La Souterraine

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{short description|Commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France}}

{{Infobox French commune

|name = La Souterraine

|commune status = Commune

|image = La Souterraine, clocher de l'église.JPG

|caption = The bell tower of the church in La Souterraine

|image coat of arms = Blason La Souterraine 23.svg

|arrondissement = Guéret

|canton = La Souterraine

|INSEE = 23176

|postal code = 23300

|mayor = Étienne Lejeune{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/en/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=9 August 2021|language=fr}}

|term = 2020–2026

|intercommunality = CC Pays Sostranien

|coordinates = {{coord|46.2374|1.4862|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

|elevation min m = 284

|elevation max m = 456

|area km2 = 37.07

|population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}

|population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}

|population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}

}}

La Souterraine ({{IPA|fr|la sutɛʁɛn}}; Limousin: La Sotarrana) is a commune in the west-central French department of Creuse.

Geography

La Souterraine is an area of farming and light industry, comprising the town and a few small hamlets. It is situated some {{convert|20|mi|km}} west of Guéret, at the junction of the D1, D912, D951 and the N145 roads. It is also served by a TER railway link.

The small river Sédelle, a tributary of the Creuse, flows through the town.

The sources of the Benaize, a tributary of the Anglin, and the Brame, a tributary of the Gartempe, are both in the commune.

History

There is evidence of pre-Roman occupation here, attested by the discovery of Stone Age tools and a menhir. Remains of Roman villas and temples have been unearthed. In medieval times, a church and fortified walls were built. The name of the town, translating as ‘subterranean’, comes from the underground parts of the church, the crypt.

Population

{{Historical populations

|source = INSEE[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-23176#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE

|percentages = pagr

|align = none

|1968 |5104

|1975 |5302

|1982 |5690

|1990 |5459

|1999 |5320

|2007 |5375

|2012 |5437

|2017 |5207

}}

Sights

  • The church dating from the 11th century, with its Roman crypt.
  • The 15th-century Manorhouse de Châteaurenaud.
  • The 13th-century gate, the Porte de St.Jean, and the rest of the ramparts.
  • A feudal motte, circular tower and the castle at Bridiers.
  • The 18th-century chapel of the hospital.
  • The ancient chapel of Sainte-Eutrope.
  • The 14th-century church at Bussière-Madeleine.

Image:Tower of La Porte St Jean at La Souterraine.jpg

Climate

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = La Souterraine (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1974–present)

|Jan record high C = 19.5

|Feb record high C = 22.9

|Mar record high C = 26.0

|Apr record high C = 29.0

|May record high C = 31.0

|Jun record high C = 36.8

|Jul record high C = 38.1

|Aug record high C = 39.2

|Sep record high C = 36.2

|Oct record high C = 31.9

|Nov record high C = 25.0

|Dec record high C = 19.5

|Jan record low C = -22.5

|Feb record low C = -15.8

|Mar record low C = -11.5

|Apr record low C = -6.0

|May record low C = -2.0

|Jun record low C = 1.0

|Jul record low C = 3.0

|Aug record low C = 2.0

|Sep record low C = 0.0

|Oct record low C = -5.0

|Nov record low C = -12.0

|Dec record low C = -12.0

|Jan high C = 7.2

|Feb high C = 8.3

|Mar high C = 12.1

|Apr high C = 14.9

|May high C = 18.7

|Jun high C = 22.5

|Jul high C = 24.8

|Aug high C = 25.0

|Sep high C = 21.0

|Oct high C = 16.4

|Nov high C = 10.9

|Dec high C = 7.8

| year high C = 15.8

|Jan mean C = 4.4

|Feb mean C = 4.7

|Mar mean C = 7.7

|Apr mean C = 10.2

|May mean C = 13.8

|Jun mean C = 17.3

|Jul mean C = 19.3

|Aug mean C = 19.4

|Sep mean C = 15.9

|Oct mean C = 12.5

|Nov mean C = 7.7

|Dec mean C = 5.0

| year mean C = 11.5

|Jan low C = 1.5

|Feb low C = 1.2

|Mar low C = 3.4

|Apr low C = 5.5

|May low C = 8.8

|Jun low C = 12.1

|Jul low C = 13.8

|Aug low C = 13.8

|Sep low C = 10.8

|Oct low C = 8.6

|Nov low C = 4.5

|Dec low C = 2.2

| year low C = 7.2

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 94.8

|Feb precipitation mm = 79.9

|Mar precipitation mm = 79.8

|Apr precipitation mm = 86.1

|May precipitation mm = 90.7

|Jun precipitation mm = 74.9

|Jul precipitation mm = 65.2

|Aug precipitation mm = 75.4

|Sep precipitation mm = 81.6

|Oct precipitation mm = 99.2

|Nov precipitation mm = 101.3

|Dec precipitation mm = 102.5

|year precipitation mm = 1031.4

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 13.6

| Feb precipitation days = 12.4

| Mar precipitation days = 11.3

| Apr precipitation days = 11.3

| May precipitation days = 12.0

| Jun precipitation days = 9.8

| Jul precipitation days = 8.6

| Aug precipitation days = 8.5

| Sep precipitation days = 9.7

| Oct precipitation days = 12.5

| Nov precipitation days = 13.7

| Dec precipitation days = 14.4

| year precipitation days =137.8

|source 1 = Meteociel{{cite web

|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=23176001

|title=Normales et records pour La Souterraine (23)

|publisher=Meteociel

|access-date=21 November 2024}}}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}