Manosque

Manosque Manòsca (Provençal)
Commune
Manosque seen from the Mont d'Or
Coat of arms
Location of Manosque
Manosque Location within France Manosque Location within Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Coordinates: 43°50′03″N 5°47′02″E
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Arrondissement	Forcalquier
Canton	Manosque-1, 2 and 3
Intercommunality	Durance-Luberon-Verdon Agglomération
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Camille Galtier
Area 1	56.73 km2 (21.90 sq mi)
Population  (2023)	22,718
• Density	400.5/km2 (1,037/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	04112 /04100
Elevation	279–730 m (915–2,395 ft) (avg. 330 m or 1,080 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Manosque (French pronunciation: [manɔsk]; Provençal Occitan: Manòsca in classical norm or Manosco in Mistralian norm) is the largest town and commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France. However, it is not the préfecture (capital) of the department, which is the smaller town of Digne-les-Bains. Manosque is located at the far eastern end of the Luberon near the Durance river.

History

The Hôtel de Ville

It was in the 13th century that the city walls were constructed: they have been completely destroyed apart from a few remaining gates.

The Hôtel de Ville dates back at least to about 1750.

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1793	4,726	—
1800	5,360	+1.81%
1806	5,570	+0.64%
1821	5,544	−0.03%
1831	5,543	−0.00%
1836	4,995	−2.06%
1841	5,311	+1.23%
1846	5,684	+1.37%
1851	5,073	−2.25%
1856	5,897	+3.06%
1861	5,936	+0.13%
1866	5,919	−0.06%
1872	6,124	+0.57%
1876	6,136	+0.05%
1881	5,775	−1.21%
1886	5,450	−1.15%
1891	5,572	+0.44%
1896	5,265	−1.13%
1901	5,098	−0.64%

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1906	5,017	−0.32%
1911	4,853	−0.66%
1921	5,036	+0.37%
1926	4,989	−0.19%
1931	5,661	+2.56%
1936	5,635	−0.09%
1946	6,734	+1.80%
1954	7,750	+1.77%
1962	10,080	+3.34%
1968	16,281	+8.32%
1975	19,150	+2.35%
1982	18,760	−0.29%
1990	19,107	+0.23%
1999	19,603	+0.29%
2007	21,777	+1.32%
2012	22,099	+0.29%
2017	22,333	+0.21%
2023	22,718	+0.29%

Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2023)

Personalities

• Economy
  • Olivier Baussan, founder of L’Occitane and Oliviers & Co.
• Science
  • Félix Esclangon (1905-1956), physicist, born and buried in Manosque.
• Medicine
  • Fava of Manosque was a Jewish physician and surgeon in the early 14th century (c. 1321).
  • Pierre Gérard Vassal (1769-1840) doctor and surgeon born in Manosque.
• Writers
  • Marc-Antoine Laugier (1711-1769) born in Manosque, Jesuit writer and music critic considered the father of naturalism.
  • Élémir Bourges (1852-1925) born in Manosque, novelist and journalist.
  • Jean Giono (1895-1970) born and died in Manosque, buried in the communal cemetery.
  • Pierre Magnan (1922-2012) born in Manosque, passionate writer of Provence.
  • René Frégni born in Marseille, lived in Manosque.
  • Sonia Chiambretto writer, lived in Manosque, worked with others on the archives of the Papon case.
• Politicians
  • François Joseph de Pochet (1729-1794), born in Manosque, deputy to the Estates General of 1789, representing the sénéchaussée of Aix-en-Provence.
  • Henri Maurel (1867-1935), born in Manosque, deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône in 1919.
  • Pierre Augier (1910-1963), deputy for Vaucluse, and mayor of Pertuis, born in Manosque.
• Actors
  • Christian Barbier (1924-2009) spent the last years of his life in Manosque and died there.
  • Hafsia Herzi born in Manosque in 1987.
  • Grégory Basso born in Manosque in 1974, French actor and singer, participant in TV reality shows.
• Artists
  • The English painter Ralph Rumney spent the last years of his life in Manosque.
• Musicians
  • The composer Adolphe Blanc was born in Manosque on the 24 June 1828.
  • The jazz musician Olivier Gatto born in Manosque en 1963.
  • The French rock guitarist, singer, and movie soundtrack artist - Stéphane Honde (aka Steph Honde) : "Rock You Like a Hurricane" in collaboration with Micki Milosevic under the band name "Unprotected Innocence", Sony Music Entertainment in the movie HellBoy, released by Lionsgate, April 2019.
  • The French rock group Café Bertrand.
  • The bass-baritone Vincent le Texier.
• Sports
  • The athlete Salvatore Alario, junior French high jump champion in the 1970s.
  • The motocross driver Jean-Michel Bayle born in Manosque in 1969.
  • The swimmer Esther Baron was a member of the EP Manosque club.
  • The amateur French cycling champion 1971 Richard Podesta.
  • The international athlete Gloria Garrido was born in Manosque in 1951
  • The professional racing cyclist Julien El Farès, born in Manosque in 1985.
  • The racing cyclist Édouard Fachleitner (1921-2008), nicknamed "le berger de Manosque" (the shepherd of Manosque), second in the Tour de France 1947.
  • The middle-distance runner (800 metres) Florent Lacasse.
  • The flyweight boxer Karim Guerfi, junior world champion, champion of France, champion of Europe (2013).

Twin towns

Manosque is twinned with:

• Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany
• Voghera, Italy

See also

• Coteaux de Pierrevert AOC
• Communes of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department

External links

• Official website (in French)
• activities in Manosque and surroundings (in French)