Villebois-Lavalette
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 Villebois-Lavalette
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Location within Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
Villebois-Lavalette
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| Coordinates: 45°29′01″N 0°16′50″E / 45.4836°N 0.2806°ECoordinates: 45°29′01″N 0°16′50″E / 45.4836°N 0.2806°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
| Department | Charente |
| Arrondissement | Angoulême |
| Canton | Villebois-Lavalette |
| Intercommunality | Horte et Lavalette |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Patrick Fonteneau |
| Area1 | 7.20 km2 (2.78 sq mi) |
| Population (2008)2 | 747 |
| • Density | 100/km2 (270/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 16408 /16320 |
| Elevation | 103–198 m (338–650 ft) (avg. 192 m or 630 ft) |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Villebois-Lavalette is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France. It is the seat of the Canton of Villebois-Lavalette, and located on a prominent hill which has a château dating back to Roman times.
In the centre of the old town, there is an old wooden covered market that dates back to the 16th century. It was restored in the 19th century and is now a historic monument. There is a small, but lively market every Saturday morning. A 17th-century sundial can be seen on a house that overlooks the market hall.
The town is a reasonably small one with banks, cash machines, newsagent, 2 chemists, 2 boulangeries, a tourism office, garages, a large supermarket, doctors/dentists, builder's supply store, cafe, hotel and restaurant.
The town gets its name from its location on the main Roman road from Périgueux to Saintes. It is thought to be named after a "town located in the woods next to the river Ne" (Ville - town, boisne - wood next to Ne). There is another possible explanation - that it was originally called "Villa bovis" or place of the ox.
The 180 metre high hill upon which the town and château are now located had been the site of a Gallic oppidum and a Roman castrum until in the 8th century, a château was started to be built by the Fulcher family. It was continued by the Helie family and finally completed in the 12th century by the Ithier family.
Ithier was a powerful lord who participated in the Crusades and erected a Romanesque chapel in the château close to the outside wall that was used by pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela as refuge and accommodation.
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Wikipedia