Last modified: 2021-06-26 by ivan sache
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![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-46-al.gif)
Flag of Albas - Image by Ivan Sache, 23 April 2021
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The municipality of Albas (522 inhabitants in 2018; 2,184 ha; municipal website) is located 30 km east of Cahors.
Albas was established on a rocky spur (50 m in height) overlooking the left bank of river Lot. The river port of Albas was once used to ship Cahors wine, produced in vineyards located across the river, to Bordeaux.
The castle of Albas, now the Town Hall, was once the secondary residence of the bishops of Cahors. This is recalled by the legend of the Soupadou (lit., private supper) Tower, which tells that a bishop of Cahors was then served by very young women, while ordinary clergymen could be served only by very old women. Those who gossiped on the bishop's behavior or intended to complain about it were kindly invited to a supper in the tower; after having been served huge quantity of Cahors wine, the drunk guest was bound hand and feet by the servants and thrown through the tower's window down to the river.
The Tournepique (lit., pike turning) recalls an historical event that took place in 1355 during the Hundred Years' War. Le Noir de Lezergues, lord of Orgueil, delivered to the English the fortress of Puy-l'Évêque he commanded on the bishop's behalf; led by the felon, an English troop headed to Albas and established a camp on the right bank of the Lot. Forcibly enrolled by the English, local farmers were ordered to cross the river on a ford to attack the fortress on its rear side. Aware of the attack, the castle's defenders bombed the assaulters with all kind of ammunition; when reaching the middle of the river and about to drown, the assaulters turned their pikes against the English, invaded their camp and forced them to withdraw.
Ivan Sache, 23 April 2021
The flag of Albas, unveiled on 14 April 2021, is light blue with the municipal coat of arms, "Quarterly, 1. and 4. Azure a bend argent cantonned by two fleurs-de-lis or, 2. and 3. Argent a lion gules the two lions affronty,".
On the flag, the coat of arms is represented with the quarters swapped.
[Le Petit Journal, 17 April 2021;
La Dépêche, 23 April 2021]
Ivan Sache, 23 April 2021