Alpuech (

Languedocien Languedocien (French name, ), Languedocian or Lengadocian (), is an Occitan dialect spoken in rural parts of southern France such as Languedoc, Rouergue, Quercy, Agenais and Southern Périgord. It is sometimes also called Languedocien-Guyennai ...

: ''Alpuèg'') is a former commune in the

Aveyron Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitants o ...

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 the

Occitanie Occitanie may refer to: *Occitania, a region in southern France called ''Occitanie'' in French *Occitania (administrative region) Occitania ( ; french: Occitanie ; oc, Occitània ; ca, Occitània ) is the southernmost administrative region of ...

region of southern

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 ...

. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of

Argences-en-Aubrac Argences-en-Aubrac is a commune in the department of Aveyron, southern France. The municipality was established on 1 January 2016 by merger of the former communes of Sainte-Geneviève-sur-Argence, Alpuech, Graissac, Lacalm, La Terrisse and Vi ...

. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Alpuechois'' or ''Alpuechoises''

Geography

This commune lies below the south-central portion of the

Massif Central The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France. Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...

on the plateau of the Viadène to the northwest of the plateau of

Aubrac Aubrac is a small village in the southern Massif Central of France. The name is also applied to the surrounding countryside, which is properly called L'Aubrac in French. The Aubrac region has been a member of the Natura 2000 network since August 200 ...

. The commune is long and narrow oriented from north-west to south-east about 50 km south-west of

Saint-Flour Saint-Flour (; Auvergnat: ''Sant Flor'') is a commune in the Cantal department in the Auvergne region in south-central France, around 100 km south of Clermont-Ferrand. Its inhabitants are called ''Sanflorains''. Geography The upper city ...

and 50 km north-west of

Marvejols Marvejols (; oc, Maruèjols), is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France. Its inhabitants are known as ''Marvejolais''. Geography The commune is located in the Massif central. The Colagne flows southward through the middle of t ...

. Access to the commune is by road D921 which crosses the central waist of the commune from

Laguiole Laguiole (; ''La Guiòla'' in Languedocien) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is known for its Laguiole cheese, which has an ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (label of guaranteed origin), and as the birthplace ...

in the south-west to

Lacalm Lacalm (; Languedocien: ''La Calm'') is a former commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Argences-en-Aubrac.La Terrisse La Terrisse () is a former commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Argences-en-Aubrac.Google Maps
/ref> The Argence Vive stream forms the western border of the commune and flows westward to join the river

Truyère The Truyère () is a river in south-western France, right tributary of the Lot. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, north of Mende. It flows generally west through the following ''départements'' and towns: * Lozère: Le Malzieu ...

. Its tributary Argence Morte also rises in the commune and flows north where it forms part of the northern border before continuing westwards to the Argence Vive. Apart from the ''Ruisseau de Fluols'' in the south-western border these are the only significant waterways in the commune.

Neighbouring communes and villages

History

Alpuech existed in 976 and from the fourteenth century fairs that took place there were famous in the country. The Castle of Alpuech as well as that of

Cantoin Cantoin (; oc, Cantoenh) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aveyron department References

Communes of Aveyron Aveyron comm ...

, the Barony of Benaven, and Lacalm castle all belonged to the

County of Rodez The County of Rodez was a fief of the County of Toulouse formed out of part of the old County of Rouergue in what is today Aveyron, France. Its capital was Rodez. At its height, it was a centre of troubadour culture. On the death of Hugh of Roue ...

. This gave the benefit to Alpuech of the monastery of Pebrac (Haute Loire) in 1215. The castle was destroyed in 1550. The oldest houses surround the church which is from the 11th century in the Roman style with a Latin cross. In good weather the bell tower has views over the Cantal Mountains. There are traces of

Roman roads Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...

and also paths from the 16th century on the road to Vitrac and a remarkable " tau cross" from the 12th century north of the village.Tourist Site for Alpuech

Administration

List of Successive Mayors of Alpuech ;Mayors from 1935

Population

Sites and monuments

*The Church of Saint Martin (11th century) is registered as an historical monumentMinistry of Culture, Mérimée

Notable people linked to the Commune

*J.P. Bouyssou, known as the 'Thief of Alpuech' was an outlaw and Royalist who was a "Robin Hood" of the revolutionary era: he took from the rich to give to the poor.