Balbigny
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink.
Served 72.4/100 · confidence: high· Better served than 100 % of the {n|commune|communes} of a similar size.
Identity
Balbigny (INSEE 42011) is in Loire (42), part of CC de Forez-Est. Population 2,911 (2023). [1]
INSEE density class: Bourgs ruraux (level 5). [2]
Data vintages: INSEE BPE 2025 · INSEE SIRENE 2026-09 · INSEE census (RP) 2023 · INSEE COG 2026 · INSEE density grid 2026 · Commune website 2026-10-24 · DATAtourisme 2026-10-22.
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/42011-balbigny
Vitality score
Vitality score 72.4/100 — Served (model fr-v0.2).
Confidence: high.
Better served than 100 % of the 7,299 communes of a similar size.
Compare this with communes of a similar size. The score measures how well a place is served relative to its own size band, and larger communes score higher as a rule — so it reads meaningfully against another village, and misleadingly against a town.
Measured but not scored in this model: Market. See the methodology for why.
| Component | Value (0–1) | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily food | 0.78 | 25 | 19.39 |
| Social | 0.79 | 20 | 15.82 |
| Education | 0.63 | 10 | 6.32 |
| Health | 0.63 | 10 | 6.29 |
| Public & culture | 0.39 | 5 | 1.97 |
| Population trend | 0.71 | 10 | 7.05 |
| Housing mix | 0.94 | 5 | 4.69 |
Services
What is here, at a glance
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink. [3,4]
3 × Bakery (boulangerie) (AU PECHE GOURMAND · PETRINS & GOURMANDISES). [3,4]
5 × Butcher (boucherie) (SAS DU MOULIN A VENT · LA BOUCHERIE DU MOULIN A VENT · BOUCHERIE LA ROSE NOIRE). [3,4]
1 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette) (CHEZ PAPI). [3,4]
2 × Supermarket (CARREFOUR MARKET · NETTO). [3,4]
1 × Cheese shop (fromagerie) (FROMAGERIE LA BARATTE). [4]
6 × Restaurant (SARL PIZZ A DEUX · GALVIN · LE TACOS DU FOREZ · FAST FOOD KEBAB CITY · GALACTIQUE PIZZA). [3,4]
2 × Café / bar (CAFE DE LA POSTE). [4]
2 × Primary school (élémentaire) (ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE DU BOURG · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PRIVEE ST JOSEPH). [3]
1 × Collège (COLLEGE MONTAIGNE). [3]
4 × GP (médecin généraliste) (THIERRY MARTIN, MÉDECIN · AMANDINE BLACHON, MÉDECIN · ALBANE THOLLOT, MÉDECIN · CLOTILDE MACHABERT, MÉDECIN). [3]
1 × Pharmacy (PHARMACIE DE BALBIGNY). [3,4]
1 × Post office / agence postale (LA POSTE). [3]
1 × Library (BIBLIOTHÈQUE - BALBIGNY). [3]
1 × Cinema (ESPACE LUMIERE). [3]
1 × Gym / sports hall (SALLE POLYVALENTE DE VALENCIEUX). [3]
1 × Bank (CAISSE EPARGNE PREVO LOIRE DROME ARDECHE). [3]
7 × Hairdresser (COIFF'NATH · AURE LIE TIFS · LE SALON DE GUILLAUME). [3,4]
3 × Fuel station (STATION SERVICE). [3]
1 × Campsite (CAMPING DE LA ROUTE BLEUE). [3,4]
Not counted, because the business register records them as closed: 2 × Bakery (boulangerie), 1 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette), 1 × Restaurant, 1 × Hairdresser.
