Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Commune
Saint-Léger church
Coat of arms
Location of Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Bessines-sur-Gartempe Show map of France Bessines-sur-Gartempe Show map of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Coordinates: 46°06′35″N 1°22′10″E / 46.1097°N 1.3694°E / 46.1097; 1.3694
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Haute-Vienne
Arrondissement	Bellac
Canton	Ambazac
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Andréa Brouille[1]
Area 1	55.41 km2 (21.39 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]	2,762
• Density	50/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	87014 /87250
Elevation	250–533 m (820–1,749 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Bessines-sur-Gartempe (French pronunciation: [bɛsin syʁ ɡaʁtɑ̃p], literally Bessines on Gartempe; Limousin: Becinas) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France.

Geography

The river Semme forms part of the commune's north-eastern border, flows westward through the northern part of the commune, north of Morterolles-sur-Semmes, a hamlet, then forms part of the commune's north-western border.

The river Gartempe forms part of the commune's eastern border, flows westward through the middle of the commune, north of Bessines-sur-Gartempe, the main village, then forms part of the commune's western border.

Population

Inhabitants are known as Bessinauds in French.

Culture

In the late 20th century, the community's local band, a traveling chamber orchestra known as "La Banda de Bessines" ("The Bessines Band"), gained some national repute, winning French National Band Championships in 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 2005.^[4]

Bessines sur Gartempe has also been awarded the prestigious "Village d'Etape" status.^[5]

People

The painter Suzanne Valadon was born in the village in 1865.

Gallery