Arvert () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department and Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Alvertons or Alvertonnes.

Geography
Arvert is located some 14 km north-west of Royan and 8 km south of Marennes in the heart of the Peninsula of Arvert and the Royannnais Natural Region in the continental section of the Côte de Beauté and near the famous Marennes-Oléron Oyster basin between the Seudre, Gironde, and the Atlantic Ocean. There are two oyster ports in the commune: Coux and Grève à Duret.

The commune is the centre of a conurbation comprising La Tremblade (the main urban centre), Étaules, and Chaillevette and could be considered part of the outlying "suburbs" of Royan which is the main urban centre and economic hub of the area. Administratively it is part of the canton of La Tremblade and the arrondissement of Rochefort.

Access to the commune is by the D14 main road running north-west to south-east connecting La Tremblade to Saujon and passing north-west of the town. Access to the town is by the D14E1 road from La Tremblade through the town to Étaules. The D141 also connects the town to the D14 and continues south-west to Les Mathes. The D25 starts in the commune and bypasses La Tremblade to the north and continues to Ronce-les-Bains. The D268 branches of the D25 in the commune and goes west to the beaches on the west coast.

As a significant economic and tourism centre, Arvert is located close to several large urban centres: Royan (14.7 km SE), Rochefort (30 km NE), and Saintes (38 km E). To a lesser extent, La Rochelle (47 km N) and Bordeaux (110 km SSE) are large regional cities whose influence remains strong. Arvert is also close to many small centres of lesser importance: Étaules (2 km SE) and La Tremblade (3 km NW), which form a single urban area; Breuillet (8 km SE), Marennes (10 km N), and Bourcefranc-le-Chapus (12 km N) near the island of Oléron.

Arvert with the rest of the department belongs to the Southern France area - or more specifically "South Atlantic". The commune also lies within two major geographical areas: the Grand-Ouest and the Grand South-West. Arvert has an area of 2,622 hectares consisting largely of agricultural land, forests (the edge of the Forest of la Coubre) and reclaimed land (the city centre and the main villages of Piochet, Maine-Amouroux, Dirée, Villeneuve, le Boudignon, Avallon, and the oyster ports of Coux and Grève à Duret). The eastern part of the commune directly borders the Seudre estuary and is made up of oyster farms within the famous Marennes-Oléron basin. The countryside consists of humid green meadows and extensive gray-blue mudflats (the Seudre marshes) highlighted by golden lines of reeds, hedges, and aquatic plants with, in line of sight, the Marennes steeple forming a landmark.

The commune has a low relief, being formed of a Cretaceous plateau with a slightly wavy border against the Seudre marshlands. It is partially dry (Pré des Landes is a relic of the former Gulf of Arvert which became the Barbareu Pond in the Middle Ages) drained by small rivers (Le Grand Ecours). The highest point of the commune barely exceeds 25 metres. The plateau rises to 12 metres at Martichou, 17 metres in front of the church, 20 metres at Maine-Amouroux, and 22 metres near the school.

Places and Hamlets

Les Allains
L'Anglade
Arse
Avallon
Les Baudits
La Beaune
La Blague du Monde
Blanchette
Bois Volet
Le Boudignon
Les Boutinaudes
Les Brassons
Le Calme
La Carolie Farm
Cayenne
La Champagne
La Chapelaine
Les Cinq Journaux
Les Coutures
Coux
L'Etrade
Fief de Bellevue
Fief de Besse
Le Fond d'Arse
Les Fouilloux
Le Fourniller
Le Geay
Grève à Duret
La Guillate
La Jument
Les Justices
Lerpine
Maine
Le Maine Amouroux
Le Maine Gabaud
La Metairie
Montravail Farm
Le Moulin Brute
Le Moulin de Toinet
Prise de Bremont
Prise de Chateur Paire
Prise de la Couronne
Prise du Grand Jas de Coux
Prise de la Peu Mignon
Prise de la Roche
Le Petit Pont
Le Piochet
La Pirouette
Les Robinettes
Les Romanes
Savigny
Treilebois Farm

Neighbouring communes and villages

Transport

Bicycle paths
The commune has a network of bicycle paths as part of the "Pathways of Seudre" - a collaboration between the Department Council, the Agglomeration Community Royan Atlantique, and the Community of communes of the Marennes basin. The network has been operated since 2007 and allows the exploration of oyster farms and the Seudre Marsh landscape.

Public Transport
The town is served by the Cara'Bus public transport network which connects to other communes in the Royannaise agglomeration. It was inaugurated on 2 January 2006 under the name " Très Royannais" and was originally composed of hybrid minibuses (electric and diesel). It has been operated since September 2008 by the Veolia Transport company and was renamed "Cara'Bus" since then.

A modernization of the urban transport network in the agglomeration on 5 January 2009 led to the purchase of Heuliez shuttle buses as well as increasing the number of regular routes from three to ten with three additional routes in summer.

Five Cara'Bus stops are located in the commune: Maine-Giraud, Arvert-Mairie, Les Fouilloux, L'Étrade, and Le Petit Pont at the exit from the town on the border of Les Mathes and La Tremblade. Three bus routes serve the commune:
Route 42 starts at Étaules passing all the stops in the commune and going to La Tremblade, Ronce-les-Bains, and Marennes; *Route 41 starts from Ronce-les-Bains and goes to Cozes via La Tremblade, Arvert, Étaules, Chaillevette, Breuillet (Le Magarin stop), Saint-Sulpice-de-Royan (Fontbedeau stop), Saujon, Le Chay, and Grézac;
Route 22 connects Ronce-les-Bains to the Royan multimodal railway station via La Tremblade, Arvert, Étaules, Chaillevette, Breuillet (Centre-Ville), Vaux-sur-Mer (Val Lumière shopping centre), and Royan.

The commune is also served by the Les Mouettes departmental transport company, more specifically by the routes 409, 410, and 411 which connect Breuillet to Bourcefranc-le-Chapus via Étaules, La Tremblade, and Marennes. This service links to the main cities of the department.

Air transport
The nearest airport is that of Rochefort Saint-Agnant, about 25 kilometres north. The La Rochelle – Île de Ré Airport, 50 kilometres north, has services to some major French cities such as Paris and Lyon as well as the British Isles and Northern Europe. About 100 kilometres south-east of the commune, Bordeaux - Merignac Airport is an international airport with connections to many countries.

The Royan – Médis Aerodrome, about 17 kilometres south-east, is reserved for light aviation.

Toponymy
The name Arvert comes from the Latin artum meaning a "narrow place" and viride meaning "green".

History
Arvert has been inhabited since Neolithic times, the site of the present commune of Arvert was formerly limited to a narrow strip of land between two ocean bays. Although a first village appeared in Roman times, it was only from the 12th century that it grew in importance and a monastic community was established built using a grant from the Lord of Mornac.

Shortly afterwards Arvert became an independent lordship with many parishes under its jurisdiction: those of Trembledam (now La Tremblade), Notre-Dame de l'Isle (now Étaules), Chaillevette, Les Mathes, and the parish of La Roche which no longer exists.

In 1534 Calvin made speeches at Angoulême and Poitiers that young Saintonge monks from heard. Reform was soon preached in all of the Arvert peninsula and by 1550 the majority of the population was Protestant. In 1546 and again in 1553 a total of three monks were condemned to the stake for having preached reform in Arvert.

In 1568 the church was burned and almost completely destroyed. In the same year the first Protestant church was built in the village.

In 1598 the Edict of Nantes was promulgated. All means were tried to convert the Protestants. In 1644 the Protestant denomination was prohibited in Arvert.

In 1682 King Louis XIV ordered the destruction of the Protestant church. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 accelerated the exodus of Protestants from the peninsula despite the ban on leaving France imposed on them. Fugitives were arrested and sent to the galleys. On 21 February 1687 three boats loaded with fugitives leaving Mornac, Chaillevette, and La Tremblade were immobilized by soldiers on the Seudre.

Despite the arrests, the peninsula was emptied of its people. Those who remained created an underground church they called the Church of the Desert. Clandestine meetings were held in the dunes, woods, or in barns. Jean-Louis Gibert, pastor of the Desert, fitted out the barns as "Houses of Prayer" from 1751. There were two near Arvert: one at Avallon and one at Chaillevette. In 1754 the pastor was sentenced to death and went into exile in America.

Arvert was a barony under the ancien régime, belonging to Cardinal Richelieu before moving to the Senectère family. In 1790 Arvert was made into a commune. Shortly after a quarrel erupted between the representatives of the communes of La Tremblade and Arvert: each trying to become the capital of the canton. For economic reasons it was La Tremblade who finally obtained that privilege.

Occupied by German troops during the Second World War, the village was the scene of heavy fighting during the liberation of the Royan pocket in April 1945.

Policy and Administration

Municipal administration
From 1789 to 1799, under the Act of 14 December 1789, the municipal agents (equivalent to mayors) were directly elected for 2 years and re-elected by the working citizens of the town aged 25 years or more who paid a tax of at least 3 days of work in the commune. Those who were eligible paid a tax equivalent to at least ten working days.

From 1799 to 1848, under the constitution of 22 Frimaire Year VIII (13 December 1799), mayors were appointed by the prefect for communes with less than 5,000 inhabitants. The Restoration established the appointment of mayors and councillors. After the 1831 organic law mayors were appointed (by the king for communes with more than 3,000 inhabitants, by the prefect for smaller) but councillors were elected by censal suffrage for six years.

From 3 July 1848 to 1851 mayors were elected by the municipal council for communes with fewer than 6,000 inhabitants.

From 1851 to 1871 mayors were appointed by the prefect for communes with less than 3,000 inhabitants and for 5 years from 1855. After 1871 mayors were elected again except in the capital towns (of departments, arrondissements, or cantons).

