Saint-Romain-Lachalm

French commune|nomcommune=Saint-Romain-Lachalm
région=Auvergne
département=Haute-Loire
arrondissement=Yssingeaux
canton=St-Didier-en-Velay
insee=43223
cp=43620
maire=Olivier Cigoletti
mandat=
intercomm=
longitude=4.335
latitude=45.2669444444
alt moy=
alt mini=757 m
alt maxi=1008 m
hectares=1902
km²=19.02
sans=831
date-sans=1999
dens=43
date-dens=1999

Saint-Romain-Lachalm ("Sant Roman" in Occitan) is French commune, in the east of the Vélay, in the Haute-Loire département and the Auvergne region. Its inhabitants are the "Sans Roumis". The village of St-Romain-Lachalm is 920m above sea level. The commune's name seems to have come from a visit by Saint Romain, combined with Lachalm referring to the abundance of thatched roofs ("la chaume", thatched roof). Until the arrival of the [aristocratic] Du Peloux family, St-Romain-Lachalm was a joint lordship. Notable monuments include the church, the chateau (privately-owned) and the roadside cross. The patron saint's festival is usually the first weekend in August.

Notable people

The noble Du Peloux de Saint Romain family are the counts of Saint-Romain-Lachalm. They came from the Vivarais and St-Romain-Lachalm was part of the dowry of Aymarde de Curnieu in 1418. They restored the chateau in 1603 and added its octagonal tower. When the French Revolution came, Count Charles du Peloux and his son were condemned to death for the simple fact of being of noble lineage. They were finally pardoned thanks to numerous witnesses attesting that they were sympathetic to republican principles (they were supporters of Lafayette). Count Charles was later elected mayor. Of the 22 mayors since, 11 have been from the Du Peloux family.

External links in French

* [http://www.recensement.insee.fr/RP99/rp99/co_navigation.co_page?nivgeo=C&codgeo=43223&theme=ALL&typeprod=ALL&lang=EN&quelcas=LISTE Saint-Romain-Lachalm Insee site]
* [http://www.quid.fr/communes.html?mode=query&req=Saint-Romain-Lachalm Saint-Romain-Lachalm on Quid]
* [http://www.lion1906.com/Pages/ResultatLocalisation.php?InseeVille=430223 Location of Saint-Romain-Lachalm]
* [http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=45.2669444444444&longitude=4.335&zoom=8 Plan of Saint-Romain-Lachalm at Mapquest]