Augerolles

Augerolles
Augerolles
Location within Auvergne region Augerolles
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Puy-de-Dôme
Arrondissement	Thiers
Canton	Courpière
Intercommunality	Pays de Courpière
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Roger Chapet
Area1	33.01 km2 (12.75 sq mi)
Population (2009)2	893
• Density	27/km2 (70/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	63016 / 63930
Elevation	377–995 m (1,237–3,264 ft) (avg. 550 m or 1,800 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.

Augerolles is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.

History

The Church

The church in Augerolles, a historic site, was altered throughout the 11th to 14th centuries that resulted in a combination of Romanesque and Gothic style. At 35 meters tall, the old bell tower was demolished during the French Revolution and the bells were melted. The bell tower was rebuilt in 1844 with two new bells. Under the choir is a funeral crypt in which the lords of the manor and priors of the castles of Frédeville and Grimardies are buried.

Lords

Three noble families follow one another in the history of Augerolles: The d'Ogerolles family, owners of the priory which they yielded to the monks around the year 1000; then, the de Frédeville family, for nearly five centuries, who left their name to a hamlet (their castle today is in ruins); and the de Provenchères family, for three centuries, who lived in the castle of Grimardies (from the 15th century).

Revolutionary period

On 1 February 1790, the commune of Augerolles was divided into two parts: Le Bourg and Frédeville. From 1790 to 1800 the commune was the chief town of the canton, encompassing Aubusson, Augerolles, and Olmet.

In 1793, the bell tower was destroyed but the church was saved because of local intervention. The municipal council decided to rebuild the bell tower and renovate the church in 1803. The castle of Frédeville was also demolished in 1793 under the order of the Director of Thiers. In December 1793, the French Republican calendar replaced the Gregorian calendar.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1882	2,706	—
1962	1,186	−56.2%
1968	1,239	+4.5%
1975	1,160	−6.4%
1982	967	−16.6%
1990	894	−7.5%
1999	889	−0.6%
2006	908	+2.1%
2009	893	−1.7%

See also

• Communes of the Puy-de-Dôme department

References

• INSEE
• Commune d'Augerolles (French)