It was on 28 March 1882 that the current law on municipal organization was passed which governed the principle of election of the mayor and the deputy by the council whatever the size of the commune (except for Paris). The law of 5 April 1884 fixed the term to four years, a duration increased to six years on 10 April 1929.

According to its size, the commune has a council of 23 members (Article L2121-2 of the General Code of local authorities).

List of Successive Mayors

Canton
Arvert is one of the six communes in the Canton of La Tremblade. In 2010 it was the second most populous town behind La Tremblade and above Étaules.

Inter-communality
Arvert is one of 34 communes adhering to the Urban Community of Royan Atlantique which includes the communes in the greater periphery of Royan.

Courts
Arvert depends on the Tribunal d'instance (district court) and the Conseil de prud'hommes (Labour Court) of Rochefort; the Tribunal de grande instance (High Court), the Tribunal pour enfants (Juvenile court), and the Tribunal de commerce (Commercial Court) of La Rochelle; the Tribunal administratif (Administrative Court) and the Cour d'appel ( Court of Appeal) of Poitiers. The Cour administrative d'appel (Administrative Court of Appeal) is in Bordeaux.

Local taxation

A regional share of the Dwelling tax is not applicable.

Professional tax was replaced in 2010 by the Land premium for companies (CFE) on the rental value of their property and the value added contribution of the business sector (CAVE) (the two forming the Territorial Economic Contribution (CET) which is a local tax introduced by the Finance Act 2010).

Population and Society

Demography
In 2017 the commune had 3,448 inhabitants.

Distribution of Age Groups
The population of the town is relatively old. The ratio of persons above the age of 60 years (32.9%) is higher than the national average (21.8%) and the departmental average (29.0%). Unlike national and departmental allocations, the male population of the town is less than the female population (47.2% against 48.1% nationally and 48.2% at the departmental level).

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Arvert and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017

Source: INSEE

Education

Arvert depends on the Academy of Poitiers. The town has a kindergarten (small, medium, and large section) and an elementary school. Both schools have a school restaurant (self-service for students from the CP).

Youth policy is set across the Canton of La Tremblade. It is managed by a SIVOM (Syndicat intercommunal à vocations multiples) and aims to accommodate children outside school times. It consists of three divisions: infants, children (3–12 years), and youths (13–18 years). Three Nursery schools are open to children of the canton: "La Farandole" and "Pirouettes Cacahuètes" in Arvert town centre, and "Les petites goules" at La Tremblade.

The cantonal leisure centre is located in the commune and is open to children from 3 years old. It is a Summer camp without accommodation offering crafts, expression workshops, games, and activities (tree climbing, swimming, horseback riding, etc.). Mini-camps are organized during the summer. Finally, the "Maison de La Treille" at La Tremblade is open to youths aged 13 to 18 years. It offers sports activities, workshops, and outings (surfing, paintball, diving, etc.). It also offers a room with video games and internet access. Young people can also submit their own projects.

Health and Safety
The town has a general practice medical centre, two nursing centres, a physiotherapist, and a pharmacy. The nearby towns of La Tremblade, Étaules, and Royan offer a wider range of care with the presence of numerous specialists, a hospital with an emergency department, and two private clinics in Royan.

Security of property and people is ensured by the municipal police and the Police station at La Tremblade. The town also hosts a rescue centre with firemen.

Sports
The commune has many sports facilities in addition to those already present in the other communes of the agglomeration (La Tremblade, Étaules, and Chaillevette). The Valentin Guillon stadium is located close to the city centre and can accommodate 2,100 spectators (122 in the stands). It consists of two grass football pitches where the home team trains (Arvert Peninsula Football Club), a running track, and an area for jumping and throwing.

The town also has an indoor arena (indoor tennis, handball and basketball), two tennis courts, and a leisure park with a multi-sports area for teenagers, a petanque court, and a playground for children. Four hiking trails (walking or cycling) are available in the commune.

Media

Television
The transmitters at Royan-Vaux-sur-Mer and Niort-Maisonnay allow the reception of 18 free channels of Digital terrestrial television (TNT) across the whole commune including the local France 3 Poitou-Charentes station. On 31 May 2009, the high-power transmitter was among the first to broadcast a new multiplex which allowed the reception of the first transmissions of High-definition television (HD).

Radio
Most national radio stations present in the department can be heard in the commune. Departmental information is relayed by public radio station France Bleu La Rochelle. The local radio stations that can be heard in the commune are mainly:
Vogue Radio (a local radio station of the commune whose studios are in the city centre and which is transmitted throughout the peninsula including Royan),
Demoiselle FM (general broadcasting from Rochefort with studios in Saint-Georges-de-Didonne)
Terre Marine FM (general broadcasting from Fouras)
Mixx radio (techno, dance, and electronic music broadcasting from Cognac and retransmitted by the Saintes transmitter)
RCF Accords Charente-Maritime (religious broadcasting from La Rochelle).

Wit FM (general broadcasting from Bordeaux) can sometimes be heard but randomly depending on weather conditions.

Press
Local press is represented by the daily Sud Ouest, headquartered in Bordeaux, which has a local edition from Royan.

Broadband Internet
A Main distribution frame is located in the commune. In 2013, it is unbundled by several alternative operators (SFR, Free, and Bouygues Telecom) in addition to the incumbent operator, Orange. ADSL , ADSL2+, Re-ADSL 2, and ADSL television are available in the commune.

Worship
Arvert belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Rochelle and Saintes which has been a sub-division of the Ecclesiastical province of Poitiers since 2002 (Ecclesiastical Province of Bordeaux before that date) and the Deanery of Marennes-Oléron. The parish is included in the Parish of the Arvert Peninsula centred on Marennes. Mass is celebrated every Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the church of Saint-Étienne.

Arvert houses a Church of the Reformed Church where there are services on some Sundays at 10:30am, alternating between La Tremblade, Marennes, Étaules, and Chaillevette.

Other religions do not have a place of worship in the town.

Market

A food market is held every Wednesday and Saturday morning (from 8:00am to 12:30pm) on the Market Square in the city centre. It brings together twice a week ten producers (fishmongers, butchers, vegetable sellers, etc.). The restructuring of the market place, initiated in the early 2010s, resulted in the construction of modern halls with simple lines and openwork. It was opened on 1 June 2011.

Economy

Employment

The unemployment rate in the commune is higher than the national average. It was 14.9% in 1999 (national average 12.9%), 12.8% in 2006 (national average 9.8%) and 14.8% in 2017 (national average: 13.4%).

An "Employment point" was set up in 1992 at La Tremblade to attempt to regulate this problem and helping people adapt to changes in the labour market. Working in partnership with the Employment office of Pays Royannais, the Employment centre of Royan, seasonal workers office, and the local Pays Royonais, it provides access to job offers, helps with some tasks (e.g. resume writing, preparing for job interviews) and participates in collective briefings.

Businesses and shops

The commune is at the centre of an attractive labour pool: the employment zone of Royan (coming from the partition of the former employment zone of Saintonge maritime, which included many communes of Pays Rochefortais, Pays Marennes-Oleron and Pays Royannais), with 27,753 jobs in 2008. The Employment zone of Royan is, with that of La Rochelle, the most dynamic region in Poitou-Charentes with both enjoying "an economic fabric and a dynamic demography" (INSEE). Growth is particularly strong due to the development of tertiary activities.

307 establishments were identified in the commune by INSEE on 31 December 2015 - mostly very small businesses: 73 with from 1-9 employees and only 14 over 10 employees. The sectors of oyster farming and agriculture remain important in the community, the two of them having 12.8% of employees. Thirty oyster farms are located in Arvert, mostly in the two ports of Coux and Grève à Duret who operate all the production, refining, and shipping of oysters from the Marennes-Oléron basin.

Trades and services are booming as a consequence of the development of the area and the benefits of tourism which does not only concern the coastal communities. The proximity of resorts on the Côte de Beauté (and also Ronce-les-Bains) and a pine forest on the outskirts of the town (Forest of la Coubre) account for a growing increase in tourism which has helped in the establishment of appropriate infrastructure (three campsites, one holiday village) and a tourist office in the city centre. In late 2015, commerce, services (for people and business), and tourism together employed 31.5% of the work force. The construction sector, which is in fourth place, employs 4.3%. Public administration, education, health, and social welfare employ 49.3% of the workforce and Industry, which is only slightly represented in the commune, only employs barely 2.1% of the work force.

The commune has many shops that complement those already present in the neighbouring communes of La Tremblade and Étaules: these three towns form a single entity closely linked at the macro-economic level. The shops are concentrated in the town centre, along the road to La Tremblade but also in the commercial zone of Justices near the ring road. The town centre has a supermarket (Carrefour City) nearby and is surrounded by a small mall with a petrol station, an ALDI hard-discount store, two bakeries, a library/newsagent, a driving school, two estate agents, two hardware stores, a fast food outlet, several restaurants, a second-hand shop, a funeral home, a computer store, and two hair salons. At the exit from the town there is a Super U hypermarket (2,985 square metres of sales area) which replaced a smaller store. Its construction began in the autumn of 2013 and lasted until the spring of 2014. The mall opened on 24 April 2014. A few hundred yards away, but in the commune of La Tremblade, is an Intermarché supermarket.

The nearest major shopping area are in the Royannaise Agglomeration (CC Val Lumière and Hyper Intermarché in Vaux-sur-Mer and CC Royan II and E. Leclerc in Royan).

Culture and heritage

Sites and Monuments

Church of Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne church has very old foundations and suffered greatly during the French Wars of Religion. In 1568 the old Romanesque church was attacked by the Huguenots which almost completely destroyed it - as was the church of Saint-Symphorien de Dirée (which was never rebuilt).

