Balaguier-d'Olt


Balaguier-d'Olt is a commune in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region of southern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Balaguiérois or Balaguiéroises.

Geography

Balaguier-d'Olt is located some 12 km south-west of Figeac just east of Ambeyrac. The whole north-western border of the commune is the Lot river which is also the departmental boundary between Aveyron and Lot. Access to the commune is by the D86 road from Ambeyrac which follows the river through the village and continues north-east to Capdenac-Gare. The D38 branches off the D86 and crosses the only bridge in the commune across the Lot to Saint-Pierre-Toirac. The D647 branches off the D86 just north of the village and goes south-east to Foissac. Apart from the village there is the hamlet of Vernet-le-Bas in the north of the commune. The commune is mixed forest and farmland.
Geologically the commune is divided into two parts: first the Lot valley which consists of Toarcian marl and secondly the limestone plateau overlooking it.
The Ruisseau de Bournac flows from the north-east and the Ruisseau de Fréjéroque flows from the east both joining in the commune and flowing into the Lot.

Neighbouring communes and villages

Administration

List of Successive Mayors
FromToNamePartyPosition
18401848Joseph Daube
18481860Pierre Trenty
18601868Jean Louis Obscur
18681904Félix Vernet
20012008Claude Roques
20082020Yves Ville

Demography

In 2010 the commune had 127 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 communes that have a sample survey every year.

Sites and Monuments

The Romanesque Church of Vernet-le-Bas has a bell tower dating from the 12th century and has Romanesque capitals on three sides. Inside the church the Romanesque Altar is still preserved in one of the side chapels. It is carved in sandstone decorations and presents interlacing. It is registered as an historical object.