Prudhomat

Prudhomat
Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux
Location of Prudhomat
Prudhomat
Prudhomat
Coordinates: 44°53′59″N 1°48′49″E / 44.8997°N 1.8136°E / 44.8997; 1.8136
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentLot
ArrondissementFigeac
CantonCère et Ségala
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Francis Ayroles[1]
Area
1
12.39 km2 (4.78 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)[2]
735
 • Density59.3/km2 (154/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
46228 /46130
Elevation120–267 m (394–876 ft)
(avg. 158 m or 518 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Prudhomat (French pronunciation: [pʁydɔma]; Occitan: Prudomat) is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France.

The Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux is located in Prudhomat.

Toponymy

The toponym Prudhomat (in Occitan Prudomat) is based on the French prud'homme, which here refers to a community of elected bourgeois who control the police and the communication routes.[3]: 118 

Geography

Commune located on the edge of the Lot, near the department of Corrèze on the Dordogne at the confluence with the rivers, the Bave, the Mamoul and the Cère.

Local culture and heritage

Places and monuments

  • Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux was classified as a historical monument in 1862[4]
  • Collegiate Church of Saint-Louis of the castle of Castelnau-de-Bretenoux was classified as a historical monument on March 18, 1913. Several objects are referenced in the Palissy database.[5]

La Chapelle Sainte-Marie de Félines

It has its origin in 7th century as a pilgrimage site dedicated to Virgin Mary and was mentioned as land donated to the monastery at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne in 887 by Frotaire, an ancestor of the barons of Castelnau.[6]: 180  The family chapel was restored by Jacques, Baron Castelnau-Caylus in the early 1500s.[6]: 180  The chapel features a burial of Jacques near the altar, a ribbed vault, and a replica of a 12th century statue of the Virgin.[6]: 180  A family coat of arms is the keystone of the choir ribs while a niche in a wall near the altar may be from the original 11th century building.[6]: 181  It was classified as a historical monument in 1913.

Church of Saint-Gilles de Bonneviole

Built at various times 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries. A church was located there as early as 926 when it was donated to the monastery at Beaulieu sur Dordogne in a will by Matfred, an ancestor of the barons of Castelnau-Bretenoux.[6]: 183  More donations of church land was made to the monastery in 1100 by the Castelnau's.[6]: 183  The church, with the exception of the western façade and the bell tower, was listed as a historical monument in 1979.[7] Several objects are referenced in the Palissy database.

L'Eglise Saint-Julien de Pauliac

It was founded in 900 by Count Géraud d'Aurillac as a priory and managed by the Abbey of Saint-Géraud d'Aurillac until 1794 with the barons of Castelnau having a say in the choice of the prior as the Abbey relied on the latter's protection.[6]: 191  The nave 26 m by 9 m, and the aspe, date from 11th century while two columns in the church date from 10th century.[6]: 191  The bells date from the 1600s.[6]: 191  The building is referenced in the Mérimée database and in the General Inventory of the Occitanie region.[8] Several objects are referenced in the Palissy database.

L'Eglise Saint-Martin-des-Bois

The church is named in honour of Saint Martin and is in the style of Latin Cross, 15 m by 7 m. It was part of Abbey of Figeac until 1350.[6]: 186  It then became the possession of the nuns of Coyroux near Aubazines.[6]: 186 

L'Eglise du prieuré Saint-Pierre de Félines

A chapel was present at the site as of 887 when it was mentioned in cartulary of the monastery at Beaulieu sur Dordogne. In 928, the chapel was ceded to the latter's control and formed a priory.[9] By 1112, the church had been built and consecrated by the Bishop of Cahors, Géraud II de Cardaillac and became the church of Saint-Pierre.[6]: 181  It was rebuilt in the 1600s after being damaged during the French Wars of Religion.[6]: 182  In the late 1700s, it was looted in the French Revolution, its bells thrown into the Dordogne river, then closed as the parish church in 1808.[6]: 182  It was sold in 1828 and became a barn.[6]: 182  The building was listed as a historical monument on 29 December 1978.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 4 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations de référence 2022" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 19 December 2024.
  3. ^ Bazalgues, Gaston (June 2002). À la découverte des noms de lieux du Quercy: Toponymie lotoise (in French). Gourdon: Éditions de la Bouriane et du Quercy. p. 127. ISBN 2-910540-16-2.
  4. ^ "Château de Castelnau-de-Bretenoux". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Eglise du château de Castelnau-de-Bretenoux". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Juillet, Jacques (1971). Les 38 barons de Castelnau. Saint-Yrieix-La-Perche, Haute-Vienne: Imprimerie Fabregue.
  7. ^ "Eglise Saint-Gilles de Bonneviole". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Église paroissiale Saint-Julien". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Ancien prieuré de Félènes". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 20 September 2025.