Asson () is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atlanti ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by t ...

region of south-western

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Assonais''.

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 Oloron-Sainte-Marie (; oc, Auloron e Senta Maria; eu, Oloroe-Donamaria) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Aquitaine), southwestern France. History The town was founded by the ...

which almost completely surrounds the commune of

Arthez-d'Asson Arthez-d'Asson ( oc, Artés d'Asson) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arthéziens'' or ''Arthéziennes'' Geography Arthe ...

. The south-eastern border of the commune is the border between the departments of Pyrenees-Atlantiques and

Hautes-Pyrénées Hautes-Pyrénées (; Gascon/Occitan: ''Nauts Pirenèus / Hauts Pirenèus'' awts piɾeˈnɛʊs es, Altos Pirineos; ca, Alts Pirineus alts piɾiˈneʊs English: Upper Pyrenees) is a department in the region of Occitania, southwestern France. ...

. Access to the commune is by the D 35 road from

Igon Igon (; oc, Aigon) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in southwestern France. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques depart ...

in the east which passes through the village and continues west to

Bruges-Capbis-Mifaget Bruges-Capbis-Mifaget is a Communes of France, commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departments of France, department in southwestern France. People from the commune are called "brugeois"'. Geography Bruges-Capbis-Mifaget is situated on of ...

. 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
/ref> 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 The Gave de Pau () is a river of south-western France. It takes its name from the city of Pau, through which it flows. The river is long ( including the Gaves réunis), and its source is at the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees mountains. The ...

(

Adour The Adour (; eu, Aturri; oc, Ador) is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre (Pyrenees), in the commune of Aspin-Aure, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay) near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost ca. i ...

basin) and its tributaries the

Ouzoum The Ouzoum or Ouzom (/ uzũ /) is a left tributary of the Gave de Pau, in the Southwest of France, between the Génie longue and the Béez. It is long. It flows into the Gave in Nay, upstream from Pau. Name Historical graphies were oscilla ...

and the

Béez The Béez,also known as ''Béès'' or ''Bez'' is a left tributary of the Gave de Pau, in Béarn (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), in the Southwest of France. It flows into the Gave de Pau upstream from Pau, between the Ouzoum and the Luz. It is long. ...

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

. 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 ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

The commune name in béarnais is also ''Asson''.

Michel Grosclaude Michel Grosclaude (; oc, Miquèu; 1926–2002) was a philosopher and French linguist, and an author of works on grammar, lexicography and Occitan onomastics. Biography Born on 8 July 1926 in Nancy at (Meurthe-et-Moselle). He was the son of ...

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. ;Sources: *

Raymond Raymond is a male given name. It was borrowed into English from French (older French spellings were Reimund and Raimund, whereas the modern English and French spellings are identical). It originated as the Germanic ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᛗᚢᚾᛞ ( ...

: ''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

, ''Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn'', Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, *Saint-Pé:

Cartulary A cartulary or chartulary (; Latin: ''cartularium'' or ''chartularium''), also called ''pancarta'' or ''codex diplomaticus'', is a medieval manuscript volume or roll (''rotulus'') containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the fo ...

of the Abbey of Saint-Pé

Pierre de Marca Pierre de Marca (24 January 1594 – 29 June 1662) was a French bishop and historian, born at Gan in Béarn of a family distinguished in the magistracy. His family was known among judicial circles in the 16th century, and maintained the ...

, ''History of Béarn'' *Reformation: Reformation of BéarnManuscript from the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques *Lescar: Cartulary of

Lescar Lescar (; oc, Lescar) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. Lescar is the site of the Roman city known variously as Benearnum, Beneharnum or Civitas Benarnensium, the loca ...

Cartulary of the

Bishop of Lescar The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lescar (Latin: ''Dioecesis Lascurrensis;'' French language, French: ''Diocèse de Lescar''; Basque language, Basque: ''Leskarreko elizbarrutia''), in south-western France, was founded in the fifth century, and contin ...

, published in the proofs of the ''History of Béarn'' by

*Census: Census of BéarnManuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques *

Fors de Béarn The Fors de Bearn, or fueros of Béarn, are a series of legal texts (privileges, rulings, judicial sentences, decrees, formularies) compiled over centuries (mostly the eleventh to thirteenth) in the Viscounty of Béarn. Together they formed th ...

