Avernes-sous-Exmes (, literally Avernes under Exmes) is a former commune in the Orne department in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Gouffern en Auge.Arrêté préfectoral 6 October 2016
Geography
Toponymy The name was originally Auvernes in C.1335 and Avernes in 1373. The commune was called this until 1830, where by decree, it became Avernes-sous-Exmes to distinguish it from the Avernes close to Vimoutiers which at the same time became Avernes-Saint-Gourgon.
According to Albert Dauzat, it may derive from the Gaulish areverno or a toponymic type similar to the Latin Averna, whereas René Lepelley identifies the Germanic afisna ("pasture") as the source, as with Avesnes; the 's' would have shifted to 'r' here, a phenomenon frequently observed in French phonetics. Old English contains the term æfesn("pasture"), derived from Common Germanic.
History The last lord was Jean-Jacques, count of Beausobre and marquis of Brisseuil, lord of Grébert, La Folie,Les Basses Londes etc. by special royal permission. He was born on the 15 March 1704, and was Marechal de Camp and lieutenant-general in the army. He retired and died at the Château de Brisseuil.
In 1821, in Avernes-sous-Exmes there were 252 inhabitants and in Grebert there were 120.
Politics and Administration StartEndNamePartyProfession1919after 1954Robert SoretMarch 1965June 1995René LorphelinFarmer, Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit (1972)June 1995March 2001Pierre BesnardFarmerMarch 2001March 2008Marcel PacoryIndependentDairy controllerMarch 2008December 2016Claudine PoinsignonIndependent The municipal council consisted of seven members, including the mayor and two deputy mayors.
Demographics In 2023, the commune had 81 residents which was 1.25% from 2017. In 1841, Avernes-sous-Exmes had just 314 inhabitants and now it is the least populated commune in the Canton d'Exmes.
Places and Monuments
The church of Saint-Leger A seigneurial castle Ancien Manoir des Loges
Notable people
Louis-Stanislas de Colleville, a doctor and archaeologist from the area born at the Manior des Loges. Léon Bazalgette, a writer and journalist and the first biographer and translater of Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau.
Heraldry Source:
See also Communes of the Orne department
References