Chalais (Dordogne)
Chalais, Occitan Chales, is a commune with 414 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the north- east of the department of Dordogne, in the Aquitaine region. It is an integral part of the Périgord -Limousin Regional Natural Park.
Etymology
The name goes back to the pre-Celtic Chalais root kal - meaning stone, rock, followed by the suffix- ensem.
Geography
Chalais is 17 kilometers south-southwest of Châlus (Haute -Vienne ) and 10 kilometers north of Thiviers (air line). The community is surrounded by the following neighboring communities:
- La Coquille in the north.
- Saint- Paul-la -Roche in the east.
- Saint- Jory- de -Chalais in the south, southwest and west.
- Mialet in the northwest.
In addition to the community center consists of the following hamlets, farms, a mill and a palace: Boucherie, Château de Mavaleix, Chirolle, L'Age, La Croix de Marafret, La Fond des Anes, La Fonderie, La Gilardie, La Guillaumas, La Pouyade, La Rame, Las Pradeaux, Laubanie, Lavaud, Le Bois de Filleuls, Le Mas, Le Moulin de Lascombas, Le Noir, Le Petit Mas, Le Puy, Le Touroulet, Les Champs Les Rivaux, Maison Rouge, Marafret, Mavaleix, Puy de Bost, Puyrigaud, Réchignac, Sausse and Vergnelibert.
The eastern boundary of the municipality of Chalais to Saint- Paul-la -Roche is formed by the draining south Valouse. Also in the south flows the Touroulet, which emerged near the village from the confluence of the left- Ruisseau de la Pouyade and the right-side Ruisseau de Jalinie and the course then marks the western boundary of the municipality of Saint- Jory- de Chalais. Between Valouse and Touroulet rises just southeast of the village a small stream, the Ruisseau le Maroussie; He moved to West and then discharges in the municipality of Saint- Jory- de -Chalais as the left side arm in the Touroulet.
The topographically highest point of the municipality with 313 meters above sea level is located on the northern border at Le Bois de Filleuls, the lowest point at 220 meters is located on the southern border, southeast of L'Age at Valouse.
Geology
The community Chalais is completely metamorphic basement rocks of the northwestern Massif Central. The rocks - mainly paragneiss, micaceous engined paragneiss, orthogneiss and leptynitische orthogneiss - belong to the Lower Gneiss ceiling of the Massif Central. Parent rocks of the paragneiss were Neoproterozoic greywackes, the micaceous paragneisses ring originated from clay-rich greywacke in the orthogneisses it might concern Leukogranite the Cambrian, the leptynitischen components speak for rocks with granitic or rhyolitic composition.
The foliation of the metamorphic rocks sweeps either NE-SW with shallow dip to southeast or lies flat. The rocks have been recognized in Devon of a medium-to high-grade regional metamorphism, which ( in the southeast at L'Age ) or even the Disthenzone reached everywhere Staurolithzone, in places but also the kyanite - Staurolithzone (north of the village ).
Directly west of the town center runs a NNE -SSW - striking fault, the brecciated the basement rocks or cataclasis were deformed; Furthermore, a massive quartz body was introduced with.
Tertiary Hüllsedimente are very widespread, they cover usually altitudes between the river valleys. At the bottom is rearranged colluvium, which is still superimposed on Mavaleix of a very extensive sheet of alluvial river gravel from the Pliocene or Pleistocene.
History
In the Middle Ages Chalais intermediate station on the Via Lemovicensis the Camino de Santiago. The church of Saint -Agnan (also Saint- Aignan ) is of Roman origin, but was structurally modified in the 15th century or 16th century. The Château de Mavaleix dates from the 13th century. The accompanying forge was built in the 16th century. On the Carte de Cassini the site is referred to in the 18th century as Chalaix. By 2009, the congregation then bore the name Chaleix.
Mayor
Mayor of Chalais is since 2005, the non-party Gérard Taffu.
Attractions
- Romanesque church of Saint- Agnan
- Château de Mavaleix from the 13th century, protected as a monument historique since 1947
- Protected forge Mavaleix from the 16th century since 1972 as a monument historique
Transport links
Through the eastern part of the municipality of Chalais, the major route N 21 of Châlus crossed by Thiviers in southsouthwest direction. Thiviers - - In parallel, the rail line runs Limoges Périgueux with stops at Mavaleix. The village is connected by means of the D 98 to the N 21; D 98 then continues east towards Jumilhac- le -Grand. About local roads can be reached from the town of La Coquille, Mialet and Saint- Jory- de -Chalais.