The facade retains some architectural elements dating from the 12th century: two beams of seven columns surmounted by capitals and some corbels. All testify to the fantasy and humour deployed by medieval workmen. One of the capitals shows a character vomiting a snake that turns on him and bites his cheek; another shows a man's head, who appears to be a pirate or a Viking looking towards the old Gulf of Arvert.

The present church dates from 1683 (the date is on one of the buttresses in the choir), making it the oldest in the Canton of La Tremblade. It owes its reconstruction to Father Jean de Lafargue, parish priest from 1672 to 1717. Changes were made to the building in the 19th century: primarily the construction of the bell tower (1845) - a solid stone tower with a slate spire, the increase in the height of the walls, the addition of small chapels (false transept), and an enlargement of the choir (1890). The church, which is very plain, consists of a large nave covered with a plastered vault lowered and lit by a series of bays which are sometimes ogival and sometimes semicircular where stained glass windows were placed in the taste of the 19th century. In the choir, two windows represent Saint Stephen and Saint Paul. A stone pulpit is placed near the north chapel. The bell tower features a set of three bells: "Marie-Émilie" (A flat, 450 kg), "Frances, Stephanie, Josephus, Jeanne" (B flat, 310 kg) and "Mary, Martha, Leon, Eustelle" (D, 230 kg). The front of the church has a domed well from the 18th century.

Protestant church
The Reformation was implanted early in the Arvert peninsula which was open to the sea and consequently to the region and new ideas from maritime hawkers and traders from northern European countries. The Protestant population was large enough for a first church to be built in 1566 along the path connecting Arvert to Les Mathes. It became too small, too outdated, or perhaps simply not corresponding to the needs of worship, it was replaced by a new building in 1609. At times threatened with destruction, it maintained its function by an order of 28 February 1664.

The pressure on the Protestant community become more intense. Pressed to give up their "mistakes", the Protestants were denied their place of worship by an edict of the Conseil du Roi (King's council) on 2 March 1682. The building was completely destroyed including the foundations. The materials used to restore the Church of Saint-Étienne.  With no building available, worship was then celebrated in private houses or in the open air, until that practice was specifically prohibited by an edict of King Louis XIV dated 23 March 1683.

In 1685 the Edict of Fontainebleau, which revoked the Edict of Nantes, for more than a century forced Protestants in the region to a semi-clandestine existence and sometimes into exile. In 1755 a prayer house was built in Avallon. It was not until 1834 that the commune acquired a large property, purchased from the heirs of Martin Descombes: while the commune sold the gardens at auction, the Protestant consistory bought materials to build the new church from the year 1836. It was restored several times - in 1885, 1897, and 1902 (purchase of new furniture) and was subject to a true "makeover" in 1903 (restoration of the roof of the structure, the frames, etc.) and in 2000. Very plain from an architectural perspective, it forms a simple rectangular room lit by arched windows.

Avallon House of prayer
In the second half of the 18th century and under the influence of Enlightenment ideas and thanks to the tenacity of pastors such as Louis Gibert, a series of prayer houses (churches fitted in barns and private houses) were built around Royan. Persecution against the Protestants, always a reality, dropped in intensity thanks to the protection of the Marquis de Sénecterre, Marshal of France and Governor of Saintonge.

The first house of prayer was built in 1755 at Breuillet: if it was burned by court order, it was immediately rebuilt. In a few weeks, other places of worship appeared. The sale of a plot of land at Avallon (a small port then located a short distance from the town) by Martine Pasdejeu allowed the construction of a first house of prayer and the benefactor was sentenced to detention in the hospice of La Rochelle. The place of prayer was demolished but was rebuilt at the earliest opportunity. It has some importance because in 1781 it housed the Synod of the Churches of Saintonge, Angoumois, and Bordeaux. Due to many maintenance problems, however, it was decided to build a modern temple in 1834.

The Avallon house of prayer Avallon was far from the town centre yet continued to be used and even restored the same year (dedication was made on 20 April 1834). It was sold in 1955 and is now part of a private property. It is one of the few houses of prayer still standing - a testimony to this type of construction in Charente-Maritime with the Maine-Geoffroy Church at Royan and the former house of prayer at Luzac (the one of Paterre at Chaillevette has unfortunately been completely destroyed).

The Mill at Justices

At the beginning of the 19th century the commune still had twenty windmills but only four have survived. Le Moulin des Justices (Justices mill), built in the 16th century, is the oldest of them. This mill is named after the place where manorial justice was executed under the Ancien Régime. Its sails, which are missing, were built on the Berton system which allowed adjustment to the sails even when the mill was in operation.

Stèle of General de Gaulle
This stele dates from 1949 and commemorates the arrival of General de Gaulle in Arvert on 22 April 1945 shortly after the Liberation of the Arvert peninsula and the Royan pocket. It took three days of fierce fighting to finally obtain the capitulation of the last German troops entrenched in their bunkers in the Forest of la Coubre.

Other sites and monuments

Several mills located in the commune: the Cabouci Mill, the Lauriers Mill, the Petit Pont Mill
A domed well in the church square.
The port of La Grève à Duret and the port of Coux
The tourist Train des mouettes passes through the commune
The lodgings of Fouilloux
The War memorial

Culture
Cultural facilities
Arvert has a Public Library located opposite the Town Hall (in the premises of the old town hall).

Saintongeais language

The commune is located in the linguistic area of Saintonge, a dialect belonging to the family of Langues d'oïl branch of the Romance languages, which also includes French, Angevin, Picard, and Poitevin with which it is often grouped in the broader classification of Poitevin-Saintongeais.

Saintongeais (saintonjhais) is the vernacular spoken in the former provinces of Aunis, Saintonge, and Angoumois. It is also called Charentais or patois Charentais. Speakers are called patoisants. Saintongeais strongly influenced Acadian and therefore, by extension, Cajun. Quebecois was influenced by dialects such as Norman, Francien, and Saintongeais.

The Saintongeais language has many features in common with languages such as Cajun or Acadian which is explained by the Saintonge origins of some of the emigrants to New France in the 17th century.

Gastronomy
Saintonge gastronomy is mainly focused on three types of products: the products of the land, the sea, and the vine.

Pork preparations dominate the regional cuisine:
gratons or grillons, kinds of Rillettes based on fried meats and preserved in their fat,
gigorit or gigourit, a Jugging combining blood, throat, liver, and onions, sauce de la pire, onions, and local white wine.

The Saintonge kitchen includes many recipes for cagouilles, the local name of the brown garden snail. Saintonge meat is especially cooked "à la charentaise" - i.e. cooked in a broth accented with white wine, garlic, and bread crumbs.

Among other local specialties there are the pibales (Eels) (fry of eel caught in the Gironde, speciality of Mortagne-sur-Gironde and Blaye), oysters from Marennes-Oléron, sardines of Royan, thyeusses de gueurnouilles (Frog legs), and sanglette - a cake prepared with chicken blood and cooked onions.

Traditional desserts are from peasant cuisine: Millas (cornflour cake, found in much of the South-West of France), galette charentaise (Charente waffle) in Charentes-Poitou butter, or "merveilles" (doughnuts).

Arvert is located in the wine production area of "ordinary wood".

Bibliography
Paul Travers, Pastor of Mathes, In Arvert country, historical and folklorical work, 1973
Henri Moreau, Lords and Domains in Arvert, 2008

See also
Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links
Arvert on the 1750 Cassini Map

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Asnières-la-Giraud () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Asnierois or Asnieroises.

Geography
Asnières-la-Giraud is located some 38 km east of Rochefort and 7 km south of Saint-Jean-d'Angély. Access to the commune is by the D150 road from Saint-Jean-d'Angély in the north which passes through the west of the commune and the village and continues to Saint-Hilaire-de-Villefranche. The D120 road from Saint-Jean-d'Angély passes through the east of the commune and continues to Sainte-Même. The D217 road connects the D120 and the D150 in the commune and continues west to Mazeray. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of La Touzetterie on the north-eastern border, Moulin de la Laigne, La Laigne, Le Plonget, La Giraud, La Rue d'Asnières, Le Puits d'Asnières, Champmiaud, and La Tranche in the south. There are some patches of forest but most of the commune is farmland.

The Loubat river flows south through the commune west of the D150 and through the village before continuing south.

Geologically it is a limestone plateau of the Tithonian period (formerly called Portlandian)

Neighbouring communes and villages

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Budget and Taxation
The Taxation rates are: 6.28% for housing tax, 11.80% for developed land, 37% for undeveloped land, and 8% business tax. As the community of communes also levies all four taxes: respectively 2.46%, 5.50%, 11.91%, and 3.82%, this gives a total, before the department and the region, of: 8.74% for housing tax, 17.30% for developed land, 48.91% for undeveloped land, and 11.82% business tax (2007 figures).

Demography
In 2017 the commune had 1,050 inhabitants.

Distribution of Age Groups
The population of the town is younger than the departmental average.

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Asnières-la-Giraud and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017

Source: INSEE

Economy
Asnières-la-Giraud has always been an agricultural and viticultural; commune. Nevertheless, there are many trades in the commune: a garage, a mechanically construction business, an Emmaus warehouse, and activities linked to tourism with a hotel, a rural cottage, and a Youth Hostel called Chantageasse. The vineyards are in the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) region of Cognac: the Fins Bois cru.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage
 The Fontaines d'Asnières milk factory at 17 Rue de la Laiterie is registered as a historical monument.
 An old well

Religious heritage
 The Church of Saint Medard

Notable people linked to the commune
 Auguste Roy de Loulay, French politician born on 26 August 1818 at Asnières-la-Giraud.

