Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert

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Commune of Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert
Location
Longitude	05° 16' 36" E
Latitude	44° 34' 15" N
Administration
Country	France
Région	Rhône-Alpes
Département	Drôme
Arrondissement	Die
Canton	La Motte-Chalancon
Mayor	Claude Brès (2001-2008)
Statistics
Altitude	527 m–1 447 m (avg. 591 m)
Land area¹	46.62 km²
Population² (1999)	183
- Density (1999)	3/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	26274/ 26340
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert is a French commune situated in the Drôme département of the Rhône-Alpes region of south-east France. It is near to the commune of Rochefourchat, the least populated place in France as of the 1999 census. As of the census, the population of Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert is 183.

[edit] History

Archaeology suggests that people have settled in the area for over six thousand years. Fragments of Iron Age vases for roasting wheat have been found in the area. There is also a ruined castle, sacred architecture and a 16th Century church on water.

[edit] Produce

The French goat's cheese Picodon is made in and around the area of Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert. Lavender is grown locally and products containing lavender are popular.