HAUTE-LOIRE, a department of central France, formed in 1790 of Velay and portions of Vivarais and Gevaudan, three districts formerly belonging to the old province of Languedoc, of a portion of Forez formerly belonging to Lyonnais, and a por tion of lower Auvergne. Pop. (1931) 251,608. Area, 1,931 sq.m. It is bounded north by Puy-de-Dome and Loire, east by Loire and Ardeche, south by Ardeche and Lozere and west by Lozere and Cantal. Forming a portion of the Plateau Central, it is traversed from north to south by four mountain ranges. Its highest point, the Mont Mezenc (5,755 ft.), in the south-east, belongs to the mountains of Vivarais, which are continued along the eastern bor der by the Boutieres chain. The Lignon divides the Boutieres from the Massif du Mega', which is separated by the Loire from the mountains of Velay, a granitic range overlaid with volcanic rocks. The Margeride mountains run along the western border. The Loire waters the eastern half of the department. The Allier, which joins it at Nevers, traverses the western portion. The chief affluents of the Loire within the department are the Borne on the left, joining it near Le Puy, and the Lignon, on the right. The winters are long and rigorous. Rye, oats, barley and wheat are cultivated and aromatic and medicinal plants are abundant on the plateaus. Lentils, peas, mangelwurzels and other forage and potatoes are also grown. Horned cattle belong principally to the Mezenc breed; goats are numerous. The woods yield pine, fir, oak and beech. Lace-making and coal-mining (around Brassac and Langeac) are main industries. There are also mines of antimony and stone-quarries. Silk-milling, caoutchouc-making, paper-mak ing, glass-blowing and wood-sawing are also carried on. The prin cipal imports are flour, brandy, wine, live-stock, lace-thread and agricultural implements. Exports include fat stock, wool, aro matic plants, coal, lace. The department is served chiefly by the Paris-Lyon-Mediterranee company. There are two arrondisse ments—Le Puy and Brioude—with 28 cantons and 266 communes.
Haute-Loire forms the diocese of Le Puy in the ecclesiastical province of Bourges, and belongs to the academie (educational division) of Clermont-Ferrand. Its court of appeal is at Riom. The churches of Chamalieres, St. Paulien and Sainte-Marie-des Chazes are Romanesque in style; Le Monastier preserves the church, in part Romanesque, and the buildings of the abbey to which it owes its origin. Arlempdes and Bouzols (near Coubon) have the ruins of large feudal chateaus. The rocky plateau over looking Polignac is occupied by the ruins of the stronghold of the ancient family of Polignac, including a square donjon of the i4th century. Interesting Gallo-Roman remains have been found on the site.