Saint-Étienne-de-Chomeil

Saint-Étienne-de-Chomeil

The Château of Saint-Étienne, in Saint-Étienne-de-Chomeil
Saint-Étienne-de-Chomeil

Coordinates: 45°20′38″N 2°36′12″E / 45.3439°N 2.6033°E / 45.3439; 2.6033Coordinates: 45°20′38″N 2°36′12″E / 45.3439°N 2.6033°E / 45.3439; 2.6033
Country France
Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department Cantal
Arrondissement Mauriac
Canton Riom-ès-Montagnes
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Béatrice Chaumeil
Area1 27.57 km2 (10.64 sq mi)
Population (2008)2 213
 • Density 7.7/km2 (20/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 15185 / 15400
Elevation 500–981 m (1,640–3,219 ft)
(avg. 700 m or 2,300 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Saint-Étienne-de-Chomeil is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France. It belongs to the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne.

Geography

The river Rhue forms all of the commune's northern border.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1962390—    
1968505+29.5%
1975442−12.5%
1982378−14.5%
1990310−18.0%
1999259−16.5%
2008213−17.8%

Sites of interest

Dedicated to Saint-Étienne — French for Saint Stephen — this church takes elements from both Roman and Gothic architectures. Built during the 11th and 12th centuries, it is a Monument Historique since 1993. One of its most characteristic features is its south-west capital, supporting a Sagittarius and two faces, one of which — the right one on the picture below — features an enormous tongue.

The capital sporting the Sagittarius (under the wheel)

Saint-Étienne's castle was built during the 14th century, then heavily modified from the 17th century onwards.

Witness of the volcanic history of the department, the Rocher d'Urlande is now a renowned rock-climbing site.

See also

References

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