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Home > Travel France > France Destinations > Ales
Ales
France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and comprises various overseas islands and territories which are located in other regions. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. At 674,843 square kilometers, France is the world's 40th-largest country after Myanmar. France is a member of The European Union and Paris is the capital of this nation. The sole official language of France is French. Since prehistoric times, France has been a crossroads of trade, migrations, and invasions.
Ales is a town and commune in southern France, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is one of the sous-prefectures of the Gard departement. It was formerly known as Alais. Ales lie 25 meters N.N.W. of Nimes, on the left bank of the Gardon River, which half surrounds it. It is located at the foot of the Cevennes, near the Cevennes National Park.
In the 16th century Ales was an important Huguenot centre. In 1629 the town was taken by Louis XIII, and by the Peace of Alais the Huguenots gave up their right to places de surete and other privileges. A bishopric was established there in 1694 but suppressed in 1790. Historical population is 18,987 inhabitants in 1906. Ales is the center of a mining district and hosts the Ecole des mines d'Ales.
The town is one of the most important markets for raw silk and cocoons in the south of France, and the Gardon supplies power to numerous silk-mills. It is also the centre of a mineral field, which yields large quantities of coal, iron, zinc and lead; its blast-furnaces, foundries, glass-works and engineering works afford employment to many workmen. As it is often regarded as among the most beautiful parts of France, it is one of the most visited places amongst the most die-hard travelers the world over.
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