05.09.2026 12:00
In the town of Bourganeuf in France, which has a population of 2,300, approximately one in every seven people is of Turkish origin. The Turks began settling heavily in the town in the 1970s to work in the forestry sector, but the town's connection with Turkey dates back much further. In Bourganeuf, where Cem Sultan, the son of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, spent part of his exile years in the 15th century, the historic tower built for him still stands today.
The town of Bourganeuf, with a population of 2,300 in the Creuse region of France, stands out as one of Europe's most intriguing migration centers with its Turkish community comprising 15 percent of its population. In its streets, where Turkish conversations echo alongside French, the town's historical bond with Turks dates back to the 15th century, to Cem Sultan, the son of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who lived in exile here.
THE BASIS OF MIGRATION LIES IN FORESTRY WORK
The foundations of the half-century-long Turkish presence in Bourganeuf were laid with the labor agreement signed between Turkey and France in 1965. In line with the labor needs of the forestry and timber sector that developed in the Limousin region during the 1970s, workers migrated to the town from various rural parts of Turkey, particularly Cappadocia. Although labor migration halted in 1974, thanks to the family reunification law enacted in 1976, the town truly transformed into a permanent home for Turkish families.
ONE IN EVERY SEVEN PEOPLE IN THE TOWN IS TURKISH
The extent of the Turkish population in the town is now clearly reflected in demographic data. According to information shared by DITIB Association President Mehmet Şahin, citizens of Turkish origin constitute approximately 15 percent of the town's population of 2,300. This ratio means that one in every seven people living in the town is Turkish. The Turkish community, who initially came as workers, over time became an integral part of the town's economic and social structure by establishing their own companies in the forestry sector and acquiring property.
A 500-YEAR HISTORICAL BRIDGE FROM CEM SULTAN TO THE PRESENT
The relationship of the small French town with Turkey is not limited to the labor migration of the last 50 years. The fact that Cem Sultan, the son of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, spent part of his exile years in this town during the 15th century adds a distinct historical significance to Bourganeuf. The historical tower, which the French called "Zizim" and was specially built for Cem Sultan during that period, still stands tall today as one of the most important historical monuments in the town center. Turks who settled in the region to work five centuries later continue to keep this historical bridge alive today.