Location and access

Alloue is a commune located in the north-east of the Charente at the edge of the Charente Limousine and Ruffécois regions, 5 km south of the boundary of the department of Vienne. It belongs to the Community of communes of Confolentais.

The commune is 9 km east of Champagne-Mouton, and 12 km west of Confolens. The main road that runs through the village and the commune from east to west is the D740, the former national road from Confolens in Niort via Ruffec (24 km) and via Champagne-Mouton. Angoulême is 50 km to the south-west and Limoges a similar distance to the south-east.^[5] Alloue is also 15 km north of Saint-Claud and Roumazières-Loubert.^[6]

Other minor departmental minor roads run through the commune including the D169 south to Roumazières-Loubert via Ambernac, the D171 towards Benest in the west, the D312 heading north-west, the D169 north to Épenède and Pressac, the D309 to Ansac-sur-Vienne in the south-east, and the D313 heading towards Manot in the south-east.^[7]

Hamlets and localities

The commune has many small hamlets:

• Lasfont and les Bréchevaux on the main D740 to Confolens
• Les Essarts and Les Repaires to the southeast along the D309
• Villemier and La Châtre on the D313
• Massignac and its castle
• le Breuil south of the town on the right bank of the Charente
• Beaumont
• l'Houmède
• La Renaudie
• La Lande to the south on the left bank
• Le Chevrier
• Le Grand Molan
• Le Petit Molan
• Chez Paire and Rioumort to the west
• Masmayoux
• Fontbeau
• Chez Taury to the north

Chez Pasquet borders the town to the north as does La Cantine to the south of the town on the left bank of the river.^[7]

Neighbouring communes

Geology

The land is composed of marl limestone dating from the Early Jurassic period in the valley and deposits of Clay from the Tertiary period on the slopes.^[8][9][10]

The old Galena (lead and silver) mine at Beaumont was composed of veins on a fault which follows the valley of the Charente to Ambernac until it nearly reaches Asnois (Vienne) and passes through Alloue. The mine consists of tunnels dug into the rock.^[11]

Relief

The relief of the commune is that of a plateau with an average altitude of 180 m, traversed from south to north by the valley of the Charente. The highest point is at an altitude of 231 m which is located in the Bois de Signes (Signes Forest) on the eastern edge of the commune. The lowest point is 136 m which is located along the Charente on the north-western boundary. The village is in the valley and on the right bank of the river and is 145 m above sea level.^[7]

Hydrography

The Charente flows through the commune from south to north. The part in the commune is downstream of Roumazières and upstream of the Vienne department where the river makes an incursion before returning to Ruffec and Angoulême.

The Transon, a tributary on the right side of the Charente joining at Chatain (Vienne), rises in the south-east of the commune and along its eastern boundary.

The Charente has many small tributary streams rising in the commune such as the Ruisseau de la Forêt (Forest Stream) which flows in the northwest.

The Clain, a tributary of the Vienne passing Poitiers, rises in the commune of Hiesse 50 m from the communal boundary at Beau Clain. The watershed line between the basins of the Charente and the Loire crosses the eastern edge of the commune.

The commune of Alloue also has many ponds and small water reservoirs, mainly in the south-west.^[7]

Dialects

The town is in the Occitan area of Marchois in contact with the Limousin dialect and marks the boundary with the Poitevin langue d'oïl (to the northwest)^[12][13]

Climate

As for a large part of the west of the department, the climate is an Aquitaine Oceanic climate but it is slightly degraded near the Charente Limousine area where the climate is more humid and slightly cooler.

Toponymy

The name of the commune Alloue is said to come from the Gallic word alauda meaning lark.

The hamlet of Beaumont comes from the French beau mont which means "beautiful hill".

Les Essarts was designated in the Middle Ages to be cleared of forest.

The hamlet of Fontbeau may take its name from the Latin fons or fontis meaning "source" and bellus meaning "handsome". It can therefore mean "beautiful spring" but it is more likely from the Occitan font bou (fons bovis in Latin) to the French fontaine de boeuf (fountain of beef).

For the hamlet of Masmayoux the origin is from the Latin major meaning "bigger" and mansus which had become mas by the Middle Ages and which designated an agricultural field. It can therefore lead to the meaning "large farm".

Les Repaires comes from the old French repair meaning house or fortified castle.^[14]

Heraldry

Arms of Alloue

Blazon: Sable, two chevrons Or in chief two lozenges azure bordure in Or.

Distribution of Age Groups

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Alloue and Charente Department in 2017

Source: INSEE^[18][19]

Education

The school is a regroupment school covering Alloue, Ambernac, and Benest. Alloue has a primary school (both kindergarten and elementary); Benest and Ambernac have an elementary school.^[20]

Other services

There is a post office and there are other services in the surrounding communities, mainly Confolens.

Civil heritage

There are more than 200 sites in the commune that are registered as historical monuments with the majority of sites Houses or Farmhouses.^[21] A selection of the more interesting sites are described below.

