Balazuc
| Balazuc | ||
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| region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Department | Ardèche | |
| Arrondissement | Largentière | |
| Canton | Vallon-Pont-d'Arc | |
| Community association | Gorges de l'Ardèche | |
| Coordinates | 44 ° 31 ' N , 4 ° 22' E | |
| height | 113-379 m | |
| surface | 18.90 km 2 | |
| Residents | 377 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 20 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 07120 | |
| INSEE code | 07023 | |
| Website | www.balazuc.fr | |
 Balazuc |
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Balazuc is a French commune with 377 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) in the Ardèche department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region . The inhabitants are called Balazucains and Balazucaines . The place is picturesquely situated on the top of a steep cliff overlooking the Ardèche and is therefore classified as one of the Plus beaux villages de France ( Most Beautiful Villages in France ).
geography
The municipality is located on a rocky plateau on the left bank of the Ardèche river . There it borders on the neighboring communes of Ruoms and Lachapelle-sous-Aubenas . It is 7 km to Vogüé and 15 km to Aubenas .
history
The area around Balazuc was already inhabited in the Stone Age. Finds from the Neolithic and the end of the Bronze Age prove this . Remains from antiquity show that the place was already inhabited by Gauls . At that time the village served as a fortress to defend against the Roman conquest. The Gauls called the settlement Baladnum (cf. bal = rock and dunum = hill). In Roman times, the passage along the Ardèche served as a connecting route from Nîmes to Alba-la-Romaine via the city of Uzès .
In the early Middle Ages Balazuc was conquered by the Moors and recaptured by Karl Martell . According to this legend, a group of anglers and hunters have settled on the site of the present-day parish. However, there are no historical artifacts that can confirm this story. During the French kingdom, the place grew into one of the most magnificent in the region. In the 11th century Pons de Balazuc accompanied the Count of Toulouse on the way to the first crusade to Jerusalem , of which he reports in important literary writings. He never returned and died in the capital of Israel in 1066.
A very special archaeological find is the white marble sarcophagus , which was discovered near the hamlet of Salles in the 16th century. The masterpiece shows scenes from the New Testament and has been on view in the Musée de la Civilization Gallo-romaine in Lyon since 1851 . The copy can be viewed in the town hall.
| year | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2007 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 248 | 218 | 213 | 275 | 277 | 337 | 330 | 377 |
Attractions
The historic center of the village high above the Ardèche, which consists largely of medieval houses, cobbled streets and arcades, is worth seeing. A fountain was built in the center of the village. The castle Château de Balazuc, with parts from the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries, whose keep - named after Queen Joan I - is isolated, is also charming . Remains of the Gallic fortress wall are still visible, as well as the local bridge, which was renewed in the 20th century.
The churches in particular attract many visitors. For example the church of Sainte-Madeleine from the 19th century or the Romanesque church of Sainte-Marie from the 13th century, which was expanded and re-fortified at the end of the 17th century. Its square church tower is unusual. The grave chapel of the Balazuc family and the Chazotte chapel, which is known for its depiction of Mary from the 12th century, can also be visited.
A popular excursion destination is the ecological hamlet of Vieil Audon, which can be reached on a footpath from Balazuc. The best view is from the steep rock wall above the Ardèche, from which you can observe the many windings and the further course of the river in grottos.
Web links
- Official website of the municipality of Balazuc (French)
- Balazuc on cartesfrance.fr (French)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Balazuc on Les plus Beaux Villages de France (French)
- ^ Louis Fillet: Un chevalier du Vivarais à la première croisade: Ponce de Balazuc . Impr. Centrale de l'Ardèche, 1895, p. 8, cf. Scan in gallica.bnf.fr in French.