Asnières-la-Giraud
Asnières-la-Giraud () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as "Asnierois" or "Asnieroises". Geography. Asnières-la-Giraud is located some 38 km east of Rochefort and 7 km south of Saint-Jean-d'Angély. Access to the commune is by the D150 road from Saint-Jean-d'Angély in the north which passes through the west of the commune and the village and continues to Saint-Hilaire-de-Villefranche. The D120 road from Saint-Jean-d'Angély passes through the east of  the commune and continues to Sainte-Même. The D217 road connects the D120 and the D150 in the commune and continues west to Mazeray. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of La Touzetterie on the north-eastern border, Moulin de la Laigne, La Laigne, Le Plonget, La Giraud, La Rue d'Asnières, Le Puits d'Asnières, Champmiaud, and La Tranche in the south. There are some patches of forest but most of the commune is farmland. The Loubat river flows south through the commune west of the D150 and through the village before continuing south. Geologically it is a limestone  plateau of the Tithonian period (formerly called Portlandian) Administration. List of Successive Mayors Budget and Taxation. The Taxation rates are: 6.28% for housing tax, 11.80% for developed land, 37% for undeveloped land, and 8% business tax. As the community of communes also levies all four taxes: respectively 2.46%, 5.50%, 11.91%, and 3.82%, this gives a total, before the department and the region, of: 8.74% for housing tax, 17.30% for developed land, 48.91% for undeveloped land, and 11.82% business tax (2007 figures). Demography. In 2017 the commune had 1,050 inhabitants. Distribution of Age Groups. The population of the town is younger  than the departmental average. Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Asnières-la-Giraud and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017 Source: INSEE Economy. Asnières-la-Giraud has always been an agricultural and viticultural; commune. Nevertheless, there are many trades in the commune: a garage, a mechanically construction business, an Emmaus warehouse, and activities linked to tourism with a hotel, a rural cottage, and a Youth Hostel called "Chantageasse". The vineyards are in the "Appellation d'origine contrôlée" (AOC) region of Cognac: the Fins Bois cru.