Saint-Germain-Laval
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink.
Partly served 55.9/100 · confidence: high· Better served than 87 % of the {n|commune|communes} of a similar size.
Identity
Saint-Germain-Laval (INSEE 42230) is in Loire (42), part of CC des Vals d'Aix et Isable. Population 1,608 (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 2026-10-25 · DATAtourisme 2026-10-22.
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/42230-saint-germain-laval
Vitality score
Vitality score 55.9/100 — Partly served (model fr-v0.2).
Confidence: high.
Better served than 87 % of the 11,123 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 | 0.47 | 25 | 11.83 |
| Social | 0.63 | 20 | 12.58 |
| Education | 0.63 | 10 | 6.32 |
| Health | 0.51 | 10 | 5.13 |
| Public & culture | 0.39 | 5 | 1.97 |
| Population trend | 0.56 | 10 | 5.65 |
| Housing mix | 0.8 | 5 | 4 |
Services
What is here, at a glance
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink. [3,4]
1 × Bakery (boulangerie) (LES GOURMANDISES). [3,4]
1 × Butcher (boucherie) (AU SANGLIER DU FOREZ). [3,4]
2 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette) (LE VAL D AIX · VIVAL). [3,4]
1 × Supermarket (INTERMARCHE). [3,4]
4 × Restaurant (CARREY SYLVIANE · PIZZ A DEUX · LA MELEE · CUISIN' & PARTAGE). [3,4]
1 × Café / bar. [4]
2 × Primary school (élémentaire) (ECOLE PRIMAIRE RUE DES ECOLES · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PRIVEE LES MARRONNIERS). [3]
1 × Collège (COLLEGE PAPIRE MASSON). [3]
2 × GP (médecin généraliste) (PHILIPPE CROIZIER, MÉDECIN · ÉMILIE DEPOUILLY-DUCREUX, MÉDECIN). [3]
1 × Pharmacy (PHARMACIE DE SAINT GERMAIN LAVAL). [3,4]
1 × Post office / agence postale (SAINT GERMAIN LAVAL AP). [3]
1 × Library (MEDIATHEQUE DES VALS D'AIX ET ISABLE). [3]
1 × Gym / sports hall (SALLE DES SPORTS). [3]
1 × Bank (CAISSE EPARGNE PREVO LOIRE DROME ARDECHE). [3]
4 × Hairdresser (VIRGINIE COIFFURE · SALON MARIL ET CLO). [3,4]
1 × Fuel station (STATION SERVICE). [3]
1 × Hotel (HOTEL DES VOYAGEURS). [3,4]
1 × Campsite (CAMP MUNICIPAL CAMPING). [3,4]
Not counted, because the business register records them as closed: 2 × Bakery (boulangerie), 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) | 1 | LES GOURMANDISES | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Butcher (boucherie) | 1 | AU SANGLIER DU FOREZ | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 1 [3,4] |
| Grocery (épicerie / supérette) | 2 | LE VAL D AIX · VIVAL | INSEE BPE 2 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Supermarket | 1 | INTERMARCHE | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 1 [3,4] |
| Cheese shop (fromagerie) | 0 | INSEE SIRENE 0 [4] | |
| Fishmonger | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3,4] | |
| Restaurant | 4 | CARREY SYLVIANE · PIZZ A DEUX · LA MELEE · CUISIN' & PARTAGE | INSEE BPE 4 / INSEE SIRENE 7 [3,4] |
| Café / bar | 1 | INSEE SIRENE 1 [4] | |
| Nursery school (maternelle) | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Primary school (élémentaire) | 2 | ECOLE PRIMAIRE RUE DES ECOLES · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PRIVEE LES MARRONNIERS | INSEE BPE 2 [3] |
| Collège | 1 | COLLEGE PAPIRE MASSON | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| GP (médecin généraliste) | 2 | PHILIPPE CROIZIER, MÉDECIN · ÉMILIE DEPOUILLY-DUCREUX, MÉDECIN | INSEE BPE 2 [3] |
| Pharmacy | 1 | PHARMACIE DE SAINT GERMAIN LAVAL | 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 | SAINT GERMAIN LAVAL AP | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Library | 1 | MEDIATHEQUE DES VALS D'AIX ET ISABLE | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Cinema | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Gym / sports hall | 1 | SALLE DES SPORTS | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Swimming pool | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Bank | 1 | CAISSE EPARGNE PREVO LOIRE DROME ARDECHE | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Hairdresser | 4 | VIRGINIE COIFFURE · SALON MARIL ET CLO | INSEE BPE 4 / INSEE SIRENE 5 [3,4] |
| Fuel station | 1 | STATION SERVICE | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3] |
| Hotel | 1 | HOTEL DES VOYAGEURS | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 1 [3,4] |
| Campsite | 1 | CAMP MUNICIPAL CAMPING | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 3 [3,4] |
Market and village life
Weekly market (reported, unverified): Wednesday 8h à 12h place de Verdun. [5]
Trajectory
Population 1,661 (2012) → 1,608 (2023): -3.2 % over 10 years. [6,1]
Population 1,510 (1990) → 1,608 (2023): 6.5 % over 30 years. [7,1]
Dwellings (2023): 1,082, of which 10 % second homes and 19.3 % vacant. [8]
Access and surroundings
Which way the everyday services lie
Bakery (Saint-Germain-Laval): 0.2 km to the north (straight line). [9]
