Rancon
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Rancon | |
|---|---|
 The church in Rancon | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Rancon  | |
  Rancon  Rancon | |
| Coordinates: 46°07′54″N 1°11′02″E / 46.1317°N 1.1839°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
| Department | Haute-Vienne |
| Arrondissement | Bellac |
| Canton | Châteauponsac |
| Intercommunality | Gartempe - Saint Pardoux |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Michel Creyssac[1] |
Area 1 | 33.31 km2 (12.86 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 477 |
| • Density | 14/km2 (37/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 87121 /87290 |
| Elevation | 185–337 m (607–1,106 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Rancon (French pronunciation: [ʁɑ̃kɔ̃]; Occitan: Rancom) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
The earliest known name for Rancon is Roncomagus; which comes from the Gallic and means 'market at the rock'. And the piers for the old bridge over the River Gartempe - which still exists - date from the Gallo-Roman era. This bridge is believed to have carried an important Gallo-Roman road.
The village also has a fortified church which featured in the Hundred Years War. As well as a 'Lantern of the dead' dating from the 12th century. The exact purpose of these lanterns is still a mystery.
There is also a Roman-style chapel outside the village, which houses a Gallo-Roman altar dedicated to Hercules. This chapel is open during the summer and was painted by English artists Fred Yates and Geoff Bunn both of whom lived in the area for a time.
