Bessines-sur-Gartempe

Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Saint-Léger church Saint-Léger church
Coat of arms of Bessines-sur-Gartempe Coat of arms
Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Location within Limousin region Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes
Department	Haute-Vienne
Arrondissement	Bellac
Canton	Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Intercommunality	Porte d'Occitanie
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Andrea Soyer
Area1	55.41 km2 (21.39 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	2,965
• Density	54/km2 (140/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	87014 / 87250
Elevation	250–533 m (820–1,749 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Bessines-sur-Gartempe (Occitan: Becinas) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Limousin region in western France.

Geography

The river Semme forms part of the commune's north-eastern border, flows westward through the northern part of the commune, north of Morterolles-sur-Semmes, a hamlet, then forms part of the commune's north-western border.

The river Gartempe forms part of the commune's eastern border, flows westward through the middle of the commune, north of Bessines-sur-Gartempe, the main village, then forms part of the commune's western border.

Inhabitants are known as Bessinauds.

Culture

In the late 20th century, the community's local band, a traveling chamber orchestra known as "La Banda de Bessines" ("The Bessines Band"), gained some national repute, winning French National Band Championships in 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 2005.

Bessines sur Gartempe has also been awarded the prestigious "Village d'Etape" status.

People

The painter Suzanne Valadon was born in the village in 1865.

See also

• Communes of the Haute-Vienne department