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

 Asnières-la-Giraud on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
 Annieres on the 1750 Cassini Map

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Aulnay, commonly referred to as Aulnay-de-Saintonge (), is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes), France.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aulnaysiens or Aulnaysiennes.

Geography
Aulnay is located on the Via Turonensis. one of the Ways of St. James some 45 km east by south-east of Surgères and 17 km north-east of Saint-Jean-d'Angély. Access to the commune is by the D950 from Les Églises-d'Argenteuil in the south-west which passes through the commune just west of the town and continues to La Villedieu in the north. The D121 comes from Saint-Georges-de-Longuepierre in the north-west passing through the town and continuing south to Cherbonnières. The D129 comes from Varaize in the south passing through the town and continuing north-east to Saint-Mandé-sur-Brédoire. The D133 goes from the town south-east to Néré. In the commune there is the village of La Cressoniere west of the town, Pinsenelle north-west of the town, and Salles-lès-Aulnay east of the town. Apart from the urban area of the town the commune is entirely farmland.

Hydrography
The Brédoire river flows through the commune and the town from east to west to join the Boutonne at Nuaillé-sur-Boutonne. Although a small river the Brédoire flooded the town in December 1982. The Palud flows through the north of the commune from the east to join the Brédoire at La Cressoniere. The Saudrenne flows from the east in the south of the commune forming part of the southern border before continuing to join the Boutonne at Saint-Pardoult.

Neighbouring communes and villages

History

Aulnay during the Roman Empire
Formerly called Aunedonnacum in the itinerary of Antoninus Pius and Auedonnaco in the Tabula Peutingeriana, Aulnay was a Gallo-Roman station on the important imperial Roman road between Saintes and Poitiers, and possibly between Saintes and Lyon before a more direct route, the Via Agrippa, was built.

Aerial photographs taken by aerial archaeologist Jacques Dassié and archaeological excavations have revealed a remarkable Roman camp at a place called Rocherou. This castrum was created for strategic reasons around the year 21 AD and abandoned around the year 43 AD. Its construction was carried out modelled on Roman camps in the conquest of Germania under the Principate of Augustus (along the Lippe) and also on camps on the limes of the Rhine due to the attested presence of displaced legions from Germania. Several Roman inscriptions have been found.

Aerial photography has also revealed the existence of a Fanum with a polygonal Cella and a Peribolos, proof of the existence of an important Gallo-Roman city.

Aulnay in the Middle Ages

As the capital of a fiscal jurisdiction Aulnay was already the seat of a lordship in 925, as evidenced by the donation made by Cadelon I to several abbeys. The Viscounts of Aulnay (or Viscounts of Aunay) were descendants of other noble families in Poitou and Saintonge and lived in a castle which was demolished in 1818 but whose tower still remains.

Aulnay in the contemporary era
A common name for Aulnay is Aulnay-de-Saintonge but under the Ancien Régime Aulnay (often spelled Aunay) did not belong to the province of Saintonge but to the Province of Poitou and the Diocese of Poitiers.

By decree dated 12 December 1973 the commune of Salles-lès-Aulnay merged with the commune of Aulnay.

Aulnay is the capital of the canton of Aulnay-de-Saintonge which has the largest extent in the department of Charente-Maritime.

Heraldry

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Demography
In 2017 the commune had 1,369 inhabitants.

Distribution of Age Groups
The population of the town is older than the departmental average.

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Aulnay and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017

Source: INSEE

Economy

Old Railway service
The Compagnie de chemins de fer départementaux (Departmental Railway Company or CFD) operated the  Charentes and Deux-Sèvres railway network with a line crossing the commune. This was the Saint-Jean-d'Angély to Saint-Saviol line (1896-1951). The first locomotives used were built by Derosne-Cail. The old station buildings were transferred to the Departmental Directorate of Public Works in 1954.

The Goizin factory for agricultural Ploughs
The Goizin factory was once the largest industrial employer in the commune. Robert Goizin first set up a maintenance workshop and sold spare parts for agricultural equipment with a shop to display them.

During the 1950s he successfully turned to the manufacture of ploughs. The evolution in the power of tractors lead to significant growth in the 1970s. The company employed up to 80 workers until the end of the 20th century.

After some difficult years, since 2005 the company has belonged to the Eurotechnics Agri Groupe but it remains active in Aulnay.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage
The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
The Minargent Distillery (1910)
A Chateau (13th century)
A Dairy Factory (1926)

Other sites of interest
A large Dovecote with 2,000 pigeonholes which was recently restored.

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
A Cemetery Cross (14th century)
The Church of Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay (12th century). One of the finest surviving Romanesque churches. It is also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is unknown why the church was built so far from the town but it may be related to the site of an old cemetery along the Roman road. At the end of the 11th century the building that preceded it belonged to the Abbey of Saint-Cyprien in Poitiers who, around 1045, received part of the burial rights and wax offerings from the church as evidenced by a donation by Ranulfe Rabiole. Pierre II, Bishop of Poitiers, around 1100 confirmed the ownership of the church by the monastery and Pope Calixtus II followed his example in 1119. In 1135 however, the parish belonged to the Chapter of Poitiers Cathedral which retained its rights until the French Revolution. Papal bulls dated 1149 and 1157 list the Aulnay church in the list of properties of Canons who were calculating their costs. The church is particularly famous for the early-twelfth-century sculpture on its south and west doorways; it is among the most often discussed examples of this form of Romanesque art. Numerous oriental influences can be seen in its designs. For example, the first arc of one doorway is said to be inspired by Oriental designs. Designs of elephants also originate from Oriental designs. The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
A Painting: Christ with doctors (17th century)
A Statue: Saint Peter as Pope (15th century)
A Stoup (12th century)

The Church of Notre-Dame (12th century) The Church contains one item that is registered as an historical object:
A Baptismal font (12th century)

Facilities

Education

The town has a school grouping which brings together a kindergarten and a primary school located at Rue du 19 Mars 1962 in the town. This school includes all the classes that were previously separated between the girls' school and the boys' school. Although these schools maintained separation of the sexes until the 1960s, the two schools kept their names, despite the mix, until the construction of the new school in the 1990s. The former girls' school which had kindergarten and four classes to CE2 is now a hotel while the old boys' school which had three classes from CE2 to CM2 became the leisure centre for the town.

The Secondary College is a recently created public institution and is located near the site of the famous church of Aulnay. In September 2010 it had 252 pupils taught by a faculty of 22 teachers.

Health Services

Aulnay has a number of services in the medical, paramedical, and medical and social sectors which make it, as the capital of the canton, relatively well equipped in this area for Charente-Maritime.

Medical services
The town has three medical practices for General Practice in the centre of town. There are also two dental practices.

Aulnay does not have medical specialists and people usually visit those at Saint-Jean-d'Angely.

Aulnay does not have a medical radiology or MRI centre. The commune and the entire canton depend on Saint Jean d'Angely for this type of service.

Although the closest hospital is at Saint Jean d'Angely for the most mundane interventions, Aulnay and its canton actually depend on the Centre Hospitalier de Saintonge located in Saintes, some forty kilometres south-west. This hospital offers a very wide range of treatments as it is the largest hospital in the whole central part of the department of Charente-Maritime.

Paramedical services

In this area, Aulnay has a slightly wider range of services. As the chief town of the canton it has a nursing centre in the town and a consulting room elsewhere in the commune. There are two physiotherapy practices and a speech therapist office.

In addition, there are two pharmacies and an optician. The commune does not have a medical laboratory with the nearest being at Saint-Jean-d'Angely.

Two ambulance services are based in Aulnay and cover the whole canton of Aulnay.

Aulnay is also equipped with a rescue centre where firefighters are available to intervene in emergency situations. This centre, under the SDIS Charente-Maritime, depends more directly on the main rescue centre in Saint-Jean d'Angely.

A veterinary clinic is active and serves all of the canton of Aulnay.

Medical and social services
Aulnay has a public retirement facility where there are 43 furnished rooms in sheltered housing located in the town.

Sports
Football is the main sport of the commune with a regional club which in 1976 was the winner of the Challenge Central-West. The junior team also had its moment of glory reaching the qualifying pool for the 16th round of the Coupe Gambardella during the 1991–1992 season (which also included FC Nantes, Chamois Niortais, and Berrichonne de Chateauroux)

Other sports are represented such as archery with the Dungeon Archers Club and handball.

Notable people linked to the commune
Robert Broussard, Chief of Police, comes from Aulnay.

See also
Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

External links
Aulnay on the Community of communes website
art-roman.net Photos of Aulnay
romanes.com Photos of Aulnay
Aulnay on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
Aunay on the 1750 Cassini Map

Notes and references

Notes

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime
World Heritage Sites in France


Aumagne () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Authon-Ébéon () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Authonais or Authonaises.

Geography
Authon-Ébéon is located in the north-east of the department of Charente-Maritime some 25 km north-east of Saintes and 20 km south-east of Saint-Jean-d'Angély and is in the former province of Saintonge. The village is at the crossroads of the D120 from Sainte-Même in the north to Migron in the south and the D134 from Brizambourg in the west to Courcerac in the east. The D129 also forms the north-western border of the commune. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Bargagne in the south and Ebeon in the north. The commune is mostly farmland with some small scattered forests.

Geology and terrain
Geologically the commune is on a limestone plateau from the Tithonian period (formerly called the Portlandian).

The commune vineyards are located in the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) cognac zone for Cru des Fins Bois.

Hydrography

Authon-Ébéon is in the Drainage basin of the Charente. Authon is crossed by the Dandelot which feeds the castle moat. It joins the Antenne, a tributary of the Charente, just downstream of Cognac.

