Massiac

Massiac is a common French, located in the department of the Cantal and the area Auvergne. The inhabitants of Massiac are called the massiacois.

Geography

The village is located at the center of a valley forming small a Limagne and at joining of three rivers: the Alagnon, the Allagnonette (known as also Igoune) and the Arcueil. In the west the mounts of the Cézallier start, in the east those of the Margeride. In north, two basaltic spurs close the valley. This situation was worth at the city the nickname of “Door flowered of the Cantal”.

Massiac is placed on the highway A75 Clermont-Ferrand - Montpellier, with the junction of the Trunk road 122 going towards Aurillac. The city is served by way-shoed Clermont-Ferrand/Béziers.

Located at 530 meters of altitude the valley profits from a climate of dry shelter (676 mm/an) and relatively soft. The average sunning is of approximately 2000h/an. The average temperature is of 10 °C with a strong annual amplitude.

History

Towards 260 Mary Saint, confessor of Holy Austremoine évangélise the area of Massiac.
About year 300 formation of a Gallo-Roman villa to the confluence of the Alagnon and Allagnonette. Its name, “Mattii Acum” (the Field of Mathieu), is at the origin of the name of Massiac.
Towards 532 the franques invasions push with the formation of a village around the villa.
In 893 Armand 1st of Apchon, Viscount of Auvergne, receives Baronnie de Vernières on which Massiac depended.
Dice IXe century presence of a viguery and a monastery.
In 1169, during the dismemberment of the County of Auvergne by Louis VII, one notes the existence of three villages: - Montel, stronghold of Montel, vassal of Prince Apanagiste of the Earth of Auvergne. - Massiac, stronghold of Apchon vassal of the Dolphins of Auvergne. - The Tower of Ali stronghold of Rochefort d' Ally, vassal of Mercoeur de Blesle.
In 1361 the lord of Massiac, Guillaume VI of Apchon, stops the English invader with Maurs.
In 1420 Guillaume III of Espinchal, lord of the Terns, marries Marie of Rochefort d' Ally and takes the stronghold equips some.
on May 24th, 1429 Pierre de Tinière, lord of Massiac, grants to the inhabitants of the borough of Massiac to elect their consul and to have a common assembly. It is the birth of the commune. At that time the city is strengthened.
In 1440 at the time of the revolt known as of “the Praguerie” Jean Salazar, baron of Heat-Acute, gives the attack and takes Massiac. Forty inhabitants will be killed on the ramparts.
on October 6th, 1584 marriage of Margueritte d' Apchon and François 1st of Espinchal. Espinchal link the two boroughs and become truths lords of Massiac. The family supplements the unification by the purchase of the borough of Montel on April 16th, 1623.
In 1666 the court of the Great days of Auvergne condemns to dead Gaspard d' Espinchal, lord of Massiac, for crimes. Its castle is destroyed. He flees in Bavaria, becomes ordering armies of the Great Elector, and delivers himself to espionage for the king of France. In 1678 Louis XIV grants to him forgiveness and restores it in its rights.
In 1694 the quarter of the population of Massiac (251 people) dies of the plague.
on November 14th, 1801 the population of Massiac, very legitimist, signed a petition claiming the return of the account Thomas Joseph d' Espinchal. Near to the Prince de Condé, this one had been exiled at the time of the French revolution and had taken part in 1792 in the coalition of Auvergne which supported the account of Artois. Previously he lived in Paris where he carried out a fashionable and sumptuous life. Its return to Massiac in 1803 gave places to great festivities. He was elected mayor in 1812 and remained it until its death in 1823. It was buried under the heart of the Saint-Andrew church. On this subject, Jean Rieuf, in his work “Massiac and his Canton” (Gerbert Editions, 1971) will note that from 893 to 1823 Massiac will know only two lines seigneuriales: Apchon and Espinchal.

on November 5th, 1861, Massiac becomes terminus of the railway coming from Clermont-Ferrand. The construction of this line will require the deviation of the course of Allagnonette, the construction of a bridge and the creation of a new trunk road. This work deeply will change the aspect of the city. Already town of fair, the city experiences then a strong economic development

Heraldic

Blasonnement of the traditional weapons of Espinchal, former lords of Massiac, is generally retained to represent the town of Massiac:

Of azure to the alongside gold griffon of three leafless ears of same, posed out of stake, two as a chief and one at a peak.

In 1429 the inhabitants of Massiac obtained their communal charter. They then chose a blazon for the city:

Of gold, with the money dextrochère, holding a bludgeon of sand, posed out of bar. In 1693, at the time of the return of Massiac in the field of the royal family, one added " to it; With the dextral canton, of azure to the flower of lily of or". The communal seal was accompanied by the currency: " Governed hostes dead macto" , which means " I strike with dead the enemies of Roi".

Although little used, this blazon keeps its relevance.

Administration

Secretary of State to the War veterans, Deputy, General adviser. Doctor Dentist, Senator, General adviser. Doctor Farmer Banker, General adviser Sawyer Pharmacist (?) Doctor (?) Doctor (?)

Source: Town hall of Massiac Mr. Coumoul/July 25th, 2007

The sign (?) indicate that the data are probable but that they remain to check

Demography

Twinnings

(Faura Wikipédia Spain)

Places and monuments

in Massiac

Vestiges of ramparts and feudal castle.
Town hall: remainders of the second castle of Espinchal 18th.
Saint-Andrew Church 12th, rebuilt with 14th and 15th, gate created by the architect Aigueparse (1870). Statues: virgin in majesty 13th, virgin opening 15th, Nativity of Guy François.
Musée Elects Rieuf: school of women painters at the XXe century, more than 200 fabrics.
Museum of Archeology and Mineralogy.
Collections of goldsmithery to the town hall.

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