Bourganeuf
Bourganeuf (French pronunciation: [buʁɡanœf]; Limousin: Borgon Nuòu) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.
Geography
An area of farming and forestry, comprising the village and several hamlets situated in the valley of the Taurion river, some 21 miles (34 km) south of Guéret, at the junction of the D8, D912, D940 and the D941.
History
The year 1103 saw the village become home to the Knights of St John, who built a castle here.
Prince Cem Sultan, a pretender to the throne of the Ottoman Empire, was kept prisoner here in the fifteenth century.
In 1886, the commune was the third place in all of France to be supplied with hydroelectricity power. Thanks to French engineer, Marcel Deprez, the waterfalls of the river were harnessed to light up the streets, mairie, shops and cafes.
Population
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1968 | 3,804 | — |
1975 | 3,637 | −0.64% |
1982 | 3,738 | +0.39% |
1990 | 3,385 | −1.23% |
1999 | 3,163 | −0.75% |
2007 | 2,948 | −0.88% |
2012 | 2,781 | −1.16% |
2017 | 2,572 | −1.55% |
Source: INSEE |
Sights
- The church of St.Pierre, dating from the twelfth century.
- The church of St.Jean, dating from the fifteenth century.
- The remains of a 12th-century castle.
- Four chapels.
- A museum of electricity.
- The archaeological museum in the Zizim(Cem) tower.
-
Engraving of Prince Cem
-
Timber production
Personalities
- Martin Nadaud, politician was born in the hamlet of La Martinèche in 1815.
- Thierry Ardisson, television producer and animator, was born here in 1949.
- René Viviani, politician, was born here in 1863.
- Michel Riffaterre, French literary critic and theorist born 1924.
International relations
Bourganeuf is twinned with: Zirndorf, Germany
See also
References
- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bourganeuf.
- Tourisme Office website Archived 2009-09-13 at the Wayback Machine (in French)