Cunèges, an
important parish under the Old Regime, became the main town of
the canton when France was divided into departments under the
Constituent Assembly. It kept this title until 1830, when it
was assigned to Sigoulès.
The name of the commune changed a great deal. One finds Cunea
in the 13th century, Quigogium in 1363, Cuneria in 1554,
Cuneia a bit later, finally Cuneja which became Cunèges. Maybe
these different forms are derivatives of the Latin word cuneus
which means corner. In fact, the commune is in the shape of a
corner, the point directed toward the north, to the meeting of
the two streams that run alongside it, the Gardonnette on the
east and the Brajaud on the west.
Cunèges belongs
to the canton of Sigoulès. It is served by two departmental
roads, D15 from Gardonne to Sigoulès and D16 from Monestier to
Pomport.
With an area of 598 hectares, its harmonious landscape is made
of 113 hectares of vineyard, 179 hectares of lands, 197 hectares
of meadows and copses.
A strong feature:
Cunèges is a town centre and five hamlets: Le Meyrand, la Font
du Béarnais, le Claud, la Salle, le Maine de Noaille.
From 200 inhabitants in 1995, its population was counted at 320
on October 15, 2005, almost equal to that of 1895. This increase
is mostly due to young couples with children, (41 children
between 0 and 10 years of age, schooled in the surrounding
communes) and to retired people who have come there looking for
a mild climate.
One firm, nine trades people of various disciplines, five wine
growers, two farmer-stockbreeders, one nearby business, and
liberal professions.
At the southwest of the greater Bergerac area, Cunegès is one of
the nine communes that make up the “Community of Communes of the
Coteaux de Sigoulès”.
Text translated by Pays du Grand Bergeracois (professional translator).
