Vals-près-le-Puy

Vals-près-le-Puy
A dry stone hut in Vals-près-le-Puy
Vals-près-le-Puy
Location within Auvergne region  Vals-près-le-Puy
Coordinates: 45°01′45″N 3°52′32″E / 45.0292°N 3.8756°ECoordinates: 45°01′45″N 3°52′32″E / 45.0292°N 3.8756°E
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Haute-Loire
Arrondissement	Le Puy-en-Velay
Canton	Le Puy-en-Velay-Sud-Ouest
Government
• Mayor (2001–2008)	Alain Royet
Area^1	5.12 km^2 (1.98 sq mi)
Population (2006)^2	3,527
• Density	690/km^2 (1,800/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	43251 / 43750
Elevation	632–850 m (2,073–2,789 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. ^2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Vals-près-le-Puy is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France.

Its inhabitants are known as Valladiers.

It is twinned with Aielo de Malferit (Spain).

Geography

The town is located in the valley of the river Dolaizon. It forms the South-West border of Le Puy-en-Velay and its highest point is Mount Ronzon (850 m).

History

Le Puy became part of the province of Velay in 1789.

Demography

Historical population of Vals-près-le-Puy

Year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999
Population	1829	2449	3070	3505	3426	3391
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

Places and monuments

• Augustinian Monastery early 17th century. Historic Monument.
• Church of Saint Vosy, chapel of the monastery 17th century. Historic Monument.
• Chibottes (ancient dry masonry constructions)^[1][2]
• Wooden chibotte of Lirate 17th century and 19th century.^[3][4][5]

Chibottes were circular or semi-circular stone huts built between the 17th century and the 19th century as shelters (especially for wine growers).

Notable people

• Auguste Aymard, 1808–1889, mayor Vals-près-le-Puy, polymath (curator of the Crozatier museum, archivist, palaeontologist, archaeologist).
• Joseph Rumillet Charretier 1833–1916 grew verbena (Fr: verveine) at his property in Vals and founded the distillery Verveine du Velay in 1858.
• Michel Rioufol, artist who studied under Fernand Léger

See also

• Communes of the Haute-Loire department

References

1. http://www.pierreseche.com/cabane_bonnassou.htm
2. http://www.pierreseche.com/cabanes_de_Haute_Loire.html
3. Restoring an Old Winegrower's Hut at Vals-près-le-Puy (Gérald Pinault)
4. http://www.pierreseche.com/cabane_bonnassou.htm
5. http://www.pierreseche.com/mythe_chibottes.html

External links

• Census data for Vals-près-le-Puy on the INSEE site (French)
• Vals-près-le-Puy on the Institut Géographique National site (French)
• Weather for Vals-près-le-Puy (French)
• Site of the Mayor's Office (French)
• Financial Data for Vals-près-le-Puy from the Ministry of the Economy, Finances and Industry (French)
• Ministry of Culture site (French)
• Closest communes to Vals-près-le-Puy (French)

Map links

• Map and list of communes of the Haute-Loire (French)
• Map of Vals-près-le-Puy on Michelin (English)
• Map of Vals-près-le-Puy on the Institut Géographique National site (French)
• Map of Vals-près-le-Puy on Mapquest (English)
• Vals-près-le-Puy on the Cassini map (French)
• Map of Vals-près-le-Puy on Mappy (English)
• Location of Vals-près-le-Puy on a map of France (French)
• Calculate straight-line distance from Vals-près-le-Puy to other towns in the Haute-Loire (French)