Vanxains

Vanxains ; Vansens
region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Dordogne
Arrondissement	Périgueux
Canton	Ribérac
Community association	Pays Ribéracois
Coordinates	45 ° 13 ′ N , 0 ° 17 ′ E Coordinates: 45 ° 13 ′ N , 0 ° 17 ′ E
height	52-161 m
surface	35.89 km 2
Residents	700 (January 1, 2017)
Population density	20 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code	24600
INSEE code	24564
Website	Vanxains
	; Vanxains - town view

Vanxains ( Occitan Vansens ) is a southwestern French city and a municipality (commune) with 700 inhabitants (as of January 1 2017) in the southwest of the department Dordogne in the region Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2016: Aquitaine ). The community consists of the main town and several hamlets (hameaux) and individual farmsteads (fermes) .

Location and climate

The place Vanxains is located in the old cultural landscape of the Périgord approx. 43 km (driving distance) west of Périgueux or a good 6 km southwest of Ribérac at an altitude of approx. 110 m . The climate is temperate; Rain (approx. 890 mm / year) falls over the year.

Population development

year	1800	1851	1901	1954	1999	2015
Residents	2,030	1,967	1,364	872	665	704

The continuous decline in population since the second half of the 19th century is mainly due to the phylloxera crisis in viticulture and the mechanization of agriculture ; Added to this is the ongoing abandonment of small farms.

economy

The community is still largely dominated by agriculture and forestry; viticulture, which was quite important in earlier times, hardly plays a role. Small traders, craftsmen and service providers have settled in the village. Since the 1960s, some of the vacant houses have been rented out as holiday apartments ( gîtes ) .

history

43 bronze axes were found in the municipality ; the name of the place is probably of Celtic origin. The local parish church dates from the 11th century; from the 13th century the place names Vancenis , Avanxens and Avancens have been handed down. In the 14th century, the place was the seat of an archpriest to whom 41 parishes were subordinate.

Attractions

The Romanesque Église Notre-Dame was consecrated in 1147. During or after the Hundred Years War (1337-1453), an escape room was set up above the almost square apse and the nave . In the 16th century, the church interior was expanded on the north side to include a single-bay aisle, which is covered by a rib vault ; the tower was also raised, but the Roman archivolt portal was retained. Church construction has been recognized as a monument historique since 1908 .

Surroundings

The Château de la Brangelie is - surrounded by fields and a wood - about 1 km north of the village. The oldest parts of the complex date from the 15th century, but later changes were made repeatedly. A pigeon house is also part of the building complex. The Landschlösschen has been classified as a Monument historique since 2002 .

The Château Trompette , built in historical styles in the 19th century, is located in a wood about 1 km northeast of the village. It is also recognized as a monument historique .