Montvalent

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Montvalent
Montvalent (France)
Montvalent
region Occitania
Department Lot
Arrondissement Gourdon
Canton Martel
Community association Causses et Vallée de la Dordogne
Coordinates 44 ° 53 ′  N , 1 ° 37 ′  E Coordinates: 44 ° 53 ′  N , 1 ° 37 ′  E
height 95-322 m
surface 27.61 km 2
Residents 286 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 10 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 46600
INSEE code 46208
Website http://www.montvalent.fr/

Montvalent - Église Saint-Christophe and Tour de Garde

Montvalent is a southern French municipality with 286 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) in the Lot department in the Occitania region .

location

Montvalent lies on the south bank of the Dordogne across from Creysse . The medieval pilgrimage town of Rocamadour is just under 13 kilometers (driving distance) in a southerly direction. The places worth seeing Souillac and Carennac are about 23 kilometers west and 15 kilometers east respectively.

Population development

year 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006
Residents 228 212 214 197 233 257 299

In the first half of the 19th century, Montvalent always had between 800 and 1,200 inhabitants; At the beginning of the 20th century there were still more than 600. The mechanization of agriculture and the resulting loss of jobs resulted in a significant population decline.

economy

Montvalent was and still is largely agricultural, with cattle breeding (cattle, pigs, poultry) playing a dominant role. Since the 1960s tourism has played an increasingly important role in economic life.

history

At the end of the 12th century, Montvalent was sold by the landlords ( seigneurs ), the vice counts of Brassac, to the vice counts of Turenne . In the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) a large part of the population of the place, which was occupied from 1372 to 1379 by the English, fled. After the reconquest, however, it took almost 50 years for the place to regain its old population. Montvalent remained in the possession of the Vicomtes de Turenne until the 18th century ; However, these were heavily in debt and had to sell their property in 1738 for 4.2 million livres to the French crown.

Attractions

Église Saint-Christophe
  • The Gothic church ( Église Saint-Christophe ) from the 13th century is in the immediate vicinity of a ruined castle, the chapel of which it may have once served. The church building was extended by two chapels in the 14th century and completely restored and revised in the 19th century. The church has been recognized as a monument historique since 1975 .
  • A slender watchtower ( tour de garde ), which was never used for residential purposes like a donjon , is the last remnant of the former castle and stands right next to the church.
  • A small covered market hall stands in the middle of the place.
  • Around Montvalent find several dovecotes ( pigeonniers ).

Web links

Commons : Montvalent  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Église Saint-Christophe, Montvalent in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)