Neighbouring communes and villages

History
Ébéon was along the Saintes-Aulnay-Poitiers Roman road, along which is the "Ébéon beacon" (also called the Pyramid).

Authon was the seat of a fief held by the Authon family from 1130 to 1450. The Motte-and-bailey castle was 100 metres from the present castle.

Seguin d'Authon, a vassal of the Counts of Taillebourg, was a Crusader in 1130 and Roland d'Authon was a companion of Saint Louis in the Holy Land. Seguin, who died in 1395, was Archbishop of Tours.

Jean d'Authon (1467-1527) was chaplain and official historian for King Louis XII. Antoine (1466-1546) was a corsair. In the early 17th century the barons of Authon were hereditary seneschals of Saintonge.

In 1627 Jean d'Authon was killed in a duel, and his widow Judith de Nosan sold the barony and the land at Ébéon that was attached to it. It was redeemed by her mother, who bequeathed it to her grandson.

In 1651, during the Fronde, Condé took the castle and imprisoned Jean-Seguin d'Authon.

The state of the parishes of 1686 show that the parish of Authon had the Baron of Authon as lord and the parish of Esbuon had 25 fires and Mr. Naussay as lord. The land in the two parishes was difficult and produced two-thirds cereals and one third wine.

In 1791 Authon was looted and burned and the north wing of the castle disappeared.

The communes of Authon and Ébéon were created in 1793 in the department of Lower Charente which became Charente-Maritime in 1941. They were part of the district of Saint-Jean-d'Angély then in its arrondissement in 1801, then passed to Saintes arrondissement in 1926 before returning to that of Saint-Jean-d'Angély in 1943. After having been part of the Canton of Brisambourg in 1793, it joined the Caton of Saint-Hilaire-de-Villefranche in 1801.

By a decree dated 12 December 1972 with effect from 1 January 1973, Ebéon joined Authon to form the commune Authon-Ébéon.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

The commune is part of the Canton of Chaniers and of the Communauté de communes des Vals de Saintonge.

Taxation
Taxation is at a rate of 11.97% for housing tax, 16.63% for developed land, 54.30% for undeveloped, and 15% for business tax plus the community of communes fee on all four taxes, respectively 2.50%, 4.57%, 10.99% and 3.24% gives the total, before adding for the department and the region, of 14.47% for housing, 21.20% for developed land, 65.29% for undeveloped land, and 18.24% business tax (2007 figures).

Demography
In 2017 the commune had 390 inhabitants.

N.B. Prior to 1975 the table shows the total populations for the two communes.

Distribution of Age Groups
The population of the town is slightly older than the departmental average.

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Authon-Ébéon and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017

Source: INSEE

Economy
A trade in brooms existed in the 19th century. Currently the economy is primarily agricultural with grapes, plant nurseries, organic crops, and cattle pastures. The monthly fair is on the third Monday in the month.

As of 2017, the commune has 174 employable people with an unemployment rate of 12.9%. Of the 174 employable people, 87 are men and 87 are women. 84% are employees, and 78% work outside the commune.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
The Pyramid (Gallo-Roman) The "beacon" of Ebéon is called the "Pyramid" and is a Gallo-Roman remains at a place called "Bois-Charmand". This beacon or tomb still forms a masonry block 16 metres high and 6 metres in diameter. According to a local legend it was the work of fairies: three "ladies" who built it overnight. They used an enchanted hammer that they bounced back and forth to each other through the air. It hit the youngest in the forehead and she was killed. There is also another well-preserved tower or stack near Saujon: the Tour de Pirelongue.
The Chateau of Authon. The chateau is moated with the moat fed by the Dandelot. It is a construction from the 16th century which was largely redesigned in the following centuries. The guard tower and the front door of the castle date back to 1580 and the angled wing with mullioned windows dates to 1606.
The Chateau Park. The park is surrounded by water and is registered as an outstanding gardens. There is also a medieval garden.

Other sites of interest are
Traces of the Roman road from Saintes-Aulnay-Poitiers.
Remains of Merovingian cemeteries.
Vestiges of a feudal Motte-and-bailey castle.
The Mill located downstream of Guignebourg.

Religious heritage
The commune has one religious building that is registered as an historical monument:
The Church of Notre-Dame (12th century). The Church of Notre-Dame is a fortified church with a curtain wall, a walkway, slots, a bell tower, and a gatehouse. Its construction was carried out in two stages: first in the 12th century then in the 15th century when it was fortified. The facade has two serrated platforms on its angled buttresses connected by a passageway with cruciform notches for archers. The Chevet also has a crenellated roof. The church also has murals from the 19th century.

The Church of Ebéon is a recent church with a gabled facade.

Facilities
The primary school is in the church square at Authon.

There is a post office at Rue de la Poste in Authon.

The closest doctors and nurses are at Matha. Clinics and hospitals are at Cognac, Saint-Jean-d'Angély, and Saintes.

Local life
The harvest festival is held on the last Sunday of October.

Notable people linked to the commune
Jehan d'Authon, chaplain and official historian for King Louis XII.

See also
Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links
Authon-Ébéon on the old IGN website
Authon-Ébéon on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
Authon and Ebeon on the 1750 Cassini Map

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Cachy (; Picard: Cachin) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.

Geography
Cachy is situated on the D168 road, some  southeast of Amiens and near to Villers-Bretonneux.

Population

See also
Communes of the Somme department

References

Communes of Somme (department)


Bagnizeau () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Population
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See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Balanzac () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Ballans () is a commune in the department of Charente-Maritime, southwestern France.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ballansois or Ballansoises and Balançais or Balançaises.

Geography
Ballans is located some  north-west of Angoulême and  east by north-east of Saintes. The southern border of the commune is the departmental border between Charente-Maritime and Charente. Access to the commune is by the D124 road from Brie-sous-Matha in the west which passes through the village and continues south-east to Macqueville. The D133 from Macqueville to Siecq forms part of the eastern border of the commune. Apart from the village there is the hamlet of Les Gorains south-east of the village. The commune is entirely farmland.

Geology and terrain
The commune is in a Jurassic limestone area which dates to the Tithonian (formerly called Portlandian) at the boundary of the  Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian stage) areas and there are marl and clay outcrops. This is a zone of low relief that is part of the drainage basin of the Charente river. Ballans commune is on a hill  high which overlooks the lowlands of other communes ( or lower).

Climate
The climate is oceanic Aquitaine.

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy
The name Ballans is of Celtic origin meaning "low land".

History
It was in Ballans that Richard I of England fought against his father, King Henry II of England, on 4 July 1189 and became king two days later. With the help of King Philip, Richard defeated his father in Ballans and was then pronounced heir to the throne of England. Henry II retreated to Chinon where he died and Richard became King of England, Count of Anjou, and Duke of Normandy.

In 1417 Jean Godefroy was Lord of Ballans.

According to the State of Parishes in 1686 the Parish of Ballant had Louis Audouyn as Lord with 80 fires and land which produced grains and wine.

Baron de Livenne was Lord of Ballans in the 18th century. The botanist Bernard de Jussieu presented him with a cedar in 1734. By its girth and its majesty, it was greater than the cedar in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris which was planted by Bernard Jussieu in the same year. A third cedar from Lebanon brought with the first two trees was planted by Bernard de Jussieu on his Loiret property but it died after several years.

In 1789 Ballans participated in the drafting of the list of grievances which provides us valuable information:

"The parish of Ballans complains that ecclesiastical tithes are paid at Saintes college and what the priests take is not only for charitable works but even for their own needs. It requires mercy and the justice of your Majesty in this regard that the tithes be for the pastor in charge of maintaining the church and the rectory and to fill other functions and duties without perquisites and as tithes of this parish assigned to the College of Saintes, your Majesty is humbly begged to order that all ecclesiastical tithes and other benefits, to be raised annually an amount equivalent to that of the farm tithes of the said parish which currently amount to seventeen hundred and fifty livres."

In the 20th century the main activity was the raising and selling of horses.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Inter-communality
Ballans is part of the Community of communes of Vals de Saintonge Communauté which includes 110 communes, and has its seat in Saint-Jean-d'Angély.

Town planning
According to the census of 2010 there were 137 dwellings in the commune, of which 86 are principal homes, 23 secondary residences and 28 vacant. The principal homes are mostly old: 43 (50%) are from before 1919.

Demography
In 2017 the commune had 197 inhabitants.

Distribution of Age Groups

The population of the town is similar to the departmental average.

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Ballans and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017

Source: INSEE

Economy and employment
According to the 2017 census there are 95 employable people of which 90 are active employees or self-employed. Most of them (74%) work outside the commune. The activity is totally related to viticulture in this Fins Bois area of the Cognac region.

The village has one rural multi-service shop with a bar and a post office.

Facilities

Education
The school is an Inter-communal Educational Grouping (RPI) between Macqueville, Neuvicq, Siecq, and Ballans.

Ballans hosts one class which is a large children's section and CP.

Sports and recreation
There is a Hiking route and a Tennis court.

There is a local festival on the third weekend in June, Fireworks on 14 July, and a flea market in the schools on the 1st Sunday of October.

Associations
There is a Senior Citizens Club, the festival committee, and the ACCA hunting society.

Sites and Monuments

The Church of Saint-Jacques was rebuilt in the 15th century. The Choir and apse kept their broken arched vault and are separated by two small columns with capitals decorated with Gothic foliage.
The rural heritage is represented by Charentais porches, fountains, one of which feeds a Lavoir (public laundry). There are old wells including one dating to the 17th century .
A remarkable tree, a cedar from Lebanon was given to Baron de Livenne, Lord of Ballans, by the botanist Bernard de Jussieu in 1734. This cedar, despite being hit by lightning, dominates the village. It was planted at the same time as the Jardin des Plantes in Paris.

