Apchon

Apchon (French pronunciation: [apʃɔ̃]) is a commune in the Cantal department in the Auvergne region of south-central France.

Apchon
Commune
A general view of Apchon, seen from the château
Coat of arms
Location of Apchon
Apchon Show map of France Apchon Show map of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Coordinates: 45°15′00″N 2°41′41″E
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Cantal
Arrondissement	Mauriac
Canton	Riom-ès-Montagnes
Intercommunality	Pays Gentiane
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Emeric Pouget[1]
Area 1	12.43 km2 (4.80 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	180
• Density	14/km2 (38/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	15009 /15400
Elevation	833–1,143 m (2,733–3,750 ft) (avg. 1,060 m or 3,480 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Apchon is located some 80 km south-west of Clermont-Ferrand, 25 km north-west of Murat, and 30 km south-east of Bort-les-Orgues. Access is by the D3 road from Riom-ès-Montagnes in the north-west passing through the north of the commune to Murat in the south-east. Access to the village is by the D49 which branches off the D3 north-east of the commune and passes through the village then south to Saint-Hippolyte. There is also the D249 from the village south-west to join the D263 south of Collandres. Apart from the village there are also the hamlets of La Ribeyre and La Vidal along the D3, and Brechailles on the north-east. Apart from some patches of forest in the north the commune is entirely farmland.

The Petite Rhue river flows from south to north through the commune and continues to join the Grande Rhue river at Coindre. The Ruisseau de Brechailles flows from the south-east to join the Petite Rhue north of the D3. The Ruisseau de Mazeyres rises in the south of the commune and flows into the Petite Rhue on the left bank. Several small streams rise in the west of the commune and flow north-west eventually joining and flowing into the Veronne.^[3]

Neighbouring communes and villages

^[3]

Heraldry

Arms of Apchon

The official status of the blazon remains to be determined. Blazon: Sable, a cross of Or cantoned at 1 and 2 with a roundel the same; at 3 a battle-axe contourned Argent; at 4 a monk bald and bearded in Argent.

Administration

List of successive mayors^[4]

From	To	Name
2001	2020	Pierre Pouget
2020	2026	Emeric Pouget

Population

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Apchonnais or Apchonnaises in French.^[5]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	455	—
1975	352	−3.60%
1982	313	−1.66%
1990	257	−2.43%
1999	242	−0.67%
2007	207	−1.93%
2012	205	−0.19%
2017	186	−1.93%
Source: INSEE[6]

Sites and monuments

The Château fort d'Apchon (12th century) is registered as an historical monument.^[7]

The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:

• An Altar, Retable, and Statue (17th century)^[8]
• An Altar, Retable, 2 Statues, and a Bust-Reliquary (17th century)^[9]
• An Altar, Retable, and 2 Group Sculptures (17th century)^[10]
• A Statue: Virgin and child (15th century)^[11]
• A Retable in the main Altar (18th century)^[12]
• 2 Sarcophagii (11th century)^[13]

Views of Apchon

• 
  Parish church
• 
  Church interior
• 
  Ruins of the castle (built between 1408 and 1422)
• 
  View of the village from the castle

See also

• Communes of the Cantal department