Country France Department Dordogne Canton Nontron Area 24.67 km² | Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine Arrondissement Nontron Intercommunality Périgord Nontronnais Local time Wednesday 8:25 AM | |
 | ||
Weather 9°C, Wind E at 6 km/h, 73% Humidity | ||
Nontron ([nɔ̃.tʁɔ̃]; Occitan: Nontronh [nunˈtɾuɲ]) is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.
Contents
Map of 24300 Nontron, France
History
According to the historian Ribault de Laugardière, the name Nontron derives from the Tyrian language, from Nata (valley) and Dun (mountain). Over time, the placename has been spelt Natadun, Nattun, Nantrun and Nontroun, before the current Nontron.
The town has probably existed for around 1100 years and has been invaded or sacked several times, including by Saracens in the seventh century and by Normans in the ninth century. In the eighth century, a Gallo-Roman castrum was built for the counts of Limoges and the Poitevin abbey of Charroux.
Over the course of the centuries, the town changed hands several time until, after the French Revolution it became a subprefecture of the department of the Dordogne. The town's railway station served passengers between 1891 and 1946, continuing to handle freight until 1970.