Balsac, Aveyron


Balsac is a village in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region of southern France. It was merged into the new commune of Druelle Balsac on 1 January 2017.

Geography

Balsac is located some 10 km north-west of Rodez and 8 km south-east of Saint-Christophe-Vallon, immediately west of Rodez–Marcillac Airport. Access to the commune is by the D598 which branches off the D57 west of the commune and passes through the village continuing to join the D840 south-east of the commune. The D626 goes north-east from the village to join the D840. The commune is entirely farmland.
The Ruisseau des Parranies and its tributary the Ruisseau du Sauvage rise in the south of the commune and flow west then north-west, forming part of the western border of the commune, to join the Ruisseau de l'Ady west of the commune.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors
FromToName
18661868Louis Bernat
18681874Auguste Bernat
18741881Théophile Guizot
18811888Adrien Vareilles
18881907Auguste Bernat
19071908Joseph Sanhes
19081911Ernest Mercadier
19111912Etienne Malaterre
19121919Henri Molinier
19191925Théophile Palayret
19251935Casimir Molinie
19351945Etienne Bonnefous
19451947Marcel Palayret
19471977Etienne Bonnefous
19771995François Pons
19952008Alain Gabriac
20082017Daniel Raynal

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Balsacois or Balsacoises in French.

Sites and monuments

There are two sites which are registered as historical monuments:
  • The Ruins of the old Priory of Sauvage
  • The Chateau of Balsac belonged to a number of noble families, including the Glandières and the Faramonds, until 1780 when it came into the possession of the Grailhe family of Rodez. During the periods that followed, the chateau was owned by a series of illustrious personages. The Chateau currently operates as a guest house and table d'hote.
  • The Parish Church contains three items that are registered as historical objects:
  • *A Statue: Virgin and child
  • *A Statue: Saint Antoine
  • *A Statue: Saint Foy