Food shop (Saint-Germain-Laval): 0.2 km to the north-east (straight line). [9]
GP (Saint-Germain-Laval): 0.4 km to the north-east (straight line). [9]
Pharmacy (Saint-Germain-Laval): 0.4 km to the north-east (straight line). [9]
Primary school (Saint-Germain-Laval): 0.2 km to the west (straight line). [9]
Climate
Where this sits nationally
An average of 18 days a year at or above 30 °C and 63 days at or below 0 °C, over 26 complete years in 1995–2024. [10]
Measured at the ST GERMAIN LAVA weather station, 0.9 km away at 435 m; the village itself is at 435 m. [10]
Muggy days — a dew point at or above 18 °C — average 2 days a summer. [10]
Humidity measured at BOEN SUR LIGNON, 8.2 km away at 448 m, over 19 summers. [10]
An average of 721 mm of rain a year, spread over 107 days — about 6.7 mm on a day it rains. [10]
Rainfall measured at ST GERMAIN LAVA, 0.9 km away at 435 m. Rainfall is not adjusted for altitude: unlike temperature it has no simple gradient to correct by. [10]
Uncertainties
The market day comes from the commune's own website and has not been confirmed by a second source. [5]
References
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42230/2023
- INSEE density grid 2026
- INSEE BPE 2025
- INSEE SIRENE 2026-09
- Commune website 2026-10— http://www.st-germain-laval.fr/vie-locale/marche-hebdomadaire/— “Tous les mercredis de 8h à 12h”(unverified)
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42230/2012
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42230/1990
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 42230/logement/2023
- INSEE BPE 2025 — 42230
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monségur | 33 | 335 km W | 1,579 | 57.5 | Partly served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 77 % · winter 59 % · humidity 64 % |
| Henrichemont | 18 | 200 km NW | 1,721 | 57.6 | Partly served | Similar summers, milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 68 % · humidity 100 % |
| Chabanais | 16 | 255 km W | 1,589 | 57 | Partly served | Similar summers, milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 100 % · winter 72 % · humidity 79 % |
| Jussey | 70 | 265 km NE | 1,558 | 61.7 | Served | Warmer summers and colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 85 % · winter 74 % · humidity 100 % |
| Lieurey | 27 | 461 km NW | 1,465 | 55.4 | Partly served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 74 % · winter 72 % · humidity 93 % |
| Champlitte | 70 | 229 km NE | 1,585 | 52.5 | Partly served | Similar summers, colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 84 % · humidity 100 % |
Order by distance instead
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henrichemont | 18 | 200 km NW | 1,721 | 57.6 | Partly served | Similar summers, milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 68 % · humidity 100 % |
| Champlitte | 70 | 229 km NE | 1,585 | 52.5 | Partly served | Similar summers, colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 84 % · humidity 100 % |
| Chabanais | 16 | 255 km W | 1,589 | 57 | Partly served | Similar summers, milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 100 % · winter 72 % · humidity 79 % |
| Jussey | 70 | 265 km NE | 1,558 | 61.7 | Served | Warmer summers and colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 85 % · winter 74 % · humidity 100 % |
| Monségur | 33 | 335 km W | 1,579 | 57.5 | Partly served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 77 % · winter 59 % · humidity 64 % |
| Lieurey | 27 | 461 km NW | 1,465 | 55.4 | Partly served | Cooler summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 74 % · winter 72 % · humidity 93 % |
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 Saint-Germain-Laval'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Mayet-de-Montagne | 03 | 38 km NW | 1,383 | 63.6 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 97 % · winter 95 % · humidity 100 % |
| Montmarault | 03 | 98 km NW | 1,525 | 60.5 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 95 % · winter 85 % · humidity 93 % |
| Corbigny | 58 | 161 km N | 1,327 | 71.4 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 99 % · humidity 100 % |
| Châteauponsac | 87 | 214 km W | 2,034 | 48.5 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 95 % · winter 99 % · humidity 100 % |
| Felletin | 23 | 142 km W | 1,577 | 56.2 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 87 % · winter 85 % · humidity 93 % |
| Prémery | 58 | 158 km N | 1,734 | 50.7 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 97 % · winter 96 % · humidity 93 % |
Elsewhere
Commune website · Wikipedia (en) ·Wikipedia (fr) · INSEE dossier complet · OpenStreetMap · Web search · Map
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/42230-saint-germain-laval