Agen
The Cathedral of Saint-Caprais in Agen
Agen
Administration
Country	France
Region	Aquitaine
Department	Lot-et-Garonne
Arrondissement	Agen
Intercommunality	Agen
Mayor	Jean Dionis du Séjour (NC) (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	37–162 m (121–531 ft) (avg. 48 m or 157 ft)
Land area1	11.49 km2 (4.44 sq mi)
Population2	33,863  (2007)
- Density	2,947 /km2 (7,630 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	47001/ 47000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 44°12′18″N 0°37′16″E / 44.2049°N 0.6212°E / 44.2049; 0.6212

Agen (French pronunciation: [aʒɛ̃]) is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in Aquitaine in south-western France. It lies on the river Garonne 135 kilometres (84 mi) southeast of Bordeaux. It is the capital of the department.

Economy[link]

The town has a higher level of unemployment than the national average. Major employers include UPSA, the pharmaceutical factory.

Main sights[link]

The old centre of town contains a number of medieval buildings.

The twelfth century Agen Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Caprasius, is one of the few large churches in France with a double nave; the curious and impractical plan may be a regional trait, since one of the others is the Church of the Jacobins in relatively nearby Toulouse.

The Saint Hilaire church, dedicated to the theme of the Holy Trinity which the Saint in question did a lot to defend, is notable for its unusual statues in front of the Church – Moses on the right, and St Peter on the left.

The Fine Arts museum, Musée des Beaux Arts contains artefacts furniture and sculptures from prehistoric times onwards. The art gallery contains several hundred works including several by Goya, and others by Bonnard, Seurat. The collection also contains a large number of works by artists who lived locally. The museum is made up of twenty or so rooms.^[1]

Agen in 1877 by Louis Ducos du Hauron

The Canal des Deux Mers, which joins the Mediterranean with the Atlantic, crosses the river Garonne at Agen via the town's famous canal bridge.

Entertainment[link]

The municipal theatre "Théâtre Ducourneau" presents theatre, and occasionally classical concerts. The smaller "Théâtre du jour" has a resident theatre company presenting a variety of recent or older plays (Shakespeare, Becket, as well as lesser known playwrights).

There are two cinemas, one a commercial multiscreened affair, the other an arts cinema run by a voluntary organization. The latter organizes film festivals every year.

Sport[link]

Rugby is extremely popular in the town, and the local team, SU Agen, is enthusiastically supported. The town also serves as the base for the Team Lot-et-Garonne cycling team.

Press[link]

For many decades Le Petit Bleu has been the daily newspaper, with stories of local or national interest.

Transportation[link]

Gare d'Agen connects Agen with Toulouse and Bordeaux as well as services to Périgueux. It is around an hour from Toulouse, and around an hour from Bordeaux. Fast trains to Paris take four hours and ten minutes. Agen is connected by the A62 motorway to both Toulouse and Bordeaux. The Agen Airport is serviced by Airlinair service to Paris Orly 6 days a week, it is also used for business and leisure flying.

Diocese[link]

Agen is the seat of a Roman Catholic diocese that comprises the Département of Lot and Garonne. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Bordeaux.

International relations[link]

Twin towns – Sister cities[link]

Agen is twinned with:

• Tuapse, Russia
• Dinslaken, Germany^[2]
• Llanelli, Wales, United Kingdom
• Toledo, Spain^[3]
• Corpus Christi, United States

Notable people[link]

