La Bastide-l'Évêque (; Languedocien: La Bastida de l'Avesque) is a former commune in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region of southern France.Commune déléguée de La Bastide-l'Évêque, INSEE On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Le Bas Ségala.Arrêté préfectoral 6 November 2015

Geography La Bastide-l'Évêque is located some 5 km east of Villefranche-de-Rouergue and 20 km south by south-west of Decazeville. Access to the commune is by the D911 which comes from Villefranche-de-Rouergue passing along the south-western border of the commune and crossing the narrow neck in the south as it goes east to Rieupeyroux. Access to the village is by the D69 which branches from the D911 on the western commune border and passes through the village continuing east to rejoin the D911 on the eastern border. The D269 goes north from the village then turns west following the northern border and continuing to Villefranche-de-Rouergue. The D905A branches from the D911 in the south of the commune and goes south-east to La Salvetat-Peyralès. Apart from the village the commune has a large number of hamlets:

Les Aliberts Baraque de L'Ortal La Baume La Bessiêre La Bouriette Les Cabanelles Cabanes Les Cabayrols Cadour Le Cammas Capredonde Les Cayroux Blancs Cazèles Combe Nègre Les Compans Cruorgues Fournies Le Fraysse Galdou Gaudiês Les Gazanes Ginestous Lascals Laval Lonnac Maloyre Mas de la Borie Le Mazuc de Vézis Montbressous Mousset-Bas Moussousse L'Ortal La Pâle Pont du Cayla Pouzoulet Puech Loup La Rangousie Réquista Le Rieu Roumégous Le Serayol Le Serre Teulières La Vaysse Vézes Le Vialardel

The commune is mostly farmland interspersed with a few forests.

The Aveyron river forms most of the northern border as it flows west to eventually join the Tarn at Meauzac. The Lézert flows north through the commune to join the Aveyron on the northern border. The Verlanson also flows north joining the Lézert south of the village. The Ruisseau de Pouzoulet rises near Les Gazanes and also flows north to join the Aveyron. The Ruisseau de Caral rises in the east of the commune and flows north to join the Aveyron.

Toponymy La Bastide-l'Évêque appears as la Baftide l'Evesque on the 1750 Cassini Map and does not appear at all on the 1790 version although the hamlet of Cadour does.

History Founded in 1280 by Bishop Raymond de Calmont, La Bastide l'Évêque is one of the five Bastides in western Rouergue with Najac, Sauveterre-de-Rouergue, Villeneuve d'Aveyron, and Villefranche-de-Rouergue. This was the foundation of the Diocese of Rodez on the remains of Morlhon and Faidits to counter the county bastide of Villafranca (Villefranche-de-Rouergue) to limit its population, influence, and development. The bishop granted a charter in 1280 but politically it was a failure and remained a fortified village.

In the 14th century mining was very important with 13 mills called "martinets" operating in the Lézert Valley. They were used to smelt copper and make cauldrons. This activity continued until the end of the 19th century then died for lack of profitability.

Heraldry

Administration List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France

From To Name 1792 1796 Jean-Jacques Cavanhac 1796 1800 François Rouzies 1800 1812 Jean-Jacques Cavanhac 1812 1843 Jean-Baptiste Dardenne 1843 1848 Hyacinthe Garrigues 1848 1873 Charles Dardenne 1873 1876 Julien Alet 1876 1892 Jean-François Rouzies 1892 1904 Louis Antoine Pachin 1904 1908 Jean-Baptiste Bessou 1908 1912 Célestin Garrigues 1912 1918 Henri Blanc 1918 1930 Léopold Gares

Mayors from 1930

From To Name 1930 1945 Théophile Rouzies 1945 1947 Valentin Laval 1947 1962 Firmin Alet 1962 1977 Gaston Lacassagne 1977 2008 André Darres 2008 2016 Jean Eudes le Meignen

Demography The inhabitants of the commune are known as Episcopois or Episcopoises in French.Inhabitants of Aveyron

Economy The commune is mostly rural with many farms whose business ranges from cattle breeding but mostly sheep. Many tradesmen reside or work in the commune. Some people have chosen to settle in the commune but their occupation is in neighbouring towns like Villefranche-de-Rouergue or Rieupeyroux.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage A Gallo-Roman Bridge at Cayla The Tower of Cayla The Château de Villelongue at Cabanes. A former fief that belonged to the Adhémar de Monteil family then to the Raffin family The Martinet de la Ramonde The Chateau de Réquista (1630) is registered as an historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

The Chateau de Réquista Picture Gallery

Religious heritage

The Church of Saint John the Baptist, a Romanesque Church from the 13th and 14th century with an imposing gate tower

Notable people linked to the commune Pierre Poujade, politician, died at La Bastide-l'Évêque on 27 August 2003.

Bibliography Christian-Pierre Bedel, preface by Pierre Marty, Riu-Peirós, La Bastida-de-l'Evesque, La Capèla-Bleis, Previnquièiras, Sent-Sauvador, Vabre-Tisac / Christian-Pierre Bedel e los estatjants del canton de Riu-Peiros, Rodez, Mission départementale de la culture, 1999, Al canton, 304 pages, ill., cov. ill. 28 cm, , ISSN 1151-8375, BnF 37078683w

See also Communes of the Aveyron department

References