Sainte-Gemme, Administrative commune in the Charente-Maritime department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
Sainte-Gemme covers an area of 40.91 square kilometers in the west-central part of Charente-Maritime, near Saintes, with a population of approximately 1,364 inhabitants according to the most recent census data.
The history of Sainte-Gemme dates back to the Neolithic period with traces of ancient occupation, then to the 12th century with the foundation of a Benedictine monastery given to the Benedictines of La Chaise-Dieu in 1074 by Guillaume VIII.
The 11th-century Romanesque church, classified as a historic monument in 1862, testifies to the religious importance of the site that was once part of a Casadean priory and bears the name of Saint Gemma, a legendary martyr figure.
The town hall of Sainte-Gemme is located at 1 rue de la Mairie, open Monday to Thursday from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM and Friday until 5:00 PM, reachable at 05 46 94 71 51 or by email at secretariat@mairiestegemme.fr.
The coat of arms of Sainte-Gemme, created in 1989 by a high school student and digitized in 2015, illustrates local identity with a horse's head, grape clusters, clover, and wheat ears symbolizing agricultural and equestrian traditions.
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