As place of birth

• Bernard Palissy (c. 1510–1590), potter – according to some accounts, he may have been born in Saintes
• Joseph Justus Scaliger (1540–1609), scholar
• Pierre Dupuy (1582–1651), scholar
• Joseph Barsalou (1600–1660), physician
• Godefroi, Comte d'Estrades (1607–1686), diplomatist and marshal
• Bernard Germain Étienne comte de La Ville-sur-Illon La Cépède (1756–1825), naturalist
• Jean Baptiste Bory de Saint-Vincent (1780–1846), naturalist
• Jacques Jasmin (1798–1864), Provençal poet
• Joseph Chaumié (1849–1919), politician
• William Grover-Williams (1903–1945) racer and SOE agent
• Michel Serres (born 1930), philosopher and author
• Jacques Sadoul (born 1934), author
• Jean Cruguet (born 1939), jockey who won the U.S. Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
• Alain Aspect (born 1947), physicist
• Francis Cabrel (born 1953), singer-songwriter and guitarist
• Bernard Campan (born 1958), actor and film director
• Stéphane Rideau (born 1976), actor

As residence

• Nostradamus lived in Agen from 1531 until at least 1534. He was married to a local woman with whom he had two children.

Miscellaneous[link]

Agen is the "capital of the prune", a local produce sold as a sweet (stuffed with prune purée) or as an after-dinner delight (prunes soaked in Armagnac – a type of brandy). Every September, the Prune festival organizes rock concerts, circuses and prune tasting.

See also[link]

• SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne, a French rugby union club based in Agen
• Agenais, or Agenois, a former province of France

References[link]

Notes

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Agen

• site de la ville
• office de tourisme
• Diocese of Agen – Catholic Encyclopædia article

