Archiac

Archiac is located in the south of the department of Charente Maritime in the historic region of Saintonge some 20 km south of Cognac, 15 km north-west of Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire and 15 km north-east of Jonzac. The village has the status of a town and is located at the intersection of two main highways: the D699 from Arthenac in the south-west to Ambleville in the north-east; and the D731 from Cierzac in the north-west which continues south-east from the village. The north-eastern border of the commune is also the border between Charente-Maritime and Charente departments. Other access roads include the D149 which is a short-cut connection between the D699 and the D733 west of the village and the D152 which goes south from the village to Saint-Maigrin. There are also the hamlets of La Grue and Saint-Pierre north-east of the village. Apart from some wooded areas near the village the commune is entirely farmland.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Archiac/@45.5201124,-0.289931,6463m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x48006753a03b014d:0xa9fa3cf535bd7427?hl=en Google Maps]

{{Geographic location

|width=auto

|Centre = Archiac

|North = Cierzac

|Northeast = Saint-Palais-du-Né

|East = Lachaise

|Southeast = Saint-Eugène

|South = Brie-sous-Archiac

|Southwest = Arthenac

|West = Sainte-Lheurine

|Northwest =

}}

File:Archiac - Remnants of Destroyed Castle.JPG

• In the reign of Charlemagne Archiac was the seat of a viguerie.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}
• Upon the removal of Emma, the wife of the lord of Cognac, by the lord of Barbezieux in the 11th century, the Lord of Archiac gave them asylum: the castle was attacked, taken, and burnt.History of Cognac, Jarnac and Segonzac, Father Cousin, 1882, reprinted 2007, {{ISBN|2-84618-496-8}} {{in lang|fr}}
• In 1219 the Lord of Archiac was Guillaume d'Archiac. During the Hundred Years War the castle was taken and retaken then became a den of Anglo-Gascon thieves before being taken and demolished.
• In 1609 the Barony of Archiac was raised to a marquisate.
• It was forbidden for the Protestant ministers Jacques Fountaines and Jean Hoummeau to preach and the temple was demolished in 1673.

{{Blazon-arms

|img1=Blason ville fr Archiac 17.svg

|legend1=Arms of Archiac

|text=

Blazon:

Gules, two pales vairé, in chief Or.

}}

{{incomplete list|date=April 2021}}

List of successive mayors[http://www.francegenweb.org/mairesgenweb/resultcommune.php?id=27235 List of Mayors of France]

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Archiacais or Archiacaises in French.[https://www.habitants.fr/charente-maritime-17 Le nom des habitants du 17 - Charente-Maritime], habitants.fr Arthenac was part of the Archiac commune until they were separated in 1831; the population data given in the table and graph below for 1821 and earlier include the commune of Arthenac.

{{Historical populations

| align = none

| cols = 2

| percentages = pagr

| source = EHESS{{Cassini-Ehess|1102|Archiac}} and INSEE

|1793 |1427

|1800 |1533

|1806 |1558

|1821 |1691

|1831 |925

|1836 |965

|1841 |1002

|1846 |1066

|1851 |1124

|1856 |1148

|1861 |1263

|1866 |1227

|1872 |1172

|1876 |1178

|1881 |1110

|1886 |1097

|1891 |974

|1896 |927

|1901 |855

|1906 |874

|1911 |802

|1921 |728

|1926 |805

|1931 |793

|1936 |779

|1946 |750

|1954 |737

|1962 |813

|1968 |856

|1975 |890

|1982 |868

|1990 |837

|1999 |864

|2007 |814

|2012 |797

|2017 |772

}}

The population of the town is older than the departmental average.

Percentage distribution of age groups in Archiac and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017

Source: INSEE[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-17016 Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Commune d'Archiac (17016)][https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=DEP-17 Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Département de la Charente-Maritime (17)]

File:Archiac2.JPG

• The Parish Church of Saint-Pierre has a fragment of a statue from the Middle Ages depicting a mitred head {{Palissy Icon}} which is registered as an historical object.Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM17000628|PM17000628 Statue: Head}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}
• A dolmen near Lavaure{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}
• A chateau from the 9th century, repaired in the 11th century but now disappeared. It included the chapels of Our Lady and Saint-Martin.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}
• The House of the Vine and Fragrances[http://www.haute-saintonge.net/cdchs/La-Maison-de-la-Vigne-et-des The House of the Vine and Fragrances website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407071525/http://www.haute-saintonge.net/cdchs/La-Maison-de-la-Vigne-et-des |date=2014-04-07 }} {{in lang|fr}}

• Cardinal Simon d'Archiac (14th century), born in Archiac

• Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080408053122/http://www.ign.fr/affiche_rubrique.asp?rbr_id=1087&CommuneId=20182 Archiac on the National Geographic Institute website] {{in lang|fr}}
• [http://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/accueil?c=-0.3056,45.5225&z=7.92265E-5&l=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.3D$GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS@aggregate(1)&l=ADMINISTRATIVEUNITS.BOUNDARIES$GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&permalink=yes Archiac on Géoportail], National Geographic Institute (IGN) website {{in lang|fr}}
• [http://rumsey.geogarage.com/maps/cassinige.html?lat=45.5225&lon=-0.3056&zoom=13 Archiac on the 1750 Cassini Map]

{{Commons category|Archiac}}

{{Charente-Maritime communes}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Communes of Charente-Maritime

Category:Arrondissement of Jonzac