Mediterranean coast but within the broader linguistic and cultural zone of Occitanie. The terrain in this part of Aude consists of rolling hills, agricultural land, and the characteristic garrigue vegetation of the region.

### Administrative Structure

Plaigne operates within France's three-tiered local government system. At the most local level, it functions as a commune—an administrative division that dates to the French Revolution, formally established in 1789 as part of the revolutionary government's rationalization of territorial organization. The commune is grouped into the canton of Belpech, which serves as an electoral district for elections to the Department Council. At the next administrative level, Plaigne belongs to the arrondissement of Carcassonne, one of the five arrondissements in the Aude department. The arrondissement serves as an intermediary administrative division between the department and its constituent communes.

### Historical Context

The Aude department itself was created on March 4, 1790, during the initial phase of the French Revolution when the National Constituent Assembly undertook the systematic reorganization of France's territorial administration. This period saw the replacement of the ancient provinces and the creation of departments named after geographic features—in this case, the Aude River that flows through the department. Plaigne, as a commune, has existed as an administrative unit since the formal establishment of the commune system in 1789, though the settlement itself likely predates the revolutionary period by centuries, as is typical of French rural communes.

### Demographics

The population figures for Plaigne show variation across recorded data points, with numbers ranging from 109 to 160 residents. This population size is characteristic of the many small rural communes that exist throughout the Aude department and rural France more broadly. Such communes typically feature aging populations as younger residents migrate to larger towns and cities for education and employment opportunities, though some communes experience renewal as retirees or remote workers seek quieter lifestyles.

### Regional Context

Plaigne's department of Aude is located in the southernmost portion of metropolitan France, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The department is part of Occitanie, the largest region in France by area, which encompasses the former regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées. The Aude department is known for its diverse landscape, ranging from the coastal plain around Narbonne to the mountainous terrain of the Corbières and the Pyrenees foothills. The department's capital, Carcassonne, is famous for its medieval fortified city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The canton of Belpech, to which Plaigne belongs, represents one of the numerous cantons that divide the department for electoral and administrative purposes.

### Administrative Relationships

The commune of France represents a unique feature of French territorial organization. Unlike equivalent units in other countries, French communes function as both municipalities and basic territorial administrative units, responsible for local services including civil registration, local planning, and maintenance of public spaces. The commune system has remained remarkably stable since its creation, with the total number of communes remaining around 34,000 despite significant demographic shifts. Plaigne, as one of these communes, participates in this decentralized administrative framework while remaining connected to higher levels of governance through the canton and arrondissement system.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
3. INSEE code
4. répertoire géographique des communes
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Annuaire de service-public.fr
7. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
8. Populations légales 2016
9. Populations légales 2017
10. Populations légales 2018
11. [Populations légales communales depuis 1968. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2522602)
12. Populations légales 2019
13. Populations légales 2020
14. Populations légales 2021
15. Populations de référence 2022
16. Populations de référence 2023
17. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
18. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
19. GeoNames
20. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
21. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
22. [Code officiel géographique. 2020](https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/8442dfae-a878-49c6-be4c-20689b1c337c)
23. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)