v t e Communes of the Lot-et-Garonne department Agen Agmé Agnac Aiguillon Allemans-du-Dropt Allez-et-Cazeneuve Allons Ambrus Andiran Antagnac Anthé Anzex Argenton Armillac Astaffort Aubiac Auradou Auriac-sur-Dropt Bajamont Baleyssagues Barbaste Bazens Beaugas Beaupuy Beauville Beauziac Bias Birac-sur-Trec Blanquefort-sur-Briolance Blaymont Boé Bon-Encontre Boudy-de-Beauregard Bouglon Bourgougnague Bourlens Bournel Bourran Boussès Brax Bruch Brugnac Buzet-sur-Baïse Cahuzac Calignac Calonges Cambes Cancon Casseneuil Cassignas Castelculier Casteljaloux Castella Castelmoron-sur-Lot Castelnaud-de-Gratecambe Castelnau-sur-Gupie Castillonnès Caubeyres Caubon-Saint-Sauveur Caudecoste Caumont-sur-Garonne Cauzac Cavarc Cazideroque Clairac Clermont-Dessous Clermont-Soubiran Cocumont Colayrac-Saint-Cirq Condezaygues Coulx Courbiac Cours Couthures-sur-Garonne La Croix-Blanche Cuq Cuzorn Damazan Dausse Dévillac Dolmayrac Dondas Doudrac Douzains Durance Duras Engayrac Escassefort Esclottes Espiens Estillac Fals Fargues-sur-Ourbise Fauguerolles Fauillet Ferrensac Feugarolles Fieux Fongrave Foulayronnes Fourques-sur-Garonne Francescas Fréchou Frégimont Frespech Fumel Galapian Gaujac Gavaudun Gontaud-de-Nogaret Granges-sur-Lot Grateloup-Saint-Gayrand Grayssas Grézet-Cavagnan Guérin Hautefage-la-Tour Hautesvignes Houeillès Jusix Labastide-Castel-Amouroux Labretonie Lacapelle-Biron Lacaussade Lacépède Lachapelle Lafitte-sur-Lot Lafox Lagarrigue Lagruère Lagupie Lalandusse Lamontjoie Lannes Laparade Laperche Laplume Laroque-Timbaut Lasserre Laugnac Laussou Lauzun Lavardac Lavergne Layrac Lédat Lévignac-de-Guyenne Leyritz-Moncassin Longueville Loubès-Bernac Lougratte Lusignan-Petit Madaillan Marcellus Marmande Marmont-Pachas Le Mas-d'Agenais Masquières Massels Massoulès Mauvezin-sur-Gupie Mazières-Naresse Meilhan-sur-Garonne Mézin Miramont-de-Guyenne Moirax Monbahus Monbalen Moncaut Monclar Moncrabeau Monflanquin Mongaillard Monheurt Monségur Monsempron-Libos Montagnac-sur-Auvignon Montagnac-sur-Lède Montastruc Montauriol Montaut Montayral Montesquieu Monteton Montignac-de-Lauzun Montignac-Toupinerie Montpezat Montpouillan Monviel Moulinet Moustier Nérac Nicole Nomdieu Pailloles Pardaillan Parranquet Le Passage Paulhiac Penne-d'Agenais Peyrière Pindères Pinel-Hauterive Pompiey Pompogne Pont-du-Casse Port-Sainte-Marie Poudenas Poussignac Prayssas Puch-d'Agenais Pujols Puymiclan Puymirol Puysserampion Rayet Razimet Réaup-Lisse La Réunion Rives Romestaing Roquefort Roumagne Ruffiac Saint-Antoine-de-Ficalba Saint-Astier Saint-Aubin Saint-Avit Saint-Barthélemy-d'Agenais Saint-Caprais-de-Lerm Saint-Colomb-de-Lauzun Sainte-Bazeille Sainte-Colombe-de-Duras Sainte-Colombe-de-Villeneuve Sainte-Colombe-en-Bruilhois Sainte-Gemme-Martaillac Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot Sainte-Marthe Sainte-Maure-de-Peyriac Saint-Étienne-de-Fougères Saint-Étienne-de-Villeréal Saint-Eutrope-de-Born Saint-Front-sur-Lémance Saint-Georges Saint-Géraud Saint-Hilaire-de-Lusignan Saint-Jean-de-Duras Saint-Jean-de-Thurac Saint-Laurent Saint-Léger Saint-Léon Saint-Martin-Curton Saint-Martin-de-Beauville Saint-Martin-de-Villeréal Saint-Martin-Petit Saint-Maurice-de-Lestapel Saint-Maurin Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Balerme Saint-Pardoux-du-Breuil Saint-Pardoux-Isaac Saint-Pastour Saint-Pé-Saint-Simon Saint-Pierre-de-Buzet Saint-Pierre-de-Clairac Saint-Pierre-sur-Dropt Saint-Quentin-du-Dropt Saint-Robert Saint-Romain-le-Noble Saint-Salvy Saint-Sardos Saint-Sauveur-de-Meilhan Saint-Sernin Saint-Sixte Saint-Sylvestre-sur-Lot Saint-Urcisse Saint-Vincent-de-Lamontjoie Saint-Vite Salles Samazan Sauméjan Saumont Sauvagnas La Sauvetat-de-Savères La Sauvetat-du-Dropt La Sauvetat-sur-Lède Sauveterre-la-Lémance Sauveterre-Saint-Denis Savignac-de-Duras Savignac-sur-Leyze Ségalas Sembas Sénestis Sérignac-Péboudou Sérignac-sur-Garonne Seyches Sos Soumensac Taillebourg Tayrac Le Temple-sur-Lot Thézac Thouars-sur-Garonne Tombebœuf Tonneins Tourliac Tournon-d'Agenais Tourtrès Trémons Trentels Varès Verteuil-d'Agenais Vianne Villebramar Villefranche-du-Queyran Villeneuve-de-Duras Villeneuve-sur-Lot Villeréal Villeton Virazeil Xaintrailles

Claire Chazal in 2007

Claire Chazal in 2006

Claire Chazal (pronounced: [klɛːʁ ʃazal]) (born December 1, 1956 at Thiers in the Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne) is a French journalist, romance writer, and director of news at a national television station, TF1.

She presents the news at 8pm in alternation with Gilles Bouleau; Julien Arnaud substitutes for her when she is absent.

She also presents Je/nous de Claire a talk-show on the gay television channel Pink TV that she helped start in 2004. (The title of this show puns on Le Genou de Claire, a French film known in English as Claire's Knee.) Chazal obtained an HEC School of Management diploma.

