Arpajon-sur-Cère is a commune in the Cantaldepartment in the Auvergne region of south-central France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arpajonnais or Arpajonnaises
Geography
Arpajon-sur-Cère is located immediately to the south of Aurillac some 70 km south-east of Brive-la-Gaillarde. The town is an extension of the urban area of Aurillac. Access to the commune is by the D920 from Aurillac which continues south to Lafeuillade-en-Vézie. The D990 also goes from south of the town to Vézac in the east. The D58 comes from Giou-de-Mamou in the north-east then goes south-west from the town to the Château de Conros and joins the D617 at the south-western border of the commune. Much of the runway of Aurillac – Tronquières Airport is in the commune. A railway passes through the north of the commune but the nearest station is in Aurillac. Apart from the town there are the villages and hamlets of:
Carbonnat
Esmoles
Le Pont
Roquetorte
Douarat
Le Bousquet
Crespiat
Le Cambon
Le Sal
Les Granges
Lapeyrusse
Carsac
Combelles
Senilhes
Les Quatre Routes
Toules
Outside the residential areas there are extensive forests in the south and south-west with the rest of the commune farmland. The Jordanneriver flows from Aurillac to join the Cère just south-west of the town with the Cère continuing west to eventually join the Dordogne at Girac.
Neighbouring communes and villages
Toponymy
The name Arpjon originates from the Gallic word Arpaionem which is composed ofthe wordarepo meaning "plough". It was attested in 923 in the form: vicaria arpajonensis. In Carladézien dialect, Arpajon is pronounced Olpotsou, according to a recording there in 2007.
History
The Dejou Féniès & son and Lartigue companies were established in the commune in the 20th century manufacturing wood especially Jouets Dejou which are highly sought after by Doll collectors.
In 2009 the commune had 6,009 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known from the population censuses conducted in the commune since 1793. From the 21st century, a census of communes with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is held every five years, unlike larger towns that have a sample survey every year.
Sites and Monuments
The commune has several sites and buildings that are registered as historical monuments:
The Birthplace of Général Milhaud at 1 Avenue du Général-Milhaud
Barrière hamlet where Louis Laparra de Fieux was born.
The Cabrières bridge, a hamlet and a bridge which once had a toll.
The Chateau de Ganhac currently a mansion house, a former fief awarded in 1676 to Charles de Broquin who was married to Jeanne de Cambefort.
The Château de Montal, a former fief whose family was originally the Lords of Laroquebrou and Conros, with a castrale chapel under the invocation of Saint Michael. It then became the property of the La Roque-Montal family.
The Chateau de La Prade, purchased in 1756 by Marie-Françoise de Broglie, the widow of Charles Robert de Lignerac who did considerable work on the building. Ruined in the French Revolution.
The Arboretum d'Arpajon-sur-Cère
The Parish Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