See also
Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links
Ballans on the old National Geographic Institute website
Ballans on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
Balan on the 1750 Cassini Map

Communes of Charente-Maritime


The Long Play is the debut studio album by German singer Sandra, released on 11 November 1985 by Virgin Records. The album was a great commercial success and spawned Sandra's signature number-one single "(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena" as well as the international top-five single "In the Heat of the Night".

Singles
The lead single "(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena" was released in March 1985 and went on to top the charts in 21 countries worldwide. It spent 16 weeks in the German top 20, remaining Sandra's only chart-topper in her home country, and is now considered her signature song.

"In the Heat of the Night" was chosen as the follow-up single to "Maria Magdalena" in late 1985. The song charted within the top five in a number of European countries, later earning Sandra second place at the Tokyo Music Festival in 1986. The single version would only become available on CD on The Platinum Collection in 2009.

The third and final commercial single taken from The Long Play was "Little Girl", released in early 1986. The song's music video was filmed entirely on location in Venice, Italy. "Little Girl" met with modest success in international music market.

"Sisters and Brothers" was released in 1988 as a promotional single in Japan only. The song, dedicated to Sandra's brother Gaston, is a cover version of Michael Cretu's song "Zeitlose Reise" from his 1983 solo album Legionäre.

Track listing

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Long Play.

 Sandra – lead vocals
 Michael Cretu – digital and conventional keyboards, drum computers, background vocals, arrangement, production
 Markus Löhr – guitars
 Hubert Kemmler – background vocals
 Mike Schmidt – cover design
 Dieter Eikelpoth – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

1985 debut albums
Albums produced by Michael Cretu
Sandra (singer) albums
Virgin Records albums


La Barde () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Barzan () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Barzanais or Barzanaises.

The commune is the site of a major Gallo-Roman site of Barzan structured excavations carried out since 1994. Aerial photographs and the first archaeological excavations have revealed the presence of a Gallo-Roman port city of great importance (a monumental Gallo-Roman temple, baths, forum, theatre etc.). Other remains are the subject of annual excavations.

It seems almost certain that this Gallo-Roman town is the Novioregum indicated in the Antonine Itinerary. It could also be the Portus Santonum (the port of the Santones) described by Ptolemy.

Geography

Barzan is located some 30 km south-west of Saintes and 15 km south-east of Royan in the former province of Saintonge. Access to the commune is by the D145 road from Meschers-sur-Gironde along the coast to the north-west which passes through the commune and continues south-east to Saint-Fort-sur-Gironde. The D114 branches from the D145 near the village and goes north to Arces. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Barzan Plage, Chez Grenon, Les Monards - a small port, Chez Garnier, Les Grandes Mottes Gachin,  and Les Maisons Neuves.

In the south-west the commune borders the Atlantic Ocean where there is a small beach resort built in the 1960s. The Riviere de Chauvignac flows south outside the eastern border to join the Ruisseau de Désir which forms the eastern border of the commune as it flows south to join the Riviere de Chauvignac to form the Monards Channel at Les Monards which connects to the sea.

Geology and Relief

The commune is located in the heart of a region of limestone hills overlooking the Gironde estuary. The Littoral zone extends from the Bay of Chant-Dorat, west of the commune, to the Monards Channel in the south, consists essentially of an alternation of muddy intertidal zones and Limestone cliffs which are relatively eroded and are termed dead zones in the southern part of the commune. This term is explained by the gradual retreat of the shoreline and the partial silting of the estuary at this point leaving the cliffs, once battered by the waves, several hundred metres from the waters of the estuary, in the middle of the swampy areas. This type of landscape, found mostly near Mortagne-sur-Gironde, marks the beginning of what is sometimes called the Charente Camargue. In the north-west the Caillaud cliffs mark the border with the commune of Talmont-sur-Gironde.

Vegetation
The commune is sparsely wooded but has a forest covering the valley of Font Vielle.

The landscape is strongly marked by the cultivation of cereals, - especially wheat and maize - as well as vineyards: the vines that cover the hillsides are used particularly in the production of cognac (the town is classified as "Bons Bois") and for the production of Charentais Wine (called Talmonais).

Toponymy
The name Barzan comed from the Latin Barisiacum from the Gallo-Roman anthroponym Barisii with the Gallo-Roman suffix -acum indicating ownership transformed into the Latin suffix -anum. In the Middle Ages the village was called Barlan then Balzan. When the village became a commune the name Barzan was used.

Barzan appears as Barzan on the 1750 Cassini Map and the same on the 1790 version.

History

A prehistoric settlement

The commune was inhabited very early, at least from Neolithic times, which is evidenced by the discovery of numerous traces in various parts of the commune especially near the hill of La Garde which overlooks the Gironde estuary. In 1877 Eutrope Jouan, a local historian, reported the uncovering of fragments of polished axes and arrowheads. This discovery would be confirmed almost a century later, in 1970, by remnants of ceramics attributed to the Matignons and the Peu-Richardiens. Layers of ash and stone fireplaces were found nearby and the presence of a cemetery a few metres from the site showed proof of the presence of a habitat there in about 3500 years BC.

In 1975 an aerial survey by Jacques Dassié confirmed the discoveries and also showed the presence of fortifications around the camp: these being mainly composed of ditches and chicane type entrances, an ingenious device dangerously exposing any potential attackers. Two other more recent prehistoric sites have been discovered in the commune dating from the Bronze Age: one near the Fa mill and one on the north-east side of the La Garde hill near the Piloquets locality. The latter was discovered in 1980 during vine planting when it was revealed including several bronze axes dated about 1800 BC which are currently on display at the Museum of Royan.

A Celtic town
Around the 7th century BC Saintonge was inhabited by people of Celtic origin: the Santones. They first established their capital at Pons, then Saintes. The Santones settled at Fâ and built their main sanctuary on a hill overlooking the Gironde estuary. They founded the town which was the embryo of the Roman city which emerged at this place a few centuries later. Recent aerial surveys have also revealed traces of two other Celtic temples located on the La Garde hill.

An excavation undertaken under the direction of Karine Robin from 1996 to 2002 also helped to uncover Gallic and Hispanic ceramics dating from the 5th century BC which indicates the presence of a port at this time. The fact that Saintonge was located on one of the routes for the tin trade, a particularly active trade between the British Isles (mainly Cornwall) and the Mediterranean Sea at that time, suggests the possibility of the transit of this essential raw material for the manufacture of bronze through the port of this ancient city and explains the relative prosperity of the city even before the establishment of the Roman domination.

The golden age of the city

The province of the Santons was invaded by the Romans in 58 BC. This was the beginning of a golden age for its capital, Mediolanum Santonum (Saintes) which became the first capital of the Roman province of Gallia Aquitania. The city of Novioregum was then primarily an Emporium or a trading post, which is easily explained by its geographical location not far from the mouth of the Gironde. The first important buildings were probably built under the Flavians (from 69 to 96), as evidenced by remnants of statues and several Corinthian Capitals dating from this period.

Nevertheless, the city seems to have reached its peak in the 2nd century during the reigns of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. The city was adorned with important monuments: theatre, avenues, and port warehouses. The thermal baths were enlarged. The prosperous city was indicated in the Antonine Itinerary published in the 3rd century AD, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. This veritable "Travelers Guide" before its time located Novioregum on the main road leading from Saintes to Bordeaux via Blaye, 15 leuga from Saintes (about 35 km) and 12 leuga from Tamnum, a city probably located near Consac (about 29 km). The city was abandoned around the 4th or 5th century without anyone really knowing why. The port silting theory has been considered but no real evidence is established at present. This common phenomenon in the region caused the loss of another major port in the region - Brouage - in the 17th century.

A farming village
At the beginning of the Middle Ages the ancient Roman city had become a stone quarry. Decorative elements were reused in homes and churches in the region, and Roman columns were long used as curbstones surrounding village wells. The village became a modest parish dependent on the castellanies of Theon, Conteneuil or Uzet. A Romanesque church was built in the 12th century but was poorly maintained and was demolished in the 19th century. The economy of the village, growing cereal crops, explains the presence of several mills. In the 18th century vineyards became predominant but the ravages of phylloxera a century later put a stop to this activity although it is still important today.

Intriguing Ruins

The ruins scattered around Barzan have intrigued scholars for a long time: in 1715, Claude Masse, an engineer and geographer for the King, responsible for the provinces of Aunis and Saintonge had already noticed their presence when travelling. From 1921 many archaeological excavations were made on the Fâ site. Between 1921 and 1926 Leon Massiou, a local scholar and author of several books on history, conducted excavations at Fâ on the site of the mill resulting in the classification of the temple as an historical monument in 1937. From 1935 to 1957, Louis Basalo also conducted searches and explored an aqueduct in the north of the commune and excavated the baths. It was in 1975 that, due to a major drought, that Jacques Dassié took aerial photographs unveiling a more important site than was previously suspected. Under the crops and vegetation there was nothing less than 140 hectares of a city with temples, baths, theatres, warehouses, forum, houses, and avenues.

In 1994 the Ministry of Culture entrusted Peter Aupert, research director at CNRS, with the excavation of the sanctuary of the Fâ. They proved in particular the construction of two successive temples, the existence of a vast pit - perhaps sacrificial, and marks of the construction of a podium. In 1999 positive surveys were conducted by Laurence Tranoy at a place called le Trésor on the site of what is assumed to have been the forum at the crossroads of the Cardo and Decumanus Maximus.

From 1998 to 2004 the excavations of Thermae north of Fâ were led by Alain Bouet, HDR Docent at the University of Bordeaux and specialist in the Gallo-Roman era. He soon revealed the existence of one of the largest ruins known in Gaul to date. Since 2005 the site of the baths has been open to the public.