Sources[link]

• Profile at imédias website (French)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Claire Chazal

• Claire Chazal at the Internet Movie Database

This French biographical article related to television is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Rupeni Caucaunibuca

Date of birth	(1980-06-05) 5 June 1980 (age 32)
Place of birth	Fiji
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	116 kg (18 st 4 lb)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Wing , Center
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–2009 2010 –	Agen Toulouse	108 12	(325) 65T (25) 5T
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2001–2003	Northland	18	(80) 16T
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2002–2004	Blues	13	(75) 15T
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2002, 2003, 06, 2010 2006 2010	NZ Barbarians  Fiji Pacific Islanders French Barbarians	1 7 1 1	(5) (45) (5) (5)
correct as of October 9, 2010.
Sevens national teams
Years	Club / team		Comps
2001–2002	Fiji

Rupeni Caucaunibuca (English pronunciation: /ruːˈpɛniː ˈðaʊðaʊnɪmˈbuːðɑː/, born 5 June 1980) is a Fijian rugby union footballer.

Early years[link]

Caucaunibuca or "Rups", as called by those who knew him, grew up most of his life in the village. Caucaunibuca's father was a church minister based around the Bua province on the northern parts of Fiji so his family frequently moved.

Caucaunibuca was a keen rugby player in his youth as he began to show his skills, pace and athleticism during the afternoon touch rugby on his village ground.^{[citation needed]}

Caucaunibuca went to Bucalevu, a school in Taveuni after completing his primary education at Kubulau District School in Bua. He took athletics and would often participate in the sprint event. His talent was recognized during secondary school trials at Ratu Sukuna Memorial School grounds. Caucaunibuca went on to represent the Bua Rugby team at the B Division championship but lost to Ovalau in the semi final. Ovalau went on to the premier competition.

Caucaunibuca caught the eye of the Fiji selectors and coach, the late Rupeni Ravonu at one of the local 7's competition in early 2000 and he selected the youngster to his Police team. Caucau excelled from there and later was rewarded and named in the Fiji sevens team, and his first time to travel overseas.

Career[link]

Caucaunibuca plays wing for the Fiji national team, and formerly played for New Zealand-based teams such as Super Rugby's Blues and provincial side Northland. He is also known as 'Caucau' /ˈðaʊðaʊ/. In his prime, he was generally regarded by both journalists and international players as the greatest attacking player in world rugby.^[1]

In 2005, Caucaunibuca returned to Fiji from France in late May to prepare for games against New Zealand Māori and the All Blacks and in time for Fiji's World Cup qualifiers, but failed to appear in any of the June or July matches. He missed Fiji's first World Cup qualifying match against Tonga in Suva but was recalled for their subsequent match against Samoa. After assuring Fiji coach Wayne Pivac he would play, Caucaunibuca missed a flight to Samoa saying he had been forced to remain in Fiji with his wife who had an infected tooth. The Fiji Rugby Union banned him for one year, ruling him out of the 2005 autumn tour of Europe and the 2006 South Pacific Tri-Nations series.

In May 2006 his one year ban was lifted after he showed remorse and a desire to play for Fiji.^[2] In his return match, he scored a try as Fiji lost to the Junior All Blacks, 35–17 in Suva. Later, in a mid-year Test against Six Nations participant Italy, he scored one of Fiji's four tries in a 29–18 win.^[3] When Caucau failed to arrive in France for Agen's preseason training camp in July 2006, it was widely rumoured that he had yet again displayed his past lack of discipline. However, Agen's management confirmed that he had contracted a tropical virus in Fiji and had been hospitalized there for several weeks. He was released in August, but lost 12 kg (27 lb) during his illness. Caucaunibuca did not make the return flight to France, as he had been told by his doctor that he could not travel abroad because of his sickness. During his recovery, he witnessed the birth of his daughter. Contrary to reports that he had decided to retire prematurely from rugby, he had also confirmed that he had spoken to his agent, who relayed the message to his Agen Club president that he would join them in the near future.^[4] Caucau would eventually be cleared for travel abroad, and would return to France that October. He made his comeback in Agen's first 2006-07 Heineken Cup fixture, a 19–17 home win over Edinburgh. Although he did not score, he was named man of the match.^[5]