• There are traces of a Roman road east of the town near the place called Les Repaires.^[15]
• A small masoned Irrigation Canal (19th century) is located on the edge of the Maquis-Foch Square dating from the 19th century which allows a small stream to flow into the Charente. A slab connects the two rivers.^[22]
• The Chateau of Massignac (15th century) has large corner towers and framed windows and with mouldings typical of a 15th-century castle. The circular corner towers are square inside and equipped with several archers' loopholes. It was redesigned in 1861 with installation of a stairway.^[23]
• Gueuche Chateau has retained its 14th century structure although a large part of the walls were rebuilt in 1870 – which date is inscribed on the lintel of the door. It is rectangular in shape with a vaulted cellar in the basement, one floor with an attic covered with a high hip roof with flat tiles. The tower with a staircase is adjoining on the southeast side topped with a conical slate roof with loopholes for archers. Outbuildings were added in the 19th century and are partly shown on the cadastral map of 1835 (the barn was enlarged at the end of the 19th century).^[24]
• L'Age Manor (15th century) was originally composed of a rectangular enclosure with battlements with four circular towers and a drawbridge dating from the 15th century and lodgings built at the end of the 16th century. All that remains of the enclosure is the two towers located on the southwest and southeast sides. The towers are pierced by four gunnery loopholes. The wall was crowned with a parapet and battlements of which there remains the consoles at the level of the south-west tower. The lodgings have a rectangular plan with an attic floor and circular stairs to the tower, half-completed, in the middle of the facade pierced with small windows and an archer loophole. On the cadastral map of 1835, the moat and the four towers were still present and there was a building that was against the outer wall to the southwest, an extension of the current vaulted room, which connected the two corner towers. On old views of the early 20th century, the tower in the north-west and the walkway in front of the lodgings are still visible.^[25]
• Beau-Chêne Manor (1666) consists of buildings contained within four towers, the oldest of which is the south-east tower which may date from the 15th century. The coat of arms of De Lage is found on the walls of the courtyard of the lodgings and an inscription "F.P.P.D.Lage 1656" is inserted in the wall over a raven (but probably not in its original location) in an outside staircase. The north wing of the castle was demolished in 1873. The De Lage family, lords of Beauchesne, a branch of the family of De Lage de Volude, owned the manor until the late 17th century, then the Gracieux family held it until the Revolution.^[26]
• The Logis de la Vergne (15th century) is located 300 m south of the town next to the Charente. The first lords of this manor were known as GUYOT. Marc Guyot du Repaire inherited the lordship of the Chateau de La Vergne in 1679. The Guyot du Repaire family owned the lordship and the estates and land of La Vergne till the mid 19th century. The castle was bought by the famous actress María Casares in the 1960s. At her death in 1996, the estate was bequeathed to the local municipality. Since then the castle now hosts a cultural project and is a residence and place of exchange, training for writers, actors and theatre directors. The library and the whole house became a Registered monument on 12 December 2002.^[27]

• Logis de la Vergne
• 
  Gate of the Logis de la Vergne
• 
  Logis de la Vergne
• 
  Logis de la Vegne

• The Pavillon Manor (17th century) was indicated as a lordship on the 18th century Cassini map but the house has since been greatly altered. The house faces the church and was restored in the 19th century. This mansion has an austere facade but has been uniquely decorated internally using a French wallpaper manufactured by Jean Zuber between 1834 and 1836. These wallpapers are decorated with pictures such as: "View of North America" or "Helvéthie".^[28]
• The Rioumort Bridge (Middle Ages) was a medieval bridge whose deck was rebuilt between 1895 and 1898.^[29]
• The Pont-Neuf (New Bridge) at the western entrance of Alloue dates to 1741.^[30]

The covered Lavoir or public laundry

• The covered Lavoir at Alloue consists of a basin surrounded by stone slabs.^[31]

There are also old Lavoirs at Masmayoux where the well is an uncovered rectangular basin fed by a spring that emerges from a cube of masonry and stone rubble^[32] and near Lasfond which also has an uncovered basin.^[33]

• The Chez Paire Fountain (19th century) is equipped with a pump.^[34]
• The Rioumort Fountain (19th century) is covered by a dome and rubble after a legend that it would bring health and prosperity.^[35]

Religious Heritage

The Parish Church of Notre-Dame (12th century) is registered as an historical monument.^[36] The church contains two items that are registered as historical objects:

• A Statue: Virgin and Child (18th century)^[37] in wood painted in polychrome 1.10 metres high
• An altar (17th century)^[38] in Cuir de Cordoue of the 17th century 1.50m high on a base 0.60m high.

The Church of Notre Dame

• 
  The Entry
• 
  The Virgin and Child
• 
  Front of the Altar
• 
  Liturgical Basin
• 
  Romanesque Corbels
• 
  Liturgical wash stand
• 
  The Altar
• 
  The Nave
• 
  Statue of Virgin and Child
• 
  An Antependium embossed in leather (17th century)

The church included both a parish church and a Benedictine priory (12th century)^[39] founded by the monks of Charroux in the 8th century that stretched south and west of the church. The Priory of Alloue on the 1740 plan is presented as a set of buildings surrounded by a moat which joined the Charente. Currently the western part still remains – rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries. The lodgings of the prior was in line with the north wall of the church, preceded by a courtyard overlooking the street between the two towers. Another house has since been built on the site of the courtyard.

The Old Priory

• 
  Old Tower
• 
  Bridge and Moat

• There are numerous Wayside Crosses dating to the 19th century. Five of them are listed as historical monuments:
  • The Wayside Cross at the D740 and D169 crossroads (19th century)^[40]
  • The Wayside Cross at Chez Pasquet (19th century)^[41]
  • The Wayside Cross near Le Beau (19th century)^[42]
  • The Wayside Cross at Chez Grillaud (19th century)^[43]
  • The Wayside Cross at Les Redons (19th century)^[44]

There is a Cemetery Cross (1789) bearing the inscription "PIORRY NOTARY ET FABRIC/QUEUR 1789". This stone cross in a cylindrical drum is raised on a plinth consisting of four steps. In front, a stone font is located on a stone slab.^[45]