Épenède (; oc, Espeneda) is a commune in the

Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; oc, Charanta ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, south western France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, an ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in southwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. Épenède, of which the Latin ''spina'' would mean ''thorn shrub'', is bordered to the north by the department of

Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; oc, Charanta ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, south western France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, an ...

and the

Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Charroux Charroux may refer to: Places * Charroux, Allier, commune in the department of Allier, France * Charroux, Vienne, commune in the department of Vienne, France * Charroux Abbey, in Charroux, Vienne, France People with the surname *Gaby Charroux (bo ...

and in the diocese of Poitiers.

Population

Sights

The Holy Church of St. Hilaire is 12th century and is of Limousin style (except the steeple bell tower which is more recent). This structure was burned at the time of the

Wars of Religion A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...

. The capitals of the four spans of the nave are ancient, and one of them represents a monster holding in its claws a human head that it is about to devour. Many water sources or fountains "miraculous" sprinkle the commune.

Population

Sights

See also