Arpajon-sur-Cère (French pronunciation: [aʁpaʒɔ̃ syʁ sɛʁ], literally Arpajon on Cère; Occitan: Arpajon de Cera or just Arpajon) is a commune in the Cantal department in the Auvergne region of south-central France.

Arpajon-sur-Cère
Gardens at the Chateau of Carbonat
Gardens at the Chateau of Carbonat
Coat of arms of Arpajon-sur-Cère
Location of Arpajon-sur-Cère
Map
Arpajon-sur-Cère is located in France
Arpajon-sur-Cère
Arpajon-sur-Cère
Arpajon-sur-Cère is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Arpajon-sur-Cère
Arpajon-sur-Cère
Coordinates: 44°54′17″N 2°27′27″E / 44.9047°N 2.4575°E / 44.9047; 2.4575
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentCantal
ArrondissementAurillac
CantonArpajon-sur-Cère
IntercommunalityCA Bassin Aurillac
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Isabelle Lantuejoul[1]
Area
1
47.67 km2 (18.41 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
6,315
 • Density130/km2 (340/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
15012 /15130
Elevation566–844 m (1,857–2,769 ft)
(avg. 600 m or 2,000 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

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Arpajon-sur-Cère is located immediately to the south of Aurillac some 70 km south-east of Brive-la-Gaillarde. The town is an extension of the urban area of Aurillac. Access to the commune is by the D920 from Aurillac which continues south to Lafeuillade-en-Vézie. The D990 also goes from south of the town to Vézac in the east. The D58 comes from Giou-de-Mamou in the north-east then goes south-west from the town to the Château de Conros and joins the D617 at the south-western border of the commune. Much of the runway of Aurillac – Tronquières Airport is in the commune. A railway passes through the north of the commune but the nearest station is in Aurillac. Apart from the town there are the villages and hamlets of:

  • Carbonnat
  • Esmoles
  • Le Pont
  • Roquetorte
  • Douarat
  • Le Bousquet
  • Crespiat
  • Le Cambon
  • Le Sal
  • Les Granges
  • Lapeyrusse
  • Carsac
  • Combelles
  • Senilhes
  • Les Quatre Routes
  • Toules

Outside the residential areas there are extensive forests in the south and south-west with the rest of the commune farmland.[3]

The Jordanne river flows from Aurillac to join the Cère just south-west of the town with the Cère continuing west to eventually join the Dordogne at Girac.[3]

Neighbouring communes and villages

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[3]

Toponymy

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The name Arpjon originates from the Gallic word Arpaionem which is composed of the word arepo meaning "plough". It was attested in 923 in the form: vicaria arpajonensis.[4] In Carladézien dialect, Arpajon is pronounced Olpotsou, according to a recording there in 2007.

History

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The Dejou factory
 
"Jouets Dejou" poster

The Dejou Féniès & son and Lartigue companies were established in the commune in the 20th century manufacturing wood especially Jouets Dejou (Dejou Toys) which are highly sought after by Doll collectors.

Heraldry

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Arms of Arpajon-sur-Cère
Blazon:

Azure, a bend of Or, between 6 escallops set in orle.



Administration

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List of Successive Mayors[5]

From To Name Party
1977 2014 Roger Destannes PS
2014 2020 Michel Roussy
2020 2026 Isabelle Lantuejoul

Twinning

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Arpajon-sur-Cère has twinning associations with:[6]

Demography

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The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arpajonnais or Arpajonnaises in French.[7]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 1,836—    
1800 1,728−0.86%
1806 2,064+3.01%
1821 2,043−0.07%
1831 2,234+0.90%
1836 2,292+0.51%
1841 2,331+0.34%
1846 2,350+0.16%
1851 2,271−0.68%
1856 2,272+0.01%
1861 2,278+0.05%
1866 2,225−0.47%
1872 2,106−0.91%
1876 2,228+1.42%
1881 2,268+0.36%
1886 2,242−0.23%
1891 2,268+0.23%
1896 2,354+0.75%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 2,457+0.86%
1906 2,450−0.06%
1911 2,579+1.03%
1921 2,332−1.00%
1926 2,412+0.68%
1931 2,467+0.45%
1936 2,576+0.87%
1946 2,824+0.92%
1954 2,891+0.29%
1962 3,071+0.76%
1968 3,277+1.09%
1975 4,260+3.82%
1982 4,866+1.92%
1990 5,296+1.06%
1999 5,545+0.51%
2007 5,924+0.83%
2012 6,192+0.89%
2017 6,217+0.08%
Source: EHESS[8] and INSEE[9]

Sites and Monuments

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The Chateau de Conros
 
A Tremissis coin from Childebert I struck at Arpajon-sur-Cère

The commune has several sites and buildings that are registered as historical monuments:

Other sites of interest
  • Barrière hamlet where Louis Laparra de Fieux was born.
  • The Cabrières bridge, a hamlet and a bridge which once had a toll.
  • The Chateau de Ganhac currently a mansion house, a former fief awarded in 1676 to Charles de Broquin who was married to Jeanne de Cambefort.
  • The Château de Montal, a former fief whose family was originally the Lords of Laroquebrou and Conros, with a castrale chapel under the invocation of Saint Michael. It then became the property of the La Roque-Montal family.
  • The Chateau de La Prade, purchased in 1756 by Marie-Françoise de Broglie, the widow of Charles Robert de Lignerac who did considerable work on the building. Ruined in the French Revolution.
  • The Arboretum d'Arpajon-sur-Cère
  • The Parish Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
The Chateau de Carbonat Picture Gallery

Notable people linked to the commune

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "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. ^ a b c Google Maps
  4. ^ Albert Dauzat
  5. ^ List of Mayors of France (in French)
  6. ^ National Commission for Decentralised cooperation (in French)
  7. ^ Le nom des habitants du 15 - Cantal, habitants.fr
  8. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Arpajon-sur-Cère, EHESS (in French).
  9. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  10. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00093445 Birthplace of Général Milhaud (in French)
  11. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00093446 Pont-de-Mamou Mill (in French)
  12. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00093444 Château de Conros (in French)
  13. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000309 Château de Conros Park (in French)
  14. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000367 Château de Carbonat Park (in French)
  15. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA15000297 Château de Limagne Park (in French)
  16. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM15000060 Bronze BellPM15000059 Bronze Bell (in French) 
  17. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM15000058 Painting: The Placing in the Tomb (in French) 
  18. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM15000770 Painting: Framed Painting: The Baptism of Christ (in French) 
  19. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM15000552 Sarcophagus (in French)
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