Usson, Puy-de-Dôme

Usson (French pronunciation: [ysɔ̃]) is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. It is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association.

Usson
Commune
The village on its volcanic mound
Coat of arms
Location of Usson
Usson Show map of France Usson Show map of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Coordinates: 45°31′42″N 3°20′24″E
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Puy-de-Dôme
Arrondissement	Issoire
Canton	Brassac-les-Mines
Intercommunality	Agglo Pays d'Issoire
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Bertrand Livet[1]
Area 1	5.43 km2 (2.10 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]	309
• Density	57/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	63439 /63490
Elevation	394–633 m (1,293–2,077 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

Usson's castle was the residence of Margaret of Valois from 1585 to 1605. It was demolished under the order of Cardinal Richelieu. According to a 15th-century drawing from the Armorial d'Auvergne, the fortress was large and heavily fortified, with three surrounding walls and 20 towers. The castle's motto was garde le traître et la dent (lit. beware the traitor and the tooth), suggesting that the secure fortifications could only be threatened by traitors or starvation.

See also

• Communes of the Puy-de-Dôme department

References

1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
2. "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.