Caucaunibuca has been described in the media as "one of the fastest and most flamboyant players in international rugby".^[6] Scotland international Chris Paterson said of Caucaunibuca that "when he is fit, [he] can be the world's best player" and that he "is the type who can win a game almost on his own."^[7] England international centre Mike Tindall describes him as "the best player I have ever played against."^[8] For the last two seasons in France, Caucaunibuca has been the league's top try scorer.^[9][10] In October 2006 he was awarded France's Player of the Year award.^[6]

He was named in the Pacific Islanders rugby union team squad for the 2006 tour of Europe. However he only played in the match against Scotland after missing the first game against Wales and losing his passport thus not making the last match of the series against Ireland. In the Islanders game against Scotland he scored one try and set up another one for Daniel Leo.^[11]

On April 9, 2007 it was announced that Caucaunibuca had incurred a 3 month ban after testing positive for cannabis use following Agen's Top 14 match against Montauban on March 24.^[12] This followed a generally poor season for both club and player in which Caucaunibuca had scored a solitary try in 11 matches. Though the ban had ended, he was not picked up by Fiji to compete in the 2007 World Cup.

On December 23, 2007 he made his return for Agen scoring three tries in their 33–0 win over Toulon.^{[citation needed]}

He left Agen following a number of injuries, being released by the club in February 2008. In July, he showed up for his local club, Tailevu in the Digicel Cup after being out of action for over 5 months. He has played 4 games to date for them, scoring 5 tries, which has boosted his career once again since he is currently receiving offers from the Guinness Premiership side Leicester Tigers.^[13] After failing to show up for trials for the Leicester Tigers, he joined the Fiji sevens training squad to prepare for the first leg of the season but after much deliberation by the Fiji Rugby union, he was dropped from the training squad. A few days later, the sevens team coach, Waisale Serevi confirmed that Caucau has flown to France, back to his former club, Agen for another shot to revive his International career and Agen signed him on till the end of the season.^[14]

On June 13, 2009, Caucau announced that he would no longer make himself available for Tests with the Flying Fijians. He said getting drafted for Test duty only brought him "bad luck."^[15] However on March 18, 2010, he went back on that decision stating a desire to play at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.^[16]

He finished the 2009–10 Rugby Pro D2 season as the top try scorer with 13 tries as well as helping his side to qualify for the Top 14 next season after which he returned to Fiji to prepare for a one-off test against the Wallabies in Canberra on June 5th.^[17]

After failing to arrive in time to the club, He was fired and told to leave as the players and management no longer "trusted" him.^[18]

In October 2010, Caucau was recruited by the European champions, Stade Toulousain who signed him on as a "medical-joker" (replacement for injured centre Yann David). The move was facilitated by Toulouse's Fijian wing, Vilimoni Delasau. As he was not registered by the Toulousians, he can not play for them in the 2010–11 Heineken Cup but will be eligible if they manage to reach the quarter-finals ^[19]

In 2010, he was selected in the French Barbarians squad to play Tonga on November 26.

International statistics[link]

^[20]

Club statistics[link]

Playing style[link]

Rupeni's speed,^[21] weight, strength and low centre of gravity have often led to him scoring fantastic tries.^[22] In recent years, however, his ever increasing weight has prompted a move from wing to centre, and although he is still a prolific try scorer, his tries are no longer in the same vein as those for which he originally shot to fame.^[23]

See also[link]

• List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References[link]

External links[link]

• Profile @itsrugby
• Profile @ Fijirugby.com
• Video of Caucaunibuca's 2003 World Cup try for Fiji against France
• Profile @ Stade Toulouse