Bourganeuf

Bourganeuf
Town hall
Coat of arms
Bourganeuf
Location within Nouvelle-Aquitaine region  Bourganeuf
Coordinates: 45°57′15″N 1°45′23″E / 45.9542°N 1.7564°ECoordinates: 45°57′15″N 1°45′23″E / 45.9542°N 1.7564°E
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Creuse
Arrondissement	Guéret
Canton	Bourganeuf
Intercommunality	Bourganeuf et Royère-de-Vassivière
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Jean-Pierre Jouhaud
Area^1	22.54 km^2 (8.70 sq mi)
Population (2008)^2	2,917
• Density	130/km^2 (340/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code	23030 / 23400
Elevation	380–602 m (1,247–1,975 ft) (avg. 413 m or 1,355 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.

Bourganeuf (Occitan: Borgon Nuòu) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.

Geography

An area of farming and forestry, comprising the village and several hamlets situated in the valley of the Taurion river, some 21 miles (34 km) south of Guéret, at the junction of the D8, D912, D940 and the D941.

History

The year 1103 saw the village become home to the Knights of St John, who built a castle here.
Prince Cem Sultan, pretender to the throne of the Ottoman Empire, was kept prisoner here in the fifteenth century.
In 1886, the commune was the third place in all of France to be supplied with power using hydroelectricity. Thanks to French engineer, Marcel Deprez, the waterfalls of the river were harnessed to light up the streets, mairie, shops and cafes.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	3,310	—
1968	3,804	+14.9%
1975	3,637	−4.4%
1982	3,738	+2.8%
1990	3,385	−9.4%
1999	3,163	−6.6%
2008	2,917	−7.8%

Sights

Jarrauds waterfall

• The church of St.Pierre, dating from the twelfth century.
• The church of St.Jean, dating from the fifteenth century.
• The remains of a 12th-century castle.
• Four chapels.
• A museum of electricity.
• The archaeological museum in the Zizim(Cem) tower.

• 
  Engraving of Prince Cem
• 
  Timber production

Personalities

• Martin Nadaud, politician was born in the hamlet of La Martinèche in 1815.
• Thierry Ardisson, television producer and animator, was born here in 1949.
• René Viviani, politician, was born here in 1863.

International relations

Bourganeuf is twinned with: Zirndorf, Germany

See also

• Communes of the Creuse department
• Creuse

References

• INSEE

External links

• Tourisme Office website (French)
• Bourganeuf on the Quid website (French)