Abos (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
Geography
Location Abos is located 15 km north-west of Pau and 20 km southeast of Lescar, on the left bank of the Gave de Pau which is the north east boundary of the commune. Highway D2 (Route de Pau) passes through the commune; however, this route bypasses the village and Route D2002 must be taken to enter the village. The southeastern boundary of the commune is formed by Highway D229 (Chateau d'Abos).Google Maps
Hydrography The commune is located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, with the Gave de Pau in the northeast and a number of streams in the commune feed into the La Baise river (and its tributary, the old channel of the mill, itself fed by the Arrious Brook) and Juscle.
Localities and hamlets Bagneres Cap de Castel Chateau of Abos Idernes Le Moulin d'en Bas Le Moulin d'en Haut Peyré Saint-Laurent Géoportail, IGN
Toponymy The name Abos is mentioned in 1116 and 1234Michel Grosclaude, Topnymical Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Ed. Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, , page 192 (Pierre de MarcaAccording to Pierre de Marca, History of Béarn) and in the 13th centuryTopographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011, p. 2 (Fors de BéarnManuscript of the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques ).
It also appears in the forms: Abossium (1345, Notaries of PardiesNotaries of Pardies - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques ) Abos (1385, census of Béarn) Abous (1538, Reformation of BéarnManuscript of the 16th to the 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques ) Abos (1630 Pierre de Marca and in 1750 on the Cassini Map.Cassini Map 1750 - Abos
Michel Grosclaude proposed a Latin etymology of Avus with the aquitaine suffix -ossum.
The commune name in Béarnais is Abòs (according to the conventional standard of Occitan).
Aubrun was a farm in Abos which was mentioned in 1538 as La boyrie aperade d'Aubrun,Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 16 Reformation of Béarn B. 637 in the 1863 dictionary.
Cap de Castel is a hamlet in Abos mentioned by the dictionary in 1863.Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 41
Paul Raymond said in 1863 that the Chateau of Abos or Castet-d'Abos, was a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn.Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 45
Donadon was a fief under the Viscounts of Béarn, mentioned in 1538Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 57 (reformation of Béarn).
The fief of Idernes was a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn and appeared in the forms: Ydernas and Ydernes (1538 and 1546 respectively,Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 81 reformation of Béarn).
Maucor was a fief of Abos, cited with the spelling of L'ostau de Maucoo in 1385Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 110 in the Census of Béarn. This fief was a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn then restored to the Bailiwick of Lagor and Pardies as was Saint Jean, another fief of Abos, also mentioned in 1385Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 149 (Census of Béarn) in the form of L'ostau de Sent-Johan d'Abos.
Saint-Laurent, a hamlet and fief of Abos under the Viscounts of Béarn, was also restored to the Bailiwick of Lagor and Pardies. It was mentioned in the forms Sent-Laurentz d'Abos (1343,Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 150 Notaries of Pardies) and Saint-Laurens d'Abos (1674, Reformation of Béarn ).
History Paul Raymond noted that the commune had a Lay Abbey a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn and in 1385, Abos depended on the bailiwick of Lagos and Pardies with 49 fires.
The Lord of Abos was of the first rank after the Barons (called ruffebaron) of Béarn.
Heraldry
Administration
List of Successive Mayors of AbosList of Mayors of France From To Name Party 1995 2014 Jean-Marie Cazalère 2014 2026 Jean-Pierre Cazalère DVD
Inter-communality The town is a member of nine inter-communal organisations: the community of communes of Lacq-Orthez SIVU for the development and management of the river basin of the baïse AEP union for the Gave and the baïse; sanitation union of the communes of the valleys of Juscle and Baise Energy union for the Pyrenees-Atlantiques; inter-communal union of Monein; inter-communal union for defence against flooding of the Gave de Pau inter-communal union for forestry management for Gabe-Baise the inter-communal union for educational regrouping for Abos and Tarsacq
Population
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Abosiens or Abosiennes in French.Pyrénées-Atlantiques, habitants.fr
Economy The commune is part of the Jurançon AOC and Béarn AOC vineyard regions. Activity in the commune is mainly agricultural (livestock and corn).
The commune is also part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone designation of Ossau-Iraty cheese.
Culture and Heritage
Religious Heritage The Church of Saint John the BaptistMinistry of Culture, Mérimée dates to the 19th century.
Facilities The town has a primary school.
Notable people linked to the commune Didier Courrèges is a French horseman, a former high level event rider (CCE) and a member of the Cadre Noir - elite instructors at the National Riding School of Saumur. He now lives in Abos.
See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
References
External links
Abos on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Abos on the 1750 Cassini Map