Not found in the commune: Nursery school (maternelle). [3]
All 25 service types, with per-source counts
| Type | Count | Names | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery (boulangerie) | 3 | AU PECHE GOURMAND · PETRINS & GOURMANDISES | INSEE BPE 3 / INSEE SIRENE 3 [3,4] |
| Butcher (boucherie) | 5 | SAS DU MOULIN A VENT · LA BOUCHERIE DU MOULIN A VENT · BOUCHERIE LA ROSE NOIRE | INSEE BPE 5 / INSEE SIRENE 5 [3,4] |
| Grocery (épicerie / supérette) | 1 | CHEZ PAPI | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Supermarket | 2 | CARREFOUR MARKET · NETTO | INSEE BPE 2 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Cheese shop (fromagerie) | 1 | FROMAGERIE LA BARATTE | INSEE SIRENE 1 [4] |
| Fishmonger | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3,4] | |
| Restaurant | 6 | SARL PIZZ A DEUX · GALVIN · LE TACOS DU FOREZ · FAST FOOD KEBAB CITY · GALACTIQUE PIZZA | INSEE BPE 6 / INSEE SIRENE 11 [3,4] |
| Café / bar | 2 | CAFE DE LA POSTE | INSEE SIRENE 2 [4] |
| Nursery school (maternelle) | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Primary school (élémentaire) | 2 | ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE DU BOURG · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PRIVEE ST JOSEPH | INSEE BPE 2 [3] |
| Collège | 1 | COLLEGE MONTAIGNE | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| GP (médecin généraliste) | 4 | THIERRY MARTIN, MÉDECIN · AMANDINE BLACHON, MÉDECIN · ALBANE THOLLOT, MÉDECIN · CLOTILDE MACHABERT, MÉDECIN | INSEE BPE 4 [3] |
| Pharmacy | 1 | PHARMACIE DE BALBIGNY | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 1 [3,4] |
| Nurse | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Dentist | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Post office / agence postale | 1 | LA POSTE | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Library | 1 | BIBLIOTHÈQUE - BALBIGNY | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Cinema | 1 | ESPACE LUMIERE | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Gym / sports hall | 1 | SALLE POLYVALENTE DE VALENCIEUX | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Swimming pool | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Bank | 1 | CAISSE EPARGNE PREVO LOIRE DROME ARDECHE | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Hairdresser | 7 | COIFF'NATH · AURE LIE TIFS · LE SALON DE GUILLAUME | INSEE BPE 7 / INSEE SIRENE 9 [3,4] |
| Fuel station | 3 | STATION SERVICE | INSEE BPE 3 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3] |
| Hotel | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3,4] | |
| Campsite | 1 | CAMPING DE LA ROUTE BLEUE | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 1 [3,4] |
Market and village life
Weekly market: Monday, Saturday matin. [5,6]
Confirmed by two independent sources: Commune website and DATAtourisme.
Confirmed by two independent sources: Saturday. Reported by one source only: Monday. [5]
Trajectory
Population 2,897 (2012) → 2,911 (2023): 0.5 % over 10 years. [7,1]
Population 2,415 (1990) → 2,911 (2023): 20.5 % over 30 years. [8,1]
Dwellings (2023): 1,449, of which 3.1 % second homes and 11.6 % vacant. [9]
Access and surroundings
Which way the everyday services lie
Bakery (Balbigny): 0.1 km to the east (straight line). [10]
Food shop (Balbigny): 0.2 km to the south-east (straight line). [10]
GP (Balbigny): 0.1 km to the east (straight line). [10]
Pharmacy (Balbigny): 0.3 km to the south-east (straight line). [10]
Primary school (Balbigny): 0 km to the north-east (straight line). [10]
Climate
Where this sits nationally
An average of 28 days a year at or above 30 °C and 43 days at or below 0 °C, over 18 complete years in 1995–2024. [11]
Measured at the ROZIER-EN-DONZY weather station, 7.6 km away at 530 m; the village itself is at 331 m. [11]
The village sits 199 m below the station, so each day's reading was shifted by 6.06 °C per km of altitude before the days were counted. Expect the result to be within about 0.68 °C. [11]
Muggy days — a dew point at or above 18 °C — average 4 days a summer. [11]
Humidity measured at ROZIER-EN-DONZY, 7.6 km away at 530 m, over 13 summers. [11]
That station sits 199 m above the village, so each day's humidity was shifted by 3.69 °C per km before the muggy days were counted. [11]
An average of 742 mm of rain a year, spread over 107 days — about 6.9 mm on a day it rains. [11]
Rainfall measured at BALBIGNY, 0.7 km away at 336 m. Rainfall is not adjusted for altitude: unlike temperature it has no simple gradient to correct by. [11]
Uncertainties
No specific uncertainties flagged.
