Aurons (; ) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France.
The commune has been awarded one flower by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom.Aureille in the Competition for Towns and Villages in Bloom
Geography Aurons is located in the heart of the Massif des Costes mountains some 6 km north-east of Salon-de-Provence. Access to the commune is by the D16 road from Salon-de-Provence which passes through the centre of the commune north of the village and continues north-east to Alleins. Access to the village is by the D68 road from Pélissanne in the south which passes through the village and joins the D16 just to the north of the village. Route No. 8 of the Libébus network serves the commune.Libébus website Large forests cover much of the commune but with some farming activity in the north and south.Google Maps
Tributaries of the Vabre rise in the north of the commune and flow west to join the Vabre. Other streams rise in the east of the commune and flows south.
Seismicity Following the decree of 14 May 1991 defining the seismic zoning of France, Bouches-du-Rhône was divided as follows:
Zone II with "average seismicity" for the cantons of: Lambesc, Peyrolles-en-Provence, and Salon-de-Provence; all three being in the Arrondissement of Aix-en-Provence Zone Ib with "low seismicity" for the cantons of Aix-en-Provence and Trets in the arrondissement of Aix-en-Provence, the cantons of Eyguières and Orgon in the Arrondissement of Arles, and the cantons of Berre-l'Étang, Istres-Nord, and Istres-Sud in the Arrondissement of Istres; Zone Ia with "very low seismicity" for all other cantons in the arrondissement of Aix-en-Provence, the cantons of: Arles-Est, Châteaurenard, and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in the arrondissement of Arles, the cantons of Marignane, Martigues-Est, and Martigues-Ouest in the arrondissement of Istres, and finally the canton of Roquevaire in the Arrondissement of Marseille Zone 0 with "negligible seismicity" for all others.
Climate Climate data below is for the weather station at Salon-de-Provence, 6 km to the south-west, for the period 1981–2010.
History
Middle Ages From the 12th to the 15th century the priory of Saint-Pierre de Canon belonged to the Abbey of Saint-André Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.Guy Barruol, Michèle Bois, Yann Codou, Marie-Pierre Estienne, and Élizabeth Sauze, "List of religious entities related to the Abbey of Saint-André from the 10th to the 13th century", in Guy Barruol, Roseline Bacon, and Alain Gérard (directors of publication), The Abbey of Saint-André de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, history, archaeology, influence, Inter-regional discussions in 1999 on the one thousand year anniversary of the founding of the Abbey Saint-André de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, Éd. Alpes de Lumières, Cahiers de Salagon No. 4, Mane, 2001, 448 p. ISSN 1254-9371, , p. 214
Arimondus of Auronis, squire, was Lord of Aurons. He was descended from an old family of knights that participated in the Pélissanne campaign in the 12th and 13th centuries.Coulet, Aix, p. 182-183 He must be differentiated from Squire Raymond d'Aurons, co-lord of Rognonas, who was a member of the family of Rostaing de Auronis, a squire attested in 1345,Coulet, directory, p. 5 and the noble Pierre de Auronis, co-lord of Aurons, who ceded his manorial rights to Arimondus in court in 1322.AD of series 13, B459, parchment, 22 February 1322 He was the son of Hugues de Auronis, the co-lord of Aurons, and had property in Pélissanne where he owned Montmajour Abbey. Aimondus had a son, Pierre de Auronis, alias "Luperiis".AD of series 13, B566, parchment ".
The death of Queen Joanna I of Naples created a crisis of succession for the County of Provence with the cities of the Union of Aix (1382-1387) supporting Charles de Duras against Louis I of Anjou. The Lord of Aurons, Raymond, rallied to the Angevins in 1385 after the death of Louis I.Geneviève Xhayet, Supporters and adversaries of Louis of Anjou during the war with the Union of Aix , Historic Provence, Fédération historique de Provence, volume 40, No. 162, "Author of the war of the Union of Aix", 1990, p. 412 (note 55)
French Revolution A Revolutionary Surveillance Committee was established in Aurons in 1793. It could not recruit the twelve members required by the decree of the National Convention and has several simple peasants and illiterates as members. This institution was a mark of the height of democracy of the Revolution. Illiterate members took part in the debates and in turn occupied the post of president. The committee, who were in charge of monitoring the implementation of laws and making lists of suspects, said there were no suspects in the town which was only populated by farmers.Jacques Guilhaumou and Martine Lapied, Peasants and politics under the French Revolution from the dossiers of the Surveillance Committees of Bouches-du-Rhône , Rives nord-méditerranéennes, May 2000
Heraldry
Administration
List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name Party 1960 2008 Maurice Merendol PS 2008 2014 Robert Coste 2014 2026 André Bertero PS
Population The inhabitants of the commune are known as Auronais or Auronaises in French.Le nom des habitants du 13 - Bouches-du-Rhône, habitants.fr
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage The commune has many buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
A Farmhouse (1) (16th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse (2) (17th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Lavoir (Public laundry) (1887)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A House on Grande RueMinistry of Culture, Mérimée An Olive Oil Mill (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Aurons VillageMinistry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at La Reinaude (16th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Petit Sonailler (1651)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at La Giraude (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Grand Sonailler (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Sheep Shed at Vallon de Jeanette (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Sheep Shed at La Grand Font (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Fortified Chateau at Le Castellas (9th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Le Chateau (destroyed) (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Megalith (Prehistoric)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Lavoir (Public laundry) at Vallon de Léoure (destroyed)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Religious heritage
The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments: A Presbytery (17th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Monastery Saint-Pierre (13th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Chapel Saint-Martin (13th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Parish Church (17th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Monumental Cross at La Grand Fond (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Monumental Cross at l'Arénier (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
See also Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
References
External links Aurons official website Massif des Costes website Aurons on the old IGN website Aurons on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Aurons on the 1750 Cassini Map