Bassignac

Bassignac
Commune
The Romanesque chapel of Saint-Jacques, in the hamlet of Vendes, in Bassignac
The Romanesque chapel of Saint-Jacques, in the hamlet of Vendes, in Bassignac
Location of Bassignac
Bassignac is located in France
Bassignac
Bassignac
Location within France
Bassignac is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Bassignac
Bassignac
Location within Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Coordinates: 45°19′18″N 2°24′24″E / 45.3217°N 2.4067°E / 45.3217; 2.4067
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentCantal
ArrondissementMauriac
CantonYdes
IntercommunalitySumène Artense
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Marc Maisonneuve
Area
1
11.95 km2 (4.61 sq mi)
Elevation
412 m (1,352 ft)
Highest elevation
671 m (2,201 ft)
Lowest elevation
359 m (1,178 ft)
Population
 (2023)
223
 • Density18.7/km2 (48.3/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
15019 /15240
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Bassignac (French pronunciation: [basiɲak]; Occitan: Bassinhac) is a commune in the Cantal department in the Auvergne region of south-central France.

Geography

Bassignac is located some 35 km north-east of Tulle and 10 km south by south-west of Bort-les-Orgues. Access to the commune is by the D922 road from Ydes in the north which passes through the length of the commune and the village and continues south to Mauriac. The D12 comes from Veyrières in the west and goes down the western border joining the D922 at Vendes. The D512 branches off the D12 and passes through Parensol continuing north to join the D922 south of Ydes. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Le Fau, Le Marlat, Parensol, Montgroux, Vendes, Brousse, and Champleix. The commune is mixed forest and farmland.

Vendes is the largest village in the commune with 60 inhabitants in winter and about 100 in summer and is dominated by the old Sumène viaduct.

The Sumène river flows through the commune from north to south turning west to form the southern border of the commune and continuing west to join the Dordogne north of Arches. The Ruisseau de la Graille rises in the centre of the commune and flows north then south to join the Sumène. The Ruisseau de Rouillade flows south forming the eastern border of the commune before joining the Sumène near the centre of the commune.

History

In the 10th century the hamlet of Vendes was the property of Artaud de Charlus. Charlus was a promontory some 4 km north of Vendes and had a fortified chateau on top. There are no remains except a view across the mountains of Auvergne. The Lévis-Charlus family was a noble family.

Bassignac appears as Baßignac on the 1750 Cassini Map and as Bassignac on the 1790 version.

There was a railway running through the commune with the second longest viaduct in Cantal at 367m and a height of 46m. The viaduct and railway were opened in 1893 as part of the SNCF line from Paris-Austerlitz-Aurillac. The line closed on 3 July 1994 and the viaduct was abandoned.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

FromToNameParty
20012026Marc MaisonneuvePS

Demography

Education

The commune has a public primary school at Vendes.

Associations

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has many buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "Populations de référence 2023" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 18 December 2025.
  3. ↑ INSEE commune file
  4. 1 2 3 Bassignac on Google Maps
  5. 1 2 Bassignac on the Géoportail from National Geographic Institute (IGN) website (in French)
  6. 1 2 3 4 3V The Espavents website (in French)
  7. ↑ Baßignac on the 1750 Cassini Map
  8. ↑ Bassignac on the 1790 Cassini Map
  9. ↑ List of Mayors of France (in French)
  10. ↑ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Bassignac, EHESS (in French).
  11. ↑ Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023, INSEE
  12. ↑ Schools in Bassignac (in French)
  13. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA15000034 PA15000036 PA15000119 IA15000125 Sumène Viaduct (in French)
  14. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM15000753 Interior decor of the Viaduct (in French)
  15. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA15000013 Priory House (in French)
  16. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000280 Chateau Park (in French)
  17. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000402 Coal Mining Industrial Buildings (in French)
  18. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000390 Houses and Farms (in French)
  19. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000135 Flour Mill (in French)
  20. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000133 City of Miners (in French)
  21. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000132 Farmhouse at Lavaurs (in French)
  22. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000131 Merchant's House at Lachamp (in French)
  23. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000130 Farmhouse at Le Fau (in French)
  24. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000129 Farmhouse at La Riagaire (in French)
  25. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000128 Farmhouse at Montgroux (in French)
  26. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000127 Farmhouse at La Riagaire (in French)
  27. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000129 Chateau du Rieu Farmhouse (in French)
  28. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000124 Road Bridge at Vendes (in French)
  29. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000128 Wheelwright and Blacksmith's House (in French)
  30. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000122 House at Vendes (in French)
  31. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000121 Chateau at Vendes (in French)
  32. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000118 Chateau (in French)
  33. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00093473 Church of Vendes (in French)
  34. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000134 Monumental Crosses (in French)
  35. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000120 Benedictine Priory of Saint Jacques (in French)
  36. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000054 PM15000055 Furniture in the Priory (in French)
  37. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000053 Group Sculpture: Education of the Virgin (in French)
  38. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000052 Statuette: Saint Marguerite of Antioch (in French)
  39. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000051 Statuette: Saint Barbe (in French)
  40. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000050 2 Statuettes: Saint Jacques and Saint Joseph (in French)
  41. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000049 Stoup (in French)
  42. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000117 Parish Church of Sainte-Marie and Sainte-Radegonde (in French)
  43. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15002033 Stained glass window: God the Father blessing (in French)
  44. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15002032 Stained glass window: Christ blessing (in French)
  45. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000110 Ex-voto Painting: The Crucifixion (in French)
  46. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000195 4 Capitals and 2 bases (in French)
  47. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000047IM15000048 Furniture in the Church (in French)
  48. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000046 Candle Mould (in French)
  49. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000045 Chalice (in French)
  50. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000044 Statue: Saint Radegonde of Poitiers (in French)
  51. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000043 Painting: The Adoration of the citizens (in French)
  52. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000042 Painting: Saint Radegonde of Poitiers (in French)
  53. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000041 Painting: The Crucifixion (in French)
  54. ↑ Ministry of Culture, Palissy IM15000040 2 Windows: Christ blessing and God the Father (in French)