References
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42011/2023
- INSEE density grid 2026
- INSEE BPE 2025
- INSEE SIRENE 2026-09
- Commune website 2026-10— http://www.balbigny.fr/actu-de-balbigny/les-marches-forains— “un marché traditionnel le lundi matin - un marché de producteurs le samedi matin”
- DATAtourisme 2026-02— https://data.datatourisme.fr/13/10f39a4e-9c2e-300d-853c-d84c10667ac8— “Samedi matin marché des producteurs.”
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42011/2012
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42011/1990
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42011/logement/2023
- INSEE BPE 2025 — 42011
- Météo-France daily climatology 1995-2024
Villages like this one
Matched on size, density, second homes and which everyday shops and services are present — not on the score, so a village of the same kind that is doing better or worse shows up rather than being hidden.
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plouvorn | 29 | 692 km NW | 2,916 | 61.5 | Served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 31 % · winter 53 % · humidity 79 % |
| Chavanay | 42 | 62 km SE | 2,884 | 72.3 | Served | Warmer summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 67 % · winter 95 % · humidity 100 % |
| Saint-Jean-Brévelay | 56 | 571 km NW | 2,869 | 63.3 | Served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 41 % · winter 84 % · humidity 79 % |
| Taulé | 29 | 684 km NW | 2,914 | 55.2 | Partly served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 33 % · winter 82 % · humidity 79 % |
| Candé | 49 | 443 km NW | 2,801 | 63.1 | Served | Cooler summers, similar winters.summer 67 % · winter 97 % |
| Ibos | 65 | 439 km SW | 2,813 | 67.6 | Served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 72 % · winter 93 % · humidity 79 % |
Order by distance instead
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chavanay | 42 | 62 km SE | 2,884 | 72.3 | Served | Warmer summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 67 % · winter 95 % · humidity 100 % |
| Ibos | 65 | 439 km SW | 2,813 | 67.6 | Served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 72 % · winter 93 % · humidity 79 % |
| Candé | 49 | 443 km NW | 2,801 | 63.1 | Served | Cooler summers, similar winters.summer 67 % · winter 97 % |
| Saint-Jean-Brévelay | 56 | 571 km NW | 2,869 | 63.3 | Served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 41 % · winter 84 % · humidity 79 % |
| Taulé | 29 | 684 km NW | 2,914 | 55.2 | Partly served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 33 % · winter 82 % · humidity 79 % |
| Plouvorn | 29 | 692 km NW | 2,916 | 61.5 | Served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 31 % · winter 53 % · humidity 79 % |
Sort and compare these on the full list →
…and in much the same climate
The same match on size and services, narrowed to communes whose summers, winters and summer humidity are all close to Balbigny's. All three are required, so this section is absent for the 11.8 % of communes with no humidity station near enough to measure: two temperature axes alone cannot tell a muggy coast from a dry one.
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appoigny | 89 | 234 km N | 3,114 | 46.6 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 89 % · humidity 86 % |
| Crêches-sur-Saône | 71 | 67 km NE | 3,198 | 51.5 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 97 % · winter 99 % · humidity 86 % |
| Frangy | 74 | 137 km E | 2,262 | 62.2 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 95 % · humidity 93 % |
| Seyssel | 74 | 129 km E | 2,321 | 64.4 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 96 % · humidity 93 % |
| La Guerche-sur-l'Aubois | 18 | 158 km NW | 3,151 | 42.2 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 93 % · humidity 86 % |
| Chabris | 36 | 251 km NW | 2,740 | 60.8 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 89 % · humidity 93 % |
Elsewhere
Commune website · Wikipedia (en) ·Wikipedia (fr) · INSEE dossier complet · OpenStreetMap · Web search · Map
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/42011-balbigny