Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bessines-sur-Gartempe (French pronunciation: [bɛsin syʁ ɡaʁtɑ̃p], literally Bessines on Gartempe; Limousin: Becinas) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France.
Bessines-sur-Gartempe | |
|---|---|
Saint-Léger church | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location of Bessines-sur-Gartempe | |
  Bessines-sur-Gartempe  Bessines-sur-Gartempe | |
| Coordinates: 46°06′35″N 1°22′10″E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
| Department | Haute-Vienne |
| Arrondissement | Bellac |
| Canton | Ambazac |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Andréa Brouille[1] |
Area 1 | 55.41 km2 (21.39 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[2] | 2,709 |
| • Density | 48.89/km2 (126.6/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 87014 /87250 |
| Elevation | 250–533 m (820–1,749 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
The commune is listed as a Village étape.[3]
Geography
The river Semme forms part of the commune's north-eastern border, flows westward through the northern part of the commune, north of Morterolles-sur-Semmes, a hamlet, then forms part of the commune's north-western border.
The river Gartempe forms part of the commune's eastern border, flows westward through the middle of the commune, north of Bessines-sur-Gartempe, the main village, then forms part of the commune's western border.
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 3,417 | — |
| 1975 | 2,982 | −1.93% |
| 1982 | 3,011 | +0.14% |
| 1990 | 2,988 | −0.10% |
| 1999 | 2,743 | −0.95% |
| 2007 | 2,912 | +0.75% |
| 2012 | 2,830 | −0.57% |
| 2017 | 2,836 | +0.04% |
| 2023 | 2,709 | −0.76% |
| Source: INSEE[4] | ||
Inhabitants are known as Bessinauds in French.
Culture
In the late 20th century, the community's local band, a traveling chamber orchestra known as "La Banda de Bessines" ("The Bessines Band"), gained some national repute, winning French National Band Championships in 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 2005.[5]
Bessines sur Gartempe has also been awarded the prestigious "Village d'Etape" status.[6]
People
The painter Suzanne Valadon was born in the village in 1865.
