Sioniac

Sioniac is a commune in the Corrèze department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.

Sioniac
Commune
Coat of arms
Location of Sioniac
Sioniac Sioniac
Coordinates: 44°58′32″N 1°48′47″E
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Corrèze
Arrondissement	Brive-la-Gaillarde
Canton	Midi Corrézien
Intercommunality	Sud Corrézien
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Laurent Puyjalon
Area ^1	10.6 km^2 (4.1 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	220
• Density	21/km^2 (54/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	19260 /19120
Elevation	193–387 m (633–1,270 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Etymology

The origin of the Sioniac's name today has evolved over time. From records, it is first recorded as Siuiniacum during the 9th centaury, the suffice -acum being Latin for the property of the man Sivinius.[2]^:120 It is later recorded as Siviniaco vico and Siviniacus in 859 and by 1315 as Seunhac in Occitan.[2]^:120

Geography

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1962	211	—
1968	221	+4.7%
1975	187	−15.4%
1982	190	+1.6%
1990	199	+4.7%
1999	206	+3.5%
2008	244	+18.4%

History

Prior to the 9th Century, little is known about the origins of Sioniac but when Rodoulf, Archbishop of Bourges established a monastery down the hill at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, he gave the church of Saint-Saturnin at Sioniac in May 859 to the newly established monks.[3] In June 859, Rudolf obtained a charter from King Charles the Bald to establish a market in Sioniac.[3] This market remained the main market for Beaulieu until the medieval period.[3] Other sources say the market could be older as the village was positioned on an ancient north-south trading route between Pay Arnac and Quercy.

Local culture and heritage

Eglise Saint-Saturnin

Eglise Saint-Saturnin

An older church served the area prior to the formation of the abbey at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.[4] The current church was built in 11th century, with later additions from the 12th, 15th and 17th centuries.[4] It’s a small Romanesque church with single nave with the first span a barrel vault while the other three consist of rib vaults.[4] There are six semi-round columns with buried bases that have curved volute capitals at their tops and support double arches.[4] Eight recessed columns with rebated capitals support the diagonal arches.[4] It has a tall pointed gable bell tower dates which from the 15th century.[4] It became a Historical Monument of France on 16 September 1949.[4]

Manoir de Doumazac

Now a private property, was an old hunting lodge of the Lords of d'Estresse.[5]^:95 It was built in the 13th century and extentions added in 16th century.[6]

See also

• Communes of the Corrèze department

References

1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
2. Lavalade, Yves (2017). Les Noms de Lieux du Pays de Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. Editions de L'Esperluette. ISBN 979-10-90784-67-3.
3. Collection de documents inedits sur l'histoire de France, Volume 2, Numéro 9. Collection de documents inedits sur l'histoire de France, France. Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques. Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques. 1859.
4. Base Mérimée: Eglise Saint-Saturnin, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
5. Aubel, Francois (1999-07-21). La Correze: Vallee de la Dordogne (in French). Martel: Editions du Laquet. p. 104. ISBN 2-91033377-9.
6. "Château de Doumazac". www.chateau-fort-manoir-chateau.eu (in French). Retrieved 2019-08-16.