Châteldon

Not to be confused with Chalcedon.
Châteldon
Commune
A general view of Châteldon
A general view of Châteldon
Coat of arms of Châteldon
Coat of arms
Location of Châteldon
Map
Châteldon is located in France
Châteldon
Châteldon
Châteldon is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Châteldon
Châteldon
Coordinates: 45°58′39″N 3°31′16″E / 45.9775°N 3.5211°E / 45.9775; 3.5211
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentPuy-de-Dôme
ArrondissementThiers
CantonMaringues
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Tony Bernard[1]
Area
1
28.43 km2 (10.98 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
764
 • Density27/km2 (70/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
63102 /63290
Elevation285–862 m (935–2,828 ft)
(avg. 300 m or 980 ft)
Websitechateldon.com
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Châteldon (French pronunciation: [ʃatɛldɔ̃]; Occitan: Chasteladon) is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in central France.[3]

About the town

Châteldon is a medieval village in the northern part of Auvergne. It dates from the early Middle Ages, with many of its buildings dating back to the 14th century. The town's fortifications are still in evidence.

The village lies on the western edge of the Montagne Bourbonnaise and the northern edge of the Livradois-Forez Regional Natural Park, the largest nature park in Europe. To the west lies the Limagne, where the Allier and Dore rivers converge. Nineteen kilometres to the north is the City of Vichy.

Château de Châteldon was purchased by Pierre Laval, who went on to serve as the French Prime Minister from 1942 to 1944, in September 1931.[4] Laval purchased it from Léon Sénèque.[4] As of 2014, the castle belonged to the Josée and René de Chambrun Foundation.[5]

Nearby towns

Administration

List of the Mayors of Châteldon
Election Date Name
1790 Jean-Baptiste Couher
1792 Louis Chabrier
1793 Jean-Baptiste Quissac
1800 Michel Delaire
1810 Hugues Debrit
1926 Léon Seneque
1929 Victor Rivet
1940 Charles Cocurat
1964 Victor Ducher
1965 René Verdier
1971 René Verdier
1977 René Verdie
1978 Genès Fradin
1983 Genès Fradin
1989 Jean-Paul Dassaud
1995 Jean-Paul Dassaud
1997 Tony Bernard
2001 Tony Bernard
2008 Tony Bernard
2014 Tony Bernard[6]
2020 Tony Bernard[1]

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 1,101—    
1975 953−2.04%
1982 916−0.56%
1990 840−1.08%
1999 737−1.44%
2007 752+0.25%
2012 778+0.68%
2017 773−0.13%
Source: INSEE[7]

Mineral water

Châteldon is known for its naturally carbonated mineral water. It was the first mineral water exploited in France and transported by bottles to the Court of Louis XIV in Versailles. This water is used for its diuretic and digestive properties. It is also rich in potassium, sodium and fluorine. In France, one finds the water of Châteldon in the large hotels and restaurants, and in delicatessens. In 1650, the first doctor of the king, Guy-Crescent Fagon, praised the virtues of Châteldon to Louis XIV.

Notable people

Châteldon was the birthplace of Pierre Laval (1883–1945), French politician and his wife Marguerite Laval (1888–1959), born Claussat, the daughter of the mayor of Chateldon Joseph Claussat.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ INSEE commune file
  4. ^ a b Kupferman, Fred (2015). Pierre Laval (2nd ed.). Paris: Tallandier. pp. 87–118. ISBN 9782847342543 – via Cairn.info.
  5. ^ Gondeau, Jean-Paul (August 8, 2014). "A Châteldon, le château du dernier propriétaire, proscrit et renié, ne se visite pas". La Montagne (in French). Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  6. ^ "List of Mayors of Puy-de-Dôme" (PDF). Prefecture of Puy-de-Dôme. 9 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  7. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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