Apinac

Apinac
A general view of Apinac
Coat of arms
Apinac
Location within Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region  Apinac
Coordinates: 45°22′54″N 3°59′49″E / 45.3817°N 3.9969°E / 45.3817; 3.9969Coordinates: 45°22′54″N 3°59′49″E / 45.3817°N 3.9969°E / 45.3817; 3.9969
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Loire
Arrondissement	Montbrison
Canton	Saint-Bonnet-le-Château
Intercommunality	Pays de Saint-Bonnet-le-Château
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Philippe Bransiet
Area1	15.35 km2 (5.93 sq mi)
Population (2009)2	392
• Density	26/km2 (66/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code	42006 / 42550
Elevation	796–1,055 m (2,612–3,461 ft) (avg. 940 m or 3,080 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Apinac is a village and commune in the Loire department in central France. Apinac is in the extreme south-west of the Loire department, 41.7 kilometres (25.9 mi) southwest of Saint-Étienne. The church, dated to the 19th century, is noted for its colorful stained glass windows. As of 2009, the commune had 392 inhabitants. A local dialect, Vivaro-Alpine, is also spoken in Ardèche or the Southern Alps.

According to the mayor of Estivareilles, in 1839, the residents of four hamlets in the commune of Apinac voted to become part of Estivareilles rather than Apinac, their reasoning being that not only had they always buried their dead in Estivareilles rather than Apinac but "since time immemorial", they had been spiritually connected with Estivareilles rather than Apinac. In 1881, it had a population of 1,120 people. In 1982, Apinac had a population of 355, with 392 reported in 2009. The principal church dates to the 19th century and is noted for its vibrant stained glass windows. Catholic worship was sanctioned to be held at the Apinac church by the Catholic Church of France.

Apinac is located in the extreme south-west of the Loire department, 41.7 kilometres (25.9 mi) southwest of Saint-Étienne, 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) southeast of Usson-en-Forez, 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) south of Estivareilles, and 6.1 kilometres (3.8 mi) by road to the northwest of Saint-Hilaire-Cusson-la-Valmitte. It belongs to the Canton of Saint-Bonnet-le-Château, Saint-Bonnet-le-Château being 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to the northeast. The altitude of the commune varies between 796–1,055 metres (2,612–3,461 ft), with 940 metres (3,080 ft) cited in the centre of the main village. The hamlets of Jossy, Combreau, Fontry, and Le Breuil are near the village of Apinac.