From 2003 to 2005 Alain Bouet also participated in excavations of the warehouses (the horrea) just south of the Fâ sanctuary revealing large stores of great importance to the ancient port. A series of excavations conducted between 2006 and 2008 at Fa also revealed the peribolos walls showing both successive Compounds, the second huge compound measured approximately 106 m X 92 m.

Restarted in 2007 by Antoine Nadeau, the excavations of the theatre at La Garde, resumed again in 2009. Highly degraded, the ruins were used as a stone quarry for centuries.

As for the Grand Avenue revealed by aerial photographs of Jacques Dassié it is being studied in the context of current excavations, conducted under the direction of Laurence Tranoy (University of La Rochelle) and Emmanuel Moizan (INRAP), which aim to understand the flow of the ancient city. The two archaeologists explained their research in a report devoted to one of these excavations in 2008.

Administration

Municipal Administration
From 1789 to 1799, under the Law of 14 December 1789, municipal officials (mayors) were directly elected for 2 years and re-elected by the active citizens of the town aged at least 25 years and paying contribution of at least 3 working days to the commune. Those eligible had to pay a tax equivalent to at least ten working days.

From 1799 to 1848, under the Constitution of 22 Frimaire Year VIII (13 December 1799) regarding the election of the mayor, mayors were appointed by the prefect for communes with fewer than 5000 inhabitants. The Restoration established the appointment of mayors and municipal councilors. After the organic laws in 1831 mayors were appointed (by the king for communes with more than 3000 inhabitants, the prefect for the smaller ones), but councillors were elected by suffrage for six years.

From 3 July 1848 to 1851 mayors were elected by the municipal council for communes with less than 6000 inhabitants.

From 1851 to 1871 mayors were appointed by the prefect for communes with less than 3000 inhabitants for 5 years from 1855. After 1871 mayors were elected again except in the capitals (departments, boroughs or districts).

Only on 28 March 1882, a law on municipal organization (still in force) was passed which regulates the principle of election of the mayor and deputy by the city council, whatever the size of the commune (except for Paris). The law of 5 April 1884 fixed the mandate to four years, changed to six years on 10 April 1929.

List of Successive Mayors

Canton
The commune belongs to the Canton of Saintonge Estuaire. Until 1802 it belonged to the ephemeral Canton of Mortagne-sur-Gironde, then the Canton of Cozes until March 2015.

Intercommunality
Barzan is one of 34 communes of the Agglomeration Community of Royan Atlantique.

Demography
In 2017 the commune had 470 inhabitants.

Distribution of Age Groups
The population of the town is relatively old.

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Barzan and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017

Source: INSEE

Economy
The town is in the heart of a particularly large labour pool: the employment area of Royan (the result of the partition of the old Saintonge maritime employment area which included many communes of Pays Rochefortais, Pays Marennes-Oléron, and Pays Royannais) consisting of 27,753 employees in 2008. The Royan employment area is, with that of La Rochelle, the most dynamic in the Poitou-Charentes region with both taking advantage of an "economic fabric and a dynamic demography"(INSEE). Growth is particularly strong because of the development of tertiary activities.

The economy of the commune is still dominated by agriculture and viticulture even though tourism is growing rapidly due to the presence of the Gallo-Roman site of Novioregum. This gradual development originates from an archeological museum with displays of remains from the site as well as models to represent the city in Roman times.

The active population is 166, of which 34 (20.5%) unemployed. The participation rate of persons between 15 and 64 years amounted to 57.4%, which is below the national average of 63.7%. The rate of retired people is higher than the national figures, 14.3% to 6.7%. School students are 4.8%, against 10.6% on average in the rest of the country.

The average income per household are higher than the national figures. They are €19,932 per year against €15,027 per year. The rate of people who own their homes is higher than the national average at 81.3% against 55.3%.

Culture and heritage

Gallo-Roman site of Fâ

The name of this site derives from fanum meaning "temple" and has been known since the 18th century from the work of Claude Masse, but its magnitude was not revealed until 1975 in the aerial surveys by Jacques Dassié.

The urban area of the Roman town covers 40 hectares. There are the remains of a Gallo-Roman port city including temples, main street, warehouses, thermal baths, Port etc.

The site was at first privately owned but was purchased by the municipality in 1993. An association was created (ASSA Barzan) and in December of that year it was decided to open the site to the public.

Excavations have been ongoing since 1995, mainly by the Bordeaux Montaigne University and the University of La Rochelle. A joint union (commune and department) was formed for the acquisition of the classified area and for its development, both of the scientific and touristic sites, managed by the ASSA.

The site is registered as an historical monument.

Church of Saint Peter

This church was built between 1875 and 1879 to replace an old church dating back to the 12th century which was altered in the 17th century. The municipal council voted to demolish it because of its dilapidation. During the demolition of the building of sarcophagi with saddleback lids were unearthed. Dating back to the Middle Ages, two iron dagger blades and fragments of vases mixed with bones were found there.

A new sanctuary was built to the design of the architect Gustave Alaux who had already worked on the construction of several churches in the Bordeaux region including the church of Mortagne-sur-Gironde a few kilometres from the commune.

This building was in the Gothic Revival style and incorporated a Latin cross plan consisting of a single nave with three bays, with a ribbed vault lit by six large lancet windows decorated with stained glass executed by the master glassmaker E. Lagrange. Six stone buttresses support the nave.

A transept and apse frame the shrine which was consecrated in 1879. The bell tower and porch has three levels and is topped with an octagonal stone arrow overlooking the town.

The Church contains an ex-voto (19th century) which is registered as an historical object.

Obelisk of La Garde
This monument, located atop the hill at La Guard, was built in the 19th century to serve as a maritime Landmark. Situated among vineyards, it forms a kind of obelisk of hewn stone measuring about 5 metres high.

The Town hall and former school

At the beginning of the 19th century, in rural communes the town hall and communal school were often located in the same building. At Barzan works, directed by architect Georges Naud Saintais who was very active in the Canton, were carried out in two stages: a first stage between 1904 and 1906 followed by a building expansion between 1907 and 1908 in order to provide housing for the teacher.

This simple single-storey building consists of a main building with five bays covered with Roman tiles and a pavilion with projections from the same material.

War Memorial
This memorial was built in 1922 in the Church Square. It is in the form of a polychrome statue in cast iron 1.6 metres tall representing a soldier with grounded arms.

The monument was ordered from a company located in Jeumont (Nord) and mounted on a pedestal erected by a local contractor.

The Port of Monards

The harbour for the commune is at the hamlet of Monards set along a channel which is a tributary of the Gironde. Formerly a fishing port and pilot station on the estuary, it was cited in 1681. In the 19th century this small port was particularly active, exporting flour, cereals, wine, spirits, water and especially important for coal coming from England. This port is now partially converted into a marina. It consists of two basins totaling 78 berths. The village contains many old houses whose origins date back to the 17th and 18th centuries for the oldest and an old tidal mill. Two hostels are located on each side of the port.

A company to extract sand and aggregates is based in the hamlet on the edge of the Gironde estuary.

Barzan-Plage
Barzan-Plage  (Barzan beach) has a small beach resort located along the Chant-Dorat bay. There was a leisure centre called Therm'océan consisting of three swimming pools and an adjoining spa centre. In 2013 the centre was razed.

Local life

Worship
Barzan Church is part of the parish of Our Lady of the Estuary which includes several places of worship in the Canton of Cozes. Masses are celebrated only occasionally in the Barzan church.

Communal associations
The commune has several associations with the best known being the ASSA Barzan for the promotion of municipal heritage and the management of the archaeological site of Fa. The town also has a skeet shooting club, a hunting association, a festival committee, a Seniors club, and a petanque club. During the summer festivals for "sardines", balls, and petanque competitions are held regularly.

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

 Barzan Official website
 General Council website on the Gallo-Roman ruins

Communes of Charente-Maritime
Santones
Populated coastal places in France


Bazauges () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Lü () is the pinyin (Lǚ with the tone diacritic) and Wade–Giles romanisation of a Chinese surname, most commonly  (simplified Chinese) and  (traditional Chinese).

Romanization
Lü is the standard pinyin spelling of the Chinese character 吕/呂. However, when input of the umlaut is not possible, the surname is commonly romanized as Lu or Lv (v being the pinyin input shorthand for ü). On 31 October 2011, the National Standardization Committee of China issued The Chinese phonetic alphabet spelling rules for Chinese names, which stipulates that Lü should be spelled Lyu in such situation. The rule came into effect on 1 February 2012. In Cantonese the name is commonly romanized as Lui.

Possible characters

吕/呂
吕/呂 is the 47th most common surname in China, shared by 5.6 million people, or 0.47% of the Chinese population as of 2002. It is especially common in Shandong and Henan provinces.

The surname originated from the ancient State of Lü. Lü Shang (fl. 11th century BC), the founder of the State of Qi, was the first person known to have the surname.

It is 22nd on the Hundred Family Surnames, contained in the verse 何呂施張 (He Lü Shi Zhang).

Jiang clan
The surname Lü originated from the Jiang 姜 clan, which is said to have descended from the legendary Yan Emperor. According to the Tang dynasty genealogy text Yuanhe Xing Zuan, a branch of the Jiang clan was enfeoffed at the State of Lü by Yu the Great, the legendary founder of the Xia dynasty.

The Jiang clan was a close ally and frequent marriage partner of the Ji clan, which conquered the Shang dynasty to establish the Zhou dynasty in 1046/45 BC. Lü Shang, also known as Jiang Ziya, was the first person known in history to have the surname Lü. A member of the Lü lineage of the Jiang clan, he was a top general who led the Zhou army to decisively defeat the Shang at the historic Battle of Muye. Another important general during the battle, Lü Ta, was also from the Lü lineage of the Jiang clan. After the establishment of Zhou, Lü Shang was enfeoffed at the State of Qi in modern Shandong province, which later became one of the major states of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Lü Shang, posthumously named Duke Tai of Qi, is considered an original ancestor of the Lü surname.

