Limagne

The Limagne (in Occitan Limanha ) is large a Plaine of the area of Auvergne, it is located around the valley Allier, in the East Clermont-Ferrand, primarily in the Département of the Puy-de-Dôme.

It is bordered in the west by the granitic plate on which rests the Chaîne of Puys, and in the East by the mounts of the Forez. It is approximately 90 km long and 15 to 40 km broad. In the south, it is strewn with pitons and plates of volcanic origin.

There exists also, more in the south, the limagnes of Issoire and of Brioude, less wide they also develop along Combining it.

Origin

The name of Limagne comes from Latin " lake magnus " , the large lake. Little by little this last was drained, taking the shape of an immense marsh. At the 18th century, it was still able to drown in Limagne. With the work of erosion and men, all these small lakes were dried up, letting appear a fertile ground made up of limestones, clays, of marnes, sandstone and of sand. A black cotton soil and fatty which one known as in love when it sticks to the boots. At the tertiary era , the granitic ground is dislocated, in by-effect of the folding of the Alps, and Limagne subsides of more than: 2000 m compared to the close areas.

A lake occupies this depression and of the sediments accumulate there on more: 150 m thickness.

To combine and its affluents dig the ground and clear the sediments on 300 or 400 m thickness, then cover then the plain of alluvia with which the volcanic dusts mix. ;

Climate

The influence of the relief is very important, because of the provision of the mountainous obstacles (NORTH-SOUTH). This provision, perpendicular to the general circulation of West Is atmosphere which characterizes our latitudes, is at the origin of the relative dryness of Limagnes. This climatic characteristic is the consequence of an effect due to the relief, it is the effect of foehn (redescente => compression => warming => desaturation => stop of precipitations).

History

Limagne was in the center of the power Arverne, before the Roman invasion. The fertility of its grounds allowed the organization of a network of dense villages, which provides an agricultural and demographic richness to the kingdoms arvernes.

Economy

Limagne is a very fertile plain, it is a ground of cereal cultures, but one cultivates there also the Tabac and the Beet sugar. One obtains there outputs comparable with those of the Beauce and Brie.

The bovine breeding practically disappeared, as well as arboriculture to be replaced by the more profitable cereal cultures because of the CAP which supports the large farms and the intensive agriculture.

On the slopes of the basaltic plates which strew the plain, one still cultivates the Vigne as with Corent or Châteaugay.

Principal curiosities

Abbey of Mozac: celebrate for its Romance sculpture;
Auzon : medieval village with a Romance church;
Billom : celebrate for its fair with garlic mid-August and its last rich person;
Brioude : Saint-Julien basilica;
Castle of Ravel;
Effiat : primarily for its castle;
Issoire : for its Romance basilica
Riom: city Rebirth, classified Town of art and history.
Custom: for the ruins of its castle and its basaltic organ

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