Sers, Charente
Encyclopedia
Sers is a commune
in the Charente
department in southwestern France
. It is in the Poitou-Charentes
region.
Located to the south-east of Angoulême
on a plateau above the river Échelle, Sers is on the edge of the forest of Horte to the south.
The name is pronounced without sounding the final "s" [sɛʀ]. People from Sers are called sersois (m) or sersoise (f).
, Vouzan
,
Grassac
, Rougnac
, Dignac
, Dirac and Garat
.
The area is part of the "Pays Horte et Tardoire".
style.
A blast furnace and cannon foundry, built in 1514, was in operation until 1762 at Planche Meunier, near Sers.
The dairy and cheese farm built in 1896 on the site of an old flour mill closed at the end of the 20th century.
The population of the commune has increased steadily since the low point of the 1950s.
The parish church dedicated to St Peter dates from the 12th century. Its square Romanesque
steeple has paired openings with semi-circular arches on the top two levels, and blind arcading
below.
The post office was built in the late 17th century-early 18th century as the vicarage for the church. Its main door is a protected historic monument.
On the first Sunday in August, a pilgrimage is made to the 6th century hermitage of Notre-Dame de Bellevau, carved out of the rock. The single pillar which supports the roof has Romanesque decorations.
The Mairie of the commune is located in the village, in the area known as Le Bourg, near the church.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Charente
Charente
Charente is a department in southwestern France, in the Poitou-Charentes region, named after the Charente River, the most important river in the department, and also the river beside which the department's two largest towns, Angoulême and Cognac, are sited.-History:Charente is one of the original...
department in southwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is in the Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.-Politics:The regional council is composed of 56 members...
region.
Located to the south-east of Angoulême
Angoulême
-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...
on a plateau above the river Échelle, Sers is on the edge of the forest of Horte to the south.
The name is pronounced without sounding the final "s" [sɛʀ]. People from Sers are called sersois (m) or sersoise (f).
Neighbouring communes
Neighbouring communes include BouëxBouëx
Bouëx is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Vouzan
Vouzan
Vouzan is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:...
,
Grassac
Grassac
Grassac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:...
, Rougnac
Rougnac
Rougnac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:...
, Dignac
Dignac
Dignac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Dirac and Garat
Garat
-Places:*Garat, Charente*Garat, the Hungarian name for Dacia village, Jibert Commune, Braşov County, Romania-People:* Anne-Marie Garat , French novelist...
.
The area is part of the "Pays Horte et Tardoire".
History
A rock with magnificent carvings from the Upper Palaeolithic period was discovered in 1927 at the place known as Roc de Sers, in the Échelle valley upstream from Sers. The carvings are in SolutreanSolutrean
The Solutrean industry is a relatively advanced flint tool-making style of the Upper Palaeolithic, from around 22,000 to 17,000 BP.-Details:...
style.
A blast furnace and cannon foundry, built in 1514, was in operation until 1762 at Planche Meunier, near Sers.
The dairy and cheese farm built in 1896 on the site of an old flour mill closed at the end of the 20th century.
The population of the commune has increased steadily since the low point of the 1950s.
Population
Sights
The prehistoric carvings at Roc de Sers can be viewed by contacting the Mairie (Town Hall).The parish church dedicated to St Peter dates from the 12th century. Its square Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
steeple has paired openings with semi-circular arches on the top two levels, and blind arcading
Blind arcade
A blind arcade is an arcade that is composed of a series of arches that has no actual openings and that is applied to the surface of a wall as a decorative element: i.e. the arches are not windows or openings but are part of the masonry face. It is designed as an ornamental architectural element,...
below.
The post office was built in the late 17th century-early 18th century as the vicarage for the church. Its main door is a protected historic monument.
On the first Sunday in August, a pilgrimage is made to the 6th century hermitage of Notre-Dame de Bellevau, carved out of the rock. The single pillar which supports the roof has Romanesque decorations.
Facilities
The village of Sers has a church, a post office, a pharmacy, a school, a baker, two bars (one with a restaurant, the other also a newsagent), a hairdresser and a beauty salon.The Mairie of the commune is located in the village, in the area known as Le Bourg, near the church.