La Roche-Blanche (Puy-de-Dôme)
| La Roche-Blanche | ||
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| region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Department | Puy-de-Dôme | |
| Arrondissement | Clermont-Ferrand | |
| Canton | Les Martres-de-Veyre | |
| Community association | Mond'Arverne Communauté | |
| Coordinates | 45 ° 42 ′ N , 3 ° 8 ′ E | |
| height | 348-744 m | |
| surface | 11.60 km 2 | |
| Residents | 3,422 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 295 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 63670 | |
| INSEE code | 63302 | |
| Website | http://www.cc-gergovie-val-allier.fr/ | |
 La Roche Blanche in front of the Plateau de Gergovie |
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La Roche-Blanche is a French municipality with 3422 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the Puy-de-Dôme in the region Auvergne Rhône-Alpes . It is about ten kilometers south of Clermont-Ferrand .
geography
The village center lies at the foot of a limestone plateau with former caves. The white limestone gave the village its name (French Roche Blanche = white stone). The river Auzon flows south of the village , on the banks of which there are several former mills and a manor house. The new residential districts stretch to the west and especially east of the village center.
history
La Roche-Blanche gained historical importance primarily through the unsuccessful siege of Gergovia (see there for details) by Julius Caesar during the Gallic War.
Napoleon III declared the village "Gergovie", still called Merdogne until 1865, to be the site of the battle. Other sites near Clermont-Ferrand are mentioned by various historians and hobby researchers , v. a. the "Côtes de Clermont".
During the storm of the century at the end of December 1999, the tower of the church of La Roche-Blanche was badly damaged and had to be dismantled and replaced.
The municipality is located in the immediate catchment area of the city of Clermont-Ferrand , but despite the large influx of commuters, it largely maintains its rural character as a former wine-growing village with numerous orchards.
| year | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,045 | 1,403 | 1,903 | 2,262 | 2,664 | 2,917 | 2,962 |
Attractions
- Residential caves: The town's landmarks are the former residential caves in the limestone cliff above the village center. On the plateau there is a medieval tower, the "Tour Julia".
- Gergovia: Through the Gergovia district with its narrow streets you can reach the Gergovie plateau with the archaeological excavations and the monument to the battle of Gergovia. From the plateau there are wonderful views over the landscapes of the Auvergne, from the Chaîne des Puy to the Forez.
- Fortified church from 1570 in Gergovia .
- Kite Festival: In October, the annual Cervolix Kite Festival takes place on the Plateau de Gergovie, with several thousand participants and visitors from all over Europe.
Town twinning
Since 1991, La Roche-Blanche has been connected to Empfingen in Germany through a friendship between cities.
