Bélesta, Pyrénées-Orientales

Bélesta (French pronunciation: [belɛsta] ; Occitan: Bèl Estar; Catalan: Bellestar) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.

Bélesta
Belhestar
A general view of Bélesta
A general view of Bélesta
Coat of arms of Bélesta
Location of Bélesta
Map
Bélesta is located in France
Bélesta
Bélesta
Bélesta is located in Occitanie
Bélesta
Bélesta
Coordinates: 42°43′06″N 2°36′28″E / 42.7183°N 2.6078°E / 42.7183; 2.6078
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentPyrénées-Orientales
ArrondissementPrades
CantonLa Vallée de l'Agly
IntercommunalityRoussillon-Conflent
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Frédéric Bourniole[1]
Area
1
20.52 km2 (7.92 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
212
 • Density10/km2 (27/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
66019 /66720
Elevation122–561 m (400–1,841 ft)
(avg. 380 m or 1,250 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

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Localisation

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Bélesta is located in the canton of La Vallée de l'Agly and in the arrondissement of Perpignan.

 
Map of Bélesta and its surrounding communes

Government and politics

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Mayors
Mayor Term start Term end
Jacques Biles[3] ? June 1815
Baptiste Pugnaud[3] June 1815 ?
Gilbert Bourniole 2001 2007
Roger Morin 2007 2014
Frédéric Bourniole 2014

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 312—    
1975 262−2.46%
1982 247−0.84%
1990 223−1.27%
1999 215−0.41%
2007 214−0.06%
2012 225+1.01%
2017 221−0.36%
Source: INSEE[4]

Sites of interest

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  • Prehistory museum
  • Bélesta dolmen
  • Bélesta cave
  • Church of Saint Barthelemy in Bélesta
  • Church of Saint Barthelemy in Jonqueroles
  • Llébrès, an abandoned medieval hamlet
  • Caladroy, hamlet with Château de Caladroy and an important winery

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b Fabricio Cardenas, Vieux papiers des Pyrénées-Orientales, Bélesta, le 21 juin 1815, 31 january 2014
  4. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE