Évaux-les-Bains
Encyclopedia
Évaux-les-Bains is a commune
in the Creuse
department in the Limousin
region
in central France
.
founded by the Romans
in the first century, who developed the thermal bath
s and called the place “Ivaonum”, possibly after a deity
, Ivaos.
It became a place of pilgrimage
after the sixth century, because of the tomb of the Christian hermit Marien.
A monastery was built here in the tenth century, but this was destroyed in the seventeenth century.
It was the regional capital of the Combraille in the thirteenth century and was besieged during the Hundred Years War by the Routiers.
The Roman baths
, abandoned since the fifth century, became popular again at the beginning of the 17th century and again in the nineteenth century.
, farming and associated light industry
, consisting of a small town and several hamlets situated between the valleys of the Cher
and the Tardes Rivers, some 14 miles (22.5 km) southwest of Montlucon
, at the junction of the D19, D20, D996 and the D915 roads. The commune is on the border with the department of Allier
and is served by a TER railway link to Montlucon.
The river Tardes flows into the Cher in the commune, 7.5 km (4.7 mi) north of the town.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Creuse
Creuse
Creuse is a department in central France named after the Creuse River.-History:Creuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the former province of La Marche....
department in the Limousin
Limousin (région)
Limousin is one of the 27 regions of France. It is composed of three départements: Corrèze, Creuse and the Haute-Vienne.Situated largely in the Massif Central, as of January 1st 2008, the Limousin comprised 740,743 inhabitants on nearly 17 000 km2, making it the second least populated region of...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
History
A spa townSpa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
founded by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in the first century, who developed the thermal bath
Thermal bath
A thermal bath is a warm body of water. It is often referred to as a spa, which is traditionally used to mean a place where the water is believed to have special health-giving properties, though note that many spas offer cold water or mineral water treatments.A thermal bath may be part of a...
s and called the place “Ivaonum”, possibly after a deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
, Ivaos.
It became a place of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
after the sixth century, because of the tomb of the Christian hermit Marien.
A monastery was built here in the tenth century, but this was destroyed in the seventeenth century.
It was the regional capital of the Combraille in the thirteenth century and was besieged during the Hundred Years War by the Routiers.
The Roman baths
Roman Baths
The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing....
, abandoned since the fifth century, became popular again at the beginning of the 17th century and again in the nineteenth century.
Geography
An area of lakes and streams, forestryForestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, farming and associated light industry
Light industry
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented...
, consisting of a small town and several hamlets situated between the valleys of the Cher
Cher River
The Cher is a river in central France, left tributary to the river Loire. Its source is in the Creuse département, north-east of Crocq. It joins the river Loire in Villandry, west of Tours....
and the Tardes Rivers, some 14 miles (22.5 km) southwest of Montlucon
Montluçon
Montluçon is a commune in central France. It is the largest commune in the Allier department, although the department's préfecture is located in the smaller town of Moulins. Its inhabitants are known as Montluçonnais...
, at the junction of the D19, D20, D996 and the D915 roads. The commune is on the border with the department of Allier
Allier
Allier is a department in central France named after the river Allier.- History :Allier is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Auvergne and Bourbonnais.In 1940, the government of Marshal...
and is served by a TER railway link to Montlucon.
The river Tardes flows into the Cher in the commune, 7.5 km (4.7 mi) north of the town.
Population
Sights
- The church of St.Peter & Paul, dating from the eleventh century.
- The seventeenth century châteauChâteauA château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
x of Relibert and Monterolle. - The church of Notre-Dame.
- Remains of an old conventConventA convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
. - The chapel of Saint Marien.
- Vestiges of the town gates and walls.
- Châteaux de Relibert, Monterolle
- Vestiges of the Roman baths.
- The Tardes viaductViaductA viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
, by Gustave EiffelGustave EiffelAlexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French structural engineer from the École Centrale Paris, an architect, an entrepreneur and a specialist of metallic structures...
. - The war memorial.
- The eleventh century chapel of Saint Radegonde.