Limagne
The Limagne ( Occitan : Limanha ) is a comparatively flat and fertile landscape within the central French region of Auvergne . It extends within the Haute-Loire , Puy-de-Dôme and Allier departments .
etymology
The probably Latin word origin lacus magnus means 'big lake', which suggests a former lake and swamp area. A distinction is made between the Limagne de Brioude and the Limagne d'Issoire in the south, the Grande Limagne around Clermont-Ferrand and the Limagne Bourbonnaise in the north.
geography
The elongated (approx. 100 kilometers) and - with the exception of the peripheral zones - rather flat to hilly Limagne is located at an altitude of approx. 250 to 500 meters above sea level. d. M. in the heart of the Auvergne. It is geologically referred to as a 'collapse basin' and is bounded in the south, west and east by mountain ranges, the granite, basalt and lava formations of which - sometimes visible on the surface - indicate former volcanic activities . In a south-north direction it is traversed by the Allier , which - in addition to frost, rain and wind - contributed to the erosion of the volcanic rock material and its deposition in the valley. The Limagne climate is clearly influenced by the Massif Central ; the maximum daytime temperatures rarely exceed 30 ° C in summer, while snowfalls and night and even day frosts are not uncommon in winter.
In addition to the large city of Clermont-Ferrand, other small towns in Limagne are of regional importance: Riom , Volvic , Ennezat , Issoire , Brioude u. a.
economy
While livestock farming dominates in the predominantly mountainous areas of Auvergne, the rich and fertile sedimentary soils of Limagne allow the cultivation of grain, sugar beet and tobacco. The good soils and the flat structure of the landscape make Limagne stand out from the rest of the Auvergne. In some places on the edge of Limagne ( Châteaugay , Corent ) viticulture ( Côtes d'Auvergne ) is also practiced. The mineral waters of Vichy and Volvic are known far beyond the borders of France .
history
Before the appearance of the Romans, the area around the Puy de Dôme belonged to the dominion of the Arverni - a Celtic tribe from which the historical name Auvergne is derived. During the time of the Great Migration , the Visigoths came first , then the Franks later . In the Middle Ages the region was not insignificant: In 1095 Pope Urban II called from the Synod of Clermont for the first crusade ; A large number of important churches and castles were built at this time.
Attractions
- Saint-Julien Collegiate Church (Brioude)
- St Julien Priory Church in Chauriat
- Effiat Castle
- Collegiate Church of St-Victor et Ste-Couronne in Ennezat
- St-Austremoine
- Mozac Abbey Church
- Ravel Castle
- Riom , Ville d'art et d'histoire
- Usson , classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France
- Auzon ( Occitan Uzou) is a French commune , capital of the canton of Auzon in the Haute-Loire department . About 11 km from Brioude , the town has a medieval center and is located on a hill. At the top, the Romanesque collegiate church of Saint-Laurent from the 12th century stands on a rock plinth . The four- bay building without aisles still contains three chapels in the choir , while a five-sided apse arches outwards. In the open narthex in front of the side entrance, some capitals show scenes from the childhood of Jesus . Inside you can see a Romanesque wooden crucifix and wall paintings from the 14th and 16th centuries.
Auzon
Saint Laurent Church
apse
Narthex
Others
- Limagne is known for several fossil sites .
- The novel Mont Oriol (1887) by Guy de Maupassant is set in the Grande Limagne.
literature
- Ulrich Rosenbaum: Auvergne and Massif Central. DuMont, Cologne 1990, pp. 58ff ISBN 3-7701-1111-7 .
- Jean Louis Giraud: Études Géologiques Sur La Limagne (Auvergne). NaBu-Press, 2010, ISBN 978-1-147-76569-4 .
- Thorsten Droste: Romanesque Art in France. DuMont Buchverlag Cologne 1989, p. 158. ISBN 3-7701-2009-4 .