During the Western Zhou period, the State of Lü was located near the Zhou court in modern Shaanxi. Inscriptions on many excavated bronzes from the period show that the Lü lineage played an active role in the Zhou court. Several people named Lü, including Lü Xing, Lü Gang, Lü Bo, and Lü Fuyu, were separately recorded to have participated in military campaigns, sometimes accompanying the Zhou king. The state was later relocated to the Nanyang basin, in present-day southern Henan, during the late Western Zhou. During the Spring and Autumn period, Lü was annexed by the State of Chu, a rising power in the south. Many people of Lü adopted the name of their former state as their surname.

Ji clan
A different, later origin of Lü was from the Wei (魏) lineage of the Ji (姬) surname. During the Spring and Autumn period, Prince Chong'er was exiled from the Jin and one of his followers was Wei Wuzi (魏武子). Chong'er later ascended the throne of Jin in 636 BC and became the Hegemon of China. Wei Wuzi's son, Wei Qi (魏锜) was given the fiefs of Lü and Chu (厨). Many of his descendants changed their surname to Lü.

Later adoption
During the Xianbei Northern Wei dynasty, Emperor Xiaowen (reigned 467–499 AD) implemented a drastic policy of sinicization, ordering his own people to adopt Chinese surnames. The Chilü (叱吕) clan of Xianbei adopted Lü as their surname. The Xianbei people have since been assimilated by the Han Chinese.

People from many other ethnic minorities in China have also adopted Lü as their surname, including the Manchu, Li, Tu, Mongols, Tujia, and the Koreans.

闾
闾/閭 is a somewhat rare surname that means neighborhood, hamlet, gate of a lane, or alley.

Notable people
Lü Shang (11th century BC), Zhou dynasty general and founder of the State of Qi
Duke Ding of Qi (Lü Ji; c. 10th century BC), second recorded ruler of Qi
Lü Buwei (291?–235 BC), Chancellor of Qin, sponsored the creation of the Lüshi Chunqiu
Empress Lü (241–180 BC), wife of Emperor Gaozu, effective ruler of the Han dynasty after the death of her husband
Empress Lü (Houshao) (died c. 180 BC), wife of Emperor Houshao of Han
Mother Lü (died 18 AD), rebel leader against the Xin dynasty
Lü Bu (died 199), Eastern Han dynasty warlord
Lü Meng (178–220), Eastern Wu military general
Lü Dai (161–256), Eastern Wu military general
Lü Fan (died 228), Eastern Wu official
Lü Yi (died 238), Eastern Wu official
Lü Yi (died 251), Shu Han official
Lü Guang (337–400), founding emperor of Later Liang of the Sixteen Kingdoms
Lü Shao (died 400), third son of Lü Guang, emperor of Later Liang
Lü Zuan (died 401), first son of Lü Guang, emperor of Later Liang
Lü Long (died 416), nephew of Lü Guang, last emperor of Later Liang
Lü Yin (712–762), Tang dynasty chancellor
Lü Dongbin (796–?), Tang dynasty scholar revered as one of the Eight Immortals
Lü Mengzheng (吕蒙正; 946–1011), Song dynasty chancellor
Lü Tiancheng (1580–1618), playwright and poet
Lü Liuliang (1629–1683), poet and scholar
Lü Bicheng (1883−1943), woman writer and activist
Lü Simian (1884–1957), prominent historian
Lü Shuxiang (1904–1998), linguist, a founder of modern Chinese linguistic studies
Lü Zhengcao (1905–2009), People's Liberation Army general, Minister of Railways of China
Lü Peijian (born 1928), former Governor of the People's Bank of China and Auditor General of the National Audit Office
Lu Liang-Huan (1936–2022), golfer
Chuan Leekpai (born 1938), Chinese name Lü Jiwen, 20th Prime Minister of Thailand
Annette Lu (born 1944), former Vice President of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Lü Fuyuan (1945–2004), Minister of Commerce of China
Lü Zushan (born 1946), former Governor of Zhejiang province
Jiang Rong (born 1946), real name Lü Jiamin, best-selling novelist
Lü Xiwen (born 1955), former deputy party chief of Beijing
Lu Kuo-hua (born 1956), Magistrate of Yilan County (2005–2009)
Ray Lui (born 1956), Vietnam-born Hong Kong actor
Roy Leu, Vice Minister of Overseas Community Affairs Council of the Republic of China
Lü Yue (born 1957), cinematographer and film director
Lü Liping (born 1960), actress
Lü Qin (born 1962), xiangqi master
David Lui Fong (呂方; born 1963), Hong Kong singer and actor
Lü Junchang (1965–2018), palaeontologist
Lü Lin (born 1969), table tennis player, Olympic champion
Lü Yan (born 1981), model and fashion designer
Lü Jie (born 1984), model and actress
Lü Xiaojun (born 1984), weightlifter, Olympic champion and world record holder
Lü Jianjun (born 1985), professional football player
Lu Chia-pin (born 1990), Taiwanese badminton player
Anthony Ler Wee Teang (吕伟添; 1967–2002), better known as Anthony Ler, a Singaporean convicted murderer
Lu Yudai (吕毓岱) Chuanyin (1927–2023) Guru Yang Mulia dari Asosiasi Buddhis Tiongkok

References

Chinese-language surnames
Individual Chinese surnames


Beaugeay () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Beauvais-sur-Matha (, literally Beauvais on Matha) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia


Jack Duffy (September 4, 1882 – July 23, 1939) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1916 and 1937, usually looking older than his age with his make-up. He acted in a series of silent shorts for the Christie Film Company, a pioneering movie studio that specialized in producing situational comedies, but also appeared in some Buster Keaton comedies. When his acting career declined in the early 1930s, he continued to work in his dual capacity of make-up artist. Duffy was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and died in Hollywood, California. His sister was actress Kate Price.

Filmography

External links

Jack Duffy at Virtual History

1882 births
1939 deaths
People from Pawtucket, Rhode Island
American male film actors
American male silent film actors
Male actors from Rhode Island
20th-century American male actors


Belluire () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Geography
The Seugne forms most of the commune's eastern border.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


La Benâte () is a former commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Essouvert.

Population

See also
Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Former communes of Charente-Maritime
Populated places disestablished in 2016


Benon () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Population

Its population saw a rapid increase after 2007.

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime
Arrondissement of La Rochelle
Charente-Maritime communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia


Bercloux () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Bernay-Saint-Martin is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Beurlay () is a commune in the French department of Charente-Maritime, in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes), France.

Beurlay is twinned with the village of Burley, Hampshire, UK.

It being known for the biscuit factory in the same name, established 1848 by the Barraud family, who produces the Galette Charentaise.

It is located about 17 km (10.5 mi) from Rochefort.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


The 1882 Cleveland Blues finished the season at 42–40, fifth place in the National League.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pitching

Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

References
1882 Cleveland Blues season at Baseball Reference

Cleveland Blues (NL) seasons
Cleveland Blues season


Boresse-et-Martron () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Kirjasalo () is an abandoned village in Vsevolozhsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It was located between the Volchya and the Smorodinka rivers. Its population was largely composed of Ingrian Finns.

History
The village was first mentioned on a 17th-century map as Koriasilka.

Kirjasalo has also been spelled as "Кирьясалы" (Kirjasaly) in older Russian maps, at least between 1885 and the 1920s.

From 1919 to 1920, Kirjasalo served as the capital of the short-lived Republic of North-Ingria.

In the mid-1930s the population was for the most part repressed or deported to other areas of the Soviet Union.
During the Continuation War, the Finnish defensive VT-line passed through Kirjasalo.

Demography

References

External links

Rural localities in Leningrad Oblast
Former populated places in Russia


Gary "The Kid" Jacobs (born 10 December 1965) is a former professional Scottish boxer.

Jacobs at various points in his career held the British, Commonwealth, and  European (EBU) welterweight titles, as well as unsuccessfully challenging Pernell Whitaker for his WBC crown.  Jacobs wore a Star of David on his trunks.  He was inducted into the Scottish Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011.

Jacobs is now a professional boxing coach at the MTK Scotland Gym and lives in the suburbs of Glasgow with his wife and three children

See also
Pernell Whitaker vs. Gary Jacobs
List of British welterweight boxing champions
List of select Jewish boxers

References

External links

|-

1965 births
Living people
Boxers from Glasgow
Scottish male boxers
Scottish Jews
Jewish boxers
Jewish British sportspeople
Welterweight boxers


Biron () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France. In the late nineteenth century Philippe Delamain, a merchant from Jarnac, excavated a cemetery from the Merovingian period in Biron, part of which is now in the British Museum in London.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Blanzac-lès-Matha (, literally Blanzac near Matha) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Blanzay-sur-Boutonne (, literally Blanzay on Boutonne) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Geography
The Boutonne forms the commune's northwestern and western borders.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. It is situated on the Île de Ré.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia
Île de Ré


Bords () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia


Boscamnant is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France. Its mayor is Pierre   Borde

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime


This is a list of waves named after people (eponymous waves).

See also
 Eponym
 List of eponymous laws
 Waves
 Scientific phenomena named after people

References

Waves
Fluid dynamics
Water waves
Waves in plasmas
Mountain meteorology
Atmospheric dynamics


Bougneau () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

Geography
The Seugne forms all of the commune's western border.

Population

See also
 Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

External links

Communes of Charente-Maritime