Asson

Asson () is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

Geography Asson is a large commune in the Ouzom Valley some 30 km south by south-east of Pau and 35 km east by south-east of Oloron-Sainte-Marie which almost completely surrounds the commune of Arthez-d'Asson. The south-eastern border of the commune is the border between the departments of Pyrenees-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. Access to the commune is by the D 35 road from Igon in the east which passes through the village and continues west to Bruges-Capbis-Mifaget. The D 36 road comes from Nay in the north to join the D 35 just west of the village. The D 126 road goes south from the village to Arthez-d'Asson. The D 226 branches from the D 126 and goes east by a circuitous route to Lestelle-Betharram. The southern half of the commune is mountainous and heavily forested while the north is farmland with scattered small patches of forest.Google Maps

The Pyrénées-Atlantiques Interurban Network of buses has a stop in the commune on route 810 from Lys to Pau

Hydrography The river Gave de Pau (Adour basin) and its tributaries the Ouzoum and the Béez flow through the commune.

The Ouzoum is fed in Asson by the Ruisseaux of Gerse, Turonnet, de Thouet, le Goulet, d'Incamps, de Berdoulat, and the Arrieucourt which forms the eastern border of the commune (itself fed by the Ruisseau de la Fontaine Béra), and the Hèche, Hau, and Gat. Paul Raymond mentioned in the 1863 dictionary on p. 168 another tributary of the Ouzoum called le Touchet which rose in Asson and Arthez-d'Asson.

The Béez is joined in the commune by the Ruisseaux of Landistou, Trubés (itself fed by the Ruisseau de Marlies), Toupiette, Arrouy, Mourté, Lacot (joined in the commune by the Ruisseau de la Sègue), Jupé, Picas, Coudé, and Soulens.

Places and hamlets

Arnaude Arrestouilh Arrioucourt Arrouaus Aubuchou Ausone Barrabourg Bascou Batailles Bélile Bellocq (Pass - 437 metres) Berdeu Berdoulat Berduc Bernadou Bernatas Betbeu Betcabe Betpède Bonnehon Bourdila Bourié Brau Brouquet Brune Busoc Cabalou Carache Cassagne Cassou Castella Castet Mauheit Castet-Oussès Catala Cayeré Cotbracq Cot de Hosse Les Courades La Courgue Les Crabes Crouseilles Dagues Donzelot Douasous Dourron Ermitage d'Asson Espagna (ruins) Espoune-Carbou Estradère Fradi Gabouil Galibet Le Garroc Blanc Gestou Gourgues (vale of) Grabot Gracié Guillamasse Herran Hourc Hourcségou Hourquet Labarrère (mill) Labat Labedays Labielle Lacoume Lalanne Lamothe Lanardonne Larban Larruhat Lartigue Lasque Latapie (bridge) Loustalot Luppé (château) Mandrou Mansiou Marcadet Massey Matocq Mesplé Milhet Monge Montguillalou Montguillet Jean Moulié Mounicou Nabarrà Naspret Nérios Nougué L’Oustau Pabine Palu Pédeprade Péré Peyrade Peyroutet Pladepousaux Pousaux Pradou Regourt Rouby Sanguinet Sanguinet (pass - 512 metres) Sarrailhé Sarraméda Sendou Teich (pass - 1034 metres) Teulère Thou Thouet Touyarou Trencade (pass - 1273 metres)

Géoportail, IGN

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy The commune name in béarnais is also Asson. Michel Grosclaude said that the name probably comes from the basque aitz/as ("rocky point") with the locative suffix -on, giving "place where there is a high point".

The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.

Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description Asson Assoo 11th century Raymond Saint-Pé Village Assonium 1100 Raymond Titles of Mifaget Villa quœ vocatur Asso 12th century Raymond Lescar Assun 13th century Raymond Fors de Béarn La vegarie d'Asson 1450 Raymond Cour Majour Saint-Martin d'Asson 1790 Raymond Asson Cassini Cassini Map 1750 Abère Abera 1546 Raymond Reformation Fief Arribabès Arribebes 1675 Raymond Reformation Hamlet Arribabès 1863 Raymond Arribarrouy Arribarroy 1675 Raymond Reformation Hamlet Arribarrouy 1863 Raymond Arribebot Arribebot 1675 Raymond Reformation Hamlet Arriutoulet Arriutoulet 1863 Raymond Hamlet Artigaux Artigaux 1863 Raymond A Hamlet in the area of the former commune of Lestelle Arrieucourt Arrioucourt A stream that rises in Asson and Igon and joins the Ouzom Arriucourbe 1863 Raymond Bataille L’ariu de Bathalhes 1501 Raymond Notaries of Nay A stream having its source in Asson and flowing to the Béez Le Bataillès 1863 Raymond Les Bengues Les Bengues 1675 Raymond Reformation Hamlet Brocq Brocq 1863 Raymond 36 Farm Cami L’ostau deu Cami 1385 Raymond Census Farm Cami 1863 Raymond Castet-Oussès Castet-Ousses 1863 Raymond The mountains between Asson and Arthez-d'Asson Claverie L'ostau de Claveria 1538 Raymond Reformation Fief Claverie 1863 Raymond Chemin de Clerguet lo cami Clargues 1536 Raymond Reformation A path that started at Clarac, crossed Asson and Igon, and was the border between Asson and Nay le cami Claragues 1536 Raymond Reformation of Béarn le grant camii aperat Clergues 1547 Raymond Reformation Chemin de Clerguet 1863 Raymond Couts-Dedans et Couts-Dehors Fore-Couts 1547 Raymond Reformation Hamlet Cootz 1581 Raymond Reformation of Béarn Dedans-couts et Fore-Couts 1675 Raymond Reformation Le chemin d’Estradère Le chemin d’Estradère 1863 Raymond A path that went from Asson to Arthez-d’Asson over the mountain La Fourcade La Fourcade 1863 Raymond Farm Grabot Martinet de Grabaud 1771 Raymond Intendance Ironworks Hermitage Lo Castet d'Assoo 1538 Raymond Reformation Ancient mound. Isaac Vergès of Nay built a monastery (Hermitage) on the mound in the 17th century la Bielle d'Asson 1675 Raymond Reformation Lalanne Lalanne 1863 Raymond Hamlet Larban Larban 1540 Raymond Reformation Farm Minvielle la maison noble de Mainvielle 1673 Raymond Reformation Fief of Asson, Vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn Palu Paluu 1385 Raymond Census Farm Palu 1863 Raymond Les Pandelles las Pandeles 1443 Raymond Cour Majour Farm Les Pandelles 1863 Raymond Subercaze la maison noble de Subercase 1684 Raymond Reformation Fief subject to the Viscounts of Béarn Les Pandelles 1863 Raymond

Sources

Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrénées, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrénées, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011 Grosclaude: Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, 2006 Michel Grosclaude, Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, Saint-Pé: Cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-PéPierre de Marca, History of Béarn Reformation: Reformation of BéarnManuscript from the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Lescar: Cartulary of LescarCartulary of the Bishop of Lescar, published in the proofs of the History of Béarn by Pierre de Marca Census: Census of BéarnManuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Fors de Béarn Intendance: Intendance of PauTitles of the intendance of Pau - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Cour Majour: Regulations of the Cour MajourCour Majour of Béarn, register manuscripts from the 15th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Notaries of NayDepartmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750Cassini Map 1750 - Asson

History Paul Raymond noted on p. 14 that before 1232 Asson was localised near the place called the Hermitage and that there was a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn.

The village signed a Charter of Emancipation on 4 January 1282Charter of Emancipation of Asson with the consent of Gaston VII, Viscount of Béarn.

In 1385, Asson had 57 fires and depended on the bailiwick of Nay.

Asson came under the Notary of Nay as did Angaïs, Arros, Arthez-d'Asson, Baliros, Baudreix, Bénéjacq, Beuste, Boeil, Bordères, Bosdarros, Clarac, Coarraze, Igon, Lagos, Lestelle, Mirepeix, Montaut, Nay, Pardies, and Saint-Abit.

Administration

List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name Party Position 1947 1989 Jean Labarrère General Councillor 1989 2008 Laurent Aubuchou-Aurioux UMP 2008 2014 Patrick Moura 2014 2026 Marc Canton UDI

Inter-communality The commune is part of five inter-communal structures:Intercommunality of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Cellule informatique préfecture 64, consulted on 23 April 2012 the Communauté de communes du Pays de Nay; the association for water and sanitation of Pays de Nay; the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; the inter-communal association of Gave de Pau; the joint association for the basin of the Gave de Pau;

Demography The inhabitants of the commune are known as Assonais in French.Pyrénées-Atlantiques, habitants.fr

Economy The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty and has protected geographical indications (PGI) namely: Tarbais haricots, Tomme des Pyrénées, Duck foie gras of the South-west, and Bayonne ham.

Culture and heritage The local language is occitan-gascon, called locally béarnais. A bilingual class offers courses in béarnais in the commune school from kindergarten to CM2.

Civil heritage There is a Metallic GlasshouseMinistry of Culture, Mérimée at Lalanne in the Asson zooThe Glasshouse on the commune website built in 1900.

The owners of the Château of AbèreThe Château of Abère on the commune website have been known since the 12th century.

Religious heritage

The Church of Saint-Martin, partially dating from the 15th century,The Church of Saint-Martin on the commune website contains a Triptych of the CrucifixionMinistry of Culture, Palissy from the 16th century.

Asson is a stage on the Chemin du piémont pyrénéen (or el cami deu pé de la coste), a secondary itinerary on the Way of St. James.Asson, Stage of the Chemin du Piémont on the commune website

Environmental heritage The Bétharram Caves The Grottes de Bétharram (Bétharram Caves) are a series of Caves located on the border between the departments of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. Their extent cover some of the communes of Asson and Lestelle-Bétharram in Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre in Hautes-Pyrénées. They can be explored on foot, by boat, or by a small train.

Asson Zoo Covering five hectares, Asson zoo displays a zoological collection composed of endangered or unusual species in zoos.

Mountains The following mountain peaks are found in the commune: The Castet-Ousset (718 metres) The Soum de Camlong (881 metres) The Céberi (891 metres) The Soum d’Arangou (892 metres) The Soum de la Bécole (947 metres) The Pène de la Hèche (1,326 metres) The Toupiettes (1,357 metres) The Soum de Martî-Peyras (1,464 metres) The Soume de Moulle (1,544 metres) The Peak of Monbula (1,583 metres)

Facilities

Éducation Asson has two primary schools (The école du Bourg and the école du Pont Latapie).

Sport Sports in Asson revolve around the Ladies Handball Championship of France, National 3.

See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department

External links Asson commune website Asson on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Aßon on the 1750 Cassini Map

References