La Souterraine | ||
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The bell tower of the church in La Souterraine
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Coordinates: 46°14′15″N 1°29′10″E / 46.2374°N 1.4862°ECoordinates: 46°14′15″N 1°29′10″E / 46.2374°N 1.4862°E | ||
Country | France | |
Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | |
Department | Creuse | |
Arrondissement | Guéret | |
Canton | La Souterraine | |
Intercommunality | Pays Sostranien | |
Government | ||
• Mayor (2008–2014) | Jean-François Muguay | |
Area1 | 37.07 km2 (14.31 sq mi) | |
Population (2008)2 | 5,435 | |
• Density | 150/km2 (380/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
INSEE/Postal code | 23176 /23300 | |
Elevation | 284–456 m (932–1,496 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.
La Souterraine (Occitan: La Sotarrana) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.
An area of farming and light industry comprising the town and a few small hamlets situated some 20 miles (32 km) west of Guéret at the junction of the D1, D912, D951 and the N145 roads. The small river Sédelle, a tributary of the Creuse River, flows through the town. It is also served by a TER railway link.
The Benaize, a tributary of the Anglin, has its source in the commune.
The Brame, a tributary of the Gartempe, has its source in the commune.
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.