The Velay (in Occitan Calved ) is an area of the Massif Central. Ground of culture Occitan E, Velay was attached very a long time to the province of Languedoc. Since the French revolution, it forms the major part of the department of the Haute-Loire. See also: Occitanie

Geography

Velay is located at the south-east of the Massif Central, between the valley Allier with the west and the mountainous accesses of Right Bank of the Rhone in the east. It is an area of medium mountains whose highest point is the Mont Mézenc, with: 1754  Mr.

The relief of Velay is articulated around the solid mass of the Meygal which constitutes the center of the country.

• In the east and the North-East, the granitic plate of Tence.
• In the south, the basaltic plate of the Mézenc.
• In the west and south-west, the basin of the Puy-en-Velay and the volcanic plate of Velay.
• In north, the granitic plate of Craponne-on-Arzon.

The relief of plate is stopped by deep valleys, in particular that of the the Loire (Occitan Leger or Leire ) or that of Lignon vellave.

Culture

Velay is an area where the culture and the language occitane are deeply anchored. The identity vellave is built on the substrate of two cultural traditions distributed on both sides solid mass of the Meygal.

History

Gallic colonization seems to have been rather weak in Velay. However, the political and military domination of the Celts probably fixed the structure and the cohesion of the country.

Velay is at the time of the Roman conquest the country of the Gallic Vellavi. The administrative capital during a time Roession ( Ruessium , “well-located”), had become Saint-Paulien today, but in fact the Puy-en-Velay constitutes the city from time immemorial around which the country vellave is articulated.

After its integration with the kingdom of France, Velay is attached to the province of Languedoc and the seneschalsy of Beaucaire. The country is represented at the assemblies of Languedoc, but is governed for its internal businesses by a clean annual meeting: states of Velay. The political life of Velay is regularly marked by the power struggles between the bishop and the nobility.

The period of the wars of religion is particularly disturbed and violent. The city even of Puy remains anchored in the catholic camp whereas the surrounding grounds rather often adhere to the Reform.

As a whole, the French revolution is rather badly perceived by the population vellave which remains very attached to its religious values. Thereafter, the people will remain during very a long time rebel with the Republic.

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