Aups (French pronunciation: [ops];[3] Provençal Occitan: Aups in the classical norm, Aup in the Mistralian norm, pronounced [ˈaw])[4] is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.

Aups
View of Aups
View of Aups
Coat of arms of Aups
Location of Aups
Map
Aups is located in France
Aups
Aups
Aups is located in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Aups
Aups
Coordinates: 43°37′42″N 6°13′29″E / 43.62840°N 6.2248°E / 43.62840; 6.2248
CountryFrance
RegionProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
DepartmentVar
ArrondissementBrignoles
CantonFlayosc
IntercommunalityCC Lacs Gorges Verdon
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Antoine Faure[1]
Area
1
64.15 km2 (24.77 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
2,317
 • Density36/km2 (94/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
83007 /83630
Elevation390–1,077 m (1,280–3,533 ft)
(avg. 505 m or 1,657 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Rue de l'horloge (Clock Street)
Entrance to the Collegiate Church of Saint Pancrace showing state ownership of the building
Château de Taurenne

Geography

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Located in Provence at 500m alt, Aups is in the first foothills of the Alps. The town is at the gates of Verdon River, at 60 km from the sea and 80 km from the snow stations.
Aups is named Capital of Haut-Var and Capital of the truffle and was made a part of the Parc naturel régional du Verdon in 2000. Its typically Mediterranean climate makes the village a healthy place to live.

Climate

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Aups has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). The average annual temperature in Aups is 13.5 °C (56.3 °F). The average annual rainfall is 784.1 mm (30.87 in) with November as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 22.6 °C (72.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.8 °C (42.4 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Aups was 40.1 °C (104.2 °F) on 28 June 2019; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −10.4 °C (13.3 °F) on 30 December 2005.

Climate data for Aups (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1993−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 23.8
(74.8)
22.4
(72.3)
25.9
(78.6)
27.6
(81.7)
33.0
(91.4)
40.1
(104.2)
38.7
(101.7)
39.3
(102.7)
34.0
(93.2)
30.9
(87.6)
22.7
(72.9)
22.4
(72.3)
40.1
(104.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 10.6
(51.1)
11.7
(53.1)
15.1
(59.2)
17.9
(64.2)
22.1
(71.8)
26.9
(80.4)
30.2
(86.4)
30.0
(86.0)
24.7
(76.5)
19.7
(67.5)
14.1
(57.4)
11.0
(51.8)
19.5
(67.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.8
(42.4)
6.2
(43.2)
9.0
(48.2)
11.8
(53.2)
15.8
(60.4)
19.9
(67.8)
22.6
(72.7)
22.5
(72.5)
18.2
(64.8)
14.3
(57.7)
9.3
(48.7)
6.5
(43.7)
13.5
(56.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.0
(33.8)
0.7
(33.3)
2.9
(37.2)
5.7
(42.3)
9.4
(48.9)
12.9
(55.2)
15.0
(59.0)
14.9
(58.8)
11.6
(52.9)
8.8
(47.8)
4.6
(40.3)
1.9
(35.4)
7.5
(45.5)
Record low °C (°F) −9.2
(15.4)
−10.2
(13.6)
−10.1
(13.8)
−3.6
(25.5)
0.7
(33.3)
4.5
(40.1)
7.7
(45.9)
7.3
(45.1)
2.2
(36.0)
−3.5
(25.7)
−6.3
(20.7)
−10.4
(13.3)
−10.4
(13.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 56.8
(2.24)
42.4
(1.67)
40.3
(1.59)
75.8
(2.98)
72.4
(2.85)
56.5
(2.22)
22.6
(0.89)
46.7
(1.84)
75.1
(2.96)
102.9
(4.05)
125.1
(4.93)
67.5
(2.66)
784.1
(30.87)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.6 5.0 5.4 7.9 7.4 4.7 3.0 4.3 5.5 6.7 8.4 6.3 70.1
Source: Météo-France[5]

History

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The village was named Oppidum de Alpibus (town of the Alps) then Castrum de Alpibus (fortress of the Alps), castrum de Almis, then Alps and now Aups. The place was colonized by the Oxybians (a Ligurian tribe) during the time of Ancient Rome, near Via Aurelia going from Fréjus (Forum Julii) to Riez (Forum Reii). Julius Caesar visited Aups on his way to conquering Gaul. He is supposed to have said, « I would rather be the first man in Aups than the second in Rome ».

In 1574, the town was looted by the Huguenots, who massacred 18 residents. A statue called "Maiden of the Massacre" was erected on square where the massacre took place, in Clock Street.
Aups was the centre of the Var Republican insurgency in 1851 against the coup d'état of Napoleon III, and became known as the "Center of Red Var".

Aups was a stronghold of the French Resistance during World War II. The city earned the Croix de guerre avec palmes. It was liberated by American forces on 17 August 1944, two days after the Operation Dragoon landings to the south.

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 1,488—    
1975 1,500+0.11%
1982 1,652+1.39%
1990 1,796+1.05%
1999 1,903+0.65%
2007 2,047+0.92%
2012 2,113+0.64%
2017 2,228+1.07%
Source: INSEE[6]

Tourism

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Truffles

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Aups has the third largest black truffle market of France, known for its quality and importance. This market is held every Thursday from November to February.

Provençal Market

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There is a colourful Provençal market, every Wednesday and Saturday featuring local products and handicrafts.

Taurenne Castle

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The Château de Taurenne is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and one of the last Var buildings dating from the Middle Ages. It is now home to an olive oil mill, with a boutique where you can find various award-winning olive oils.

People from Aups

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. "Récolte des olives à Aups". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ However, after the preposition a ~ à 'to', the forms are as Aups ~ à-z-Aup and are pronounced [aˈzaw]
  5. ^ "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  6. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE