Arques (; ) is a commune in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region of southern France.
Geography Arques is located some 16 km east by south-east of Rodez and 6 km south of Laissac. Access to the commune is by road D29 from Agen-d'Aveyron in the north-west passing through the commune and the village and continuing south-east to Ségur. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Le Mazet in the eastern arm of the commune and Moulin Fabre and Recoules south of the village. Except for two forests in the north the commune is entirely farmland.Google Maps
The Ruisseau des Gardies rises in the north of the commune and flows south through the village joining the Viaur south of the village. The Ruisseau de Clauverhes rises in the north-east of the commune and flows south-east to join the Viaur south of the village. The Viaur river flows from the south-west through the southern part of the commune and forming part of the southern border before continuing west to the Barrage of Pont-de-Salars then continuing west to eventually join the Aveyron river at Saint-Martin-Laguépie.
Neighbouring communes and villages
Toponymy The word Arques derives from the Latin arx meaning "fortress".
History The lordship of Arques extended over the Palanges mountains and included the current commune of the same name plus two enclaves currently in the communes of Segur and Vézins-de-Lévézou. Arques is mentioned in a donation to the Abbey of Conques in 1079. It was later attached to the Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu. It was a dependency of the Lordship of Montrozier, under the Count of Rodez, then of the king.
Administration List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France
From To Name Party Position 1792 1793 Jean Clusel 1793 1796 Laurens Carrie 1796 1800 François Routaboul 1800 1805 Jean-Louis Fabre 1805 1836 Jean Clusel 1836 1837 Firmin Carrie 1837 1847 Jean Victor Clusel 1847 1848 Pierre François Gineste 1848 1870 Basile Gineste 1870 1876 Louis Poujade 1876 1892 Henri Marican 1892 1900 Casimir Fabre 1900 1904 Henri Marican 1904 1916 Basile Gineste 1916 1919 Joseph Amans 1919 1935 Marty Bru
Mayors from 1935
From To Name Party 1935 1965 Joseph Amans 1965 1976 Albert Gineste 1976 1977 Guy Gineste 1977 2022 Bernard Andrieu UMP then LR 2023 2026 Delphine Allié
Population The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arcasois or Arcasoises in French.Le nom des habitants du 12 - Aveyron, habitants.fr
Sites and Monuments
A Parish Church from the 16th century, a Bell-gable, and an altarpiece from the 17th century - gilded in the 18th century. A Bronze Bell (1755) is registered as a historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Palissy The Rives Viaur, a hilly site at the end of Lake Pont-de-Salars.
See also Communes of the Aveyron department
Bibliography Christian-Pierre Bedel (preface, Alain Pichon), Lo Pònt : Agenh, Arcas, Canet, Flavinh, Pradas, Tremolhas, Lo Vibal / Christian-Pierre Bedel e los estatjants del canton del Pònt, Rodez, Departmental Mission for culture, coll. "Al Canton", 1995, ill., cover ill.; 28 cm, 239 p. (, , Notice BnF No. FRBNF36688567g) (Occitan/French)
References
External links
Arques on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Argues on the 1750 Cassini Map