Verrières (Charente)

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Verrières
Verrières (France)
Verrières
region Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department Charente
Arrondissement cognac
Canton Charente-Champagne
Community association Grand Cognac
Coordinates 45 ° 34 ′  N , 0 ° 16 ′  W Coordinates: 45 ° 34 ′  N , 0 ° 16 ′  W
height 21-98 m
surface 13.37 km 2
Residents 352 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 26 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 16130
INSEE code 16399

Verrières - Saint-Palais church and Hosanna cross

Verrières is a southwestern French community with 352 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the Charente in the region Nouvelle-Aquitaine .

location

Verrières is about 62 meters above sea level. d. About 17 kilometers (driving distance) in a north-westerly direction separate the place from the city of Cognac ; Segonzac , the capital of the canton, is only about 7.5 kilometers northeast. The neighboring town of Gensac-la-Pallue, which is worth seeing, is about 11.5 kilometers to the north.

Population development

year 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006 2016
Residents 537 474 409 406 401 374 349

At the first census in France in 1793, the place had 698 inhabitants; In the 19th century, until the beginning of the phylloxera crisis (approx. 1865–1885), which resulted in a significant decline in the population in almost all wine-growing regions of France, it was well over 800 for many years.

economy

Agriculture and especially viticulture have always played an important role in the Charente villages. While grain and oilseeds ( sunflowers ) were mainly grown for their own needs, one could earn good money with the wine (later also brandy) export to England, Scotland and other countries in Northern Europe, although the winegrowers with the smaller part of the Had to make do with earnings. Today the south bank of the Charente near Verrières belongs to the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne vineyards within the large growing area for cognac wines.

history

Verrières - Saint-Palais church
Verrières - village fountain

Prehistoric and Roman traces have been discovered on the area of ​​today's municipality. Perhaps as early as Gallo-Roman times, but definitely in the Middle Ages, the place was settled, as the Saint-Palais church, built in the 12th century, proves.

Attractions

  • At first glance, the Saint-Palais church looks rather misshapen; however, the building has been classified as a monument historique since 1986 . The Romanesque church building with a crypt from the 12th century - which is rarely found in the south of France - received a Gothic choir in the 14th century, which is separated from the apse by a free-standing gable triangle ; in the Huguenot Wars (1562–1598) the church was partially destroyed and only rebuilt in the 17th century. The baroque west portal with a blown gable comes from this time : the west tower is designed as an unadorned and windowless defensive tower; the bell projectile has four sound openings. Several items of equipment are also listed.
  • In the former cemetery on the south side of the church there is a very simple Hosanna cross . It has a round, multi-stepped pedestal, a square beveled base and an octagonal shaft with a Greek cross as a top. The cross has been recognized as a monument historique since 1986 .
  • A village fountain, which is now planted with flowers, recalls the time when many places in France still had no tap water supply; this was not installed in large parts of southern France until the beginning of the 20th century, but even after that, many villagers continued to go to the village well out of habit, for reasons of cost or out of mistrust.
  • There are several farms ( fermes ), mills, etc. from the 18th and 19th centuries, which are also of historical importance.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Verrières, Église Saint-Palais in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
  2. ^ Verrières, Église Saint-Palais in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
  3. ^ Verrières, Saint Palais - inventory
  4. ↑ Verrières, Croix hosannière in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
  5. ↑ Verrières and the surrounding area - farms, mills, etc.

Web links

Commons : Verrières  - Collection of images, videos and audio files