*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 The Cassini Map or Academy's Map is the first topographic and geometric map made of the Kingdom of France as a whole. It was compiled by the Cassini family, mainly César-François Cassini (Cassini III) and his son Jean-Dominique Cassini (Ca ...

from 1750Cassini Map 1750 - Asson
/ref>

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 Lay may refer to: Places *Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada *Lay, Loire, a French commune *Lay (river), France * Lay, Iran, a village *Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community People * Lay (surname) * ...

, vassal of the

Viscounts of Béarn The viscounts of Béarn (Basque: ''Bearno'', Gascon: ''Bearn'' or ''Biarn'') were the rulers of the viscounty of Béarn, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinc ...

. The village signed a

Charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...

Emancipation Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure economic and social rights, political rights or equality, often for a specifically disenfranchis ...

on 4 January 1282 with the consent of

Gaston VII, Viscount of Béarn Gaston VII de Montcada ( la, Guasto de Biarde) (1225 – 26 April 1290), called ''Froissard'', was the twentieth Viscount of Béarn from 1229. He was the son and heir of Guillermo II de Montcada and of Garsenda, daughter of Alfonso II of Provence ...

. In 1385, Asson had 57

fires Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are pr ...

and depended on the

bailiwick A bailiwick () is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and once also applied to territories in which a privately appointed bailiff exercised the sheriff's functions under a royal or imperial writ. The bailiwick is probably modelled on th ...

of Nay. Asson came under the Notary of Nay as did

Angaïs Angaïs (; oc, Angais, ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departments of France, department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Angaïsais'' or ''A ...

, Arros,

Baliros Baliros is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Balirosiens'' or ''Balirosiennes''. Geography Baliros is located some 12 k ...

Baudreix Baudreix ( oc, Baudreish) is a Communes of France, commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departments of France, department in southwestern France. It is located about 14 km southeast of Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Pau, on the Gave de Pau ri ...

, Bénéjacq,

Beuste Beuste () is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in southwestern France. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of Fra ...

, Boeil,

Bordères Bordères (; oc, Bordèras) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. Personalities It is the birthplace of French politician François Bayrou. See also *Co ...

Bosdarros Bosdarros (; oc, Lo Bòsc d'Arròs) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in southwestern France. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 communes of the Pyrénées-At ...

, Clarac,

Coarraze Coarraze (; oc, Coarrasa) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It lies in the former province of Béarn. Due to its proximity to the town of Nay it is often normally referred to with the double b ...

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

, Lestelle,

Mirepeix Mirepeix (; oc, Mirapeish) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques ...

, Montaut, Nay,

Pardies Pardies (; oc, Pardias) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. Geography Neighbouring communes *North-East: Artix *North-West: Os-Marsillon *East: Bésingrand *West: Noguères *South-East: Parbays ...

, and

Saint-Abit Saint-Abit is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of ...

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Inter-communality

The commune is part of five inter-communal structures: * 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

In 2017 the commune had 2,031 inhabitants.

Economy

The commune is part of the

Appellation d'origine contrôlée An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

(AOC) zone of

Ossau-iraty Ossau-Iraty is an Occitan-Basque cheese made from sheep milk. Origin Ossau-Iraty or Esquirrou is produced in south-western France, in the Northern Basque Country and in Béarn. Its name reflects its geographical location, the Ossau Valley in Bé ...

and has ''protected geographical indications'' (PGI) namely: Tarbais haricots,

Tomme des Pyrénées Tomme des Pyrénées is a mild French rustic cheese, sometimes prepared covered with a thin skin of black or brownish wax. In January, 2021, it was ascribed protected geographical indication certification and protection, which links the cheese t ...

, Duck foie gras of the South-west, and

Bayonne ham Bayonne ham or is a cured ham that takes its name from the ancient port city of Bayonne in the far southwest of France, a city located in both the cultural regions of Basque Country and Gascony. It has PGI status. Production The area conc ...

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 Glasshouse at Lalanne in the Asson zoo built in 1900. The owners of the Château of Abère have been known since the 12th century.

Religious heritage

The Church of Saint-Martin, partially dating from the 15th century, contains a

Triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek language, Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) t ...

of the Crucifixion 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 The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the Twelve Apostle ...

.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

Cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

s located on the border between the departments of

and

. :Their extent cover some of the communes of Asson and

Lestelle-Bétharram Lestelle-Bétharram is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. History In 1832, St. Michel Garicoits established the Society of Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram. On 5 July 1940, Carl Einstein, Germ ...

in Pyrénées-Atlantiques and

Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France. Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre station has rail connections to Bayonne, Bordeaux, Tarbes and Pau. See also *Communes of the Hautes-Pyrénées department An ...

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.

References

{{Authority control Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiques