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 Atlant ...
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 ...
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 ...
.
Geography
Athos-Aspis is located immediately to the north-west of
Sauveterre-de-Béarn
Sauveterre-de-Béarn (, literally ''Sauveterre of Béarn''; oc, Sauvatèrra; eu, Salbaterra Bearno) is a medieval village perched above the Gave d'Oloron and facing the Pyrenees in south-western France. It is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atl ...
and just east of
Abitain
Abitain (; eu, Abitaine) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
The inhabitants are known as ''Abitainois'', or ''Abitaonoises''.
Geography
Location
Abitain is bordered ...
. Access to the commune is by the D27 road from Sauveterre-de-Béarn passing through the east of the commune and going north to Oraas. Access to the village can be by several country roads from the D27 including Arriouteque going to Lespitaou and also the Village road. Apart from the village there is the hamlet of Aspis in the south of the commune. There are significant forests in the east of the commune with the rest farmland.Google Maps /ref>
The
Gave d'Oloron
The Gave d'Oloron is a river of south-western France near the border with Spain. It takes its name from the city Oloron-Sainte-Marie, where it is formed from the rivers Gave d'Aspe and Gave d'Ossau. It joins the Gave de Pau in Peyrehorade to fo ...
forms the whole southern and eastern borders of the commune as it flows north to join the
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 ...
at
Peyrehorade
Peyrehorade (; oc, Pèirahorada) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises ...
. The ''Arriouyeque'' flows from the east of the commune through the centre to join the Gave d'Oloron on the western border. The ''Ruisseau de Rance'' rises just east of the commune and flows south-west to join the Arriouteque. The ''Arrec Heure'' forms most of the northern border of the commune as it flows west to join the Gave d'Oloron at the north-western corner of the commune.
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 ...
Toponymy
The commune name in béarnais is ''Atos-Aspins''.
For ''Athos''
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 ...
proposed the patronym ''Ato'' with the Aquitaine suffix ''-ossum''. For ''Aspis''
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 ...
proposed a Gascon etymology ''es pins'' meaning "the pines".
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 ( ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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''.
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''
*Cartulary:
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-Jean de SordeCartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Jean de Sorde published in extracts in the proofs of the ''History of Béarn'' by
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 ...
*Notaries: Notaries of
Labastide-Villefranche
Labastide-Villefranche (; eu, Bastidaxarre; oc, La Bastida) 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 comm ...
Notaries of
Labastide-Villefranche
Labastide-Villefranche (; eu, Bastidaxarre; oc, La Bastida) 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 comm ...
in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
*Census: Census of BéarnManuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
*Reformation: Reformation of BéarnManuscript from the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
History
Paul Raymond noted on page 16 that in 1385 Athos had 19
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 of Sauveterre as did the fief of Aspis as noted on page 15.
The villages of Athos and Aspis were united into one commune on 10 January 1842.
During the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
the Priest at Athos was murdered in his church and the village adopted the new ideas.
Athos is the birthplace of
Athos
Athos may refer to:
Fictional or mythical characters
* Athos (character), one of the title characters in the novel ''The Three Musketeers'' (1844) by Alexandre Dumas père
* Athos (mythology), one of the Gigantes in Greek mythology
* Athos Fadiga ...
, one of the title characters in the novel ''
The Three Musketeers
''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight ...
'' by
Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...
. The fictional Athos is named after the historical musketeer Armand de Sillègue d'Athos d'Autevielle (1615–1644), youngest son of Adrien de Sillègue, Lord of Athos and Autevielle. Autevielle is another nearby village in the commune of
Autevielle-Saint-Martin-Bideren
Autevielle-Saint-Martin-Bideren (; oc, Autivièla, Sent Martin e Vidèren; eu, Autile) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
Geography
Autevielle-Saint-Martin-Bideren i ...
.
Administration
List of Successive Mayors
Inter-communality
The commune is part of five inter-communal structures:Intercommunality of Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Cellule informatique préfecture 64, consulted on 7 July 2012
* the inter-communal centre for social action of Sauveterre-de-Béarn;
* the Communauté de communes du Béarn des Gaves;
* the inter-communal association for rivers and of Saleys;
* the AEP association of Sauveterre-de-Béarn;
* the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
Demography
In 2017 the commune had 211 inhabitants.
From 1793 to 1836 the communes of Athos and Aspis were separate but the above table shows the total for both communes during that period.
Economy
Economic activity is mainly agricultural. 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 bou ...
(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 B ...
.
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage
There are the houses of Lascampagnes, the consul Gourlat, and of Bouchoô the place where Monsigneur Bouchoô was born.
Aspis has a château from the 14th century facing the Gave d'Oloron with a terrace and a door to the garden. There is also the site of an old church and the old school.
At Athos there is a church of Romanesque origin in the old fief of ''Moliède d'Athos'' where there was a well-known ferry and ruins of a mill.
Religious heritage
The Church of Saint-Pierre is of Romanesque origin and contains a
renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
stoup
A holy water font or stoup is a vessel containing holy water which is generally placed near the entrance of a church. It is often placed at the base of a crucifix or religious representation. It is used in the Catholic Church, Anglican Churches ...
and a Statue on the Virgin in coloured wood. Behind the
Altar
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...
is the tomb of Jeanne du Peyrer "Lady of Athos and Aspis" and mother of the musketeer. The renaissance door has a stone carving from the 14th century upside down (it was probably a stone that was reused).
The cemetery has the tomb of the design engineer of the Sauveterre bridge and also that of Edmond Gourlat, consul of France and local personality.
Notable people linked to the commune
The birth of the musketeer
Athos
Athos may refer to:
Fictional or mythical characters
* Athos (character), one of the title characters in the novel ''The Three Musketeers'' (1844) by Alexandre Dumas père
* Athos (mythology), one of the Gigantes in Greek mythology
* Athos Fadiga ...
in the commune is debatable. A plaque near the church says that he was born in the Lassalle house where only parts of walls remain but the village of Autevielle also claims his birth in the fortified house of ''Moliède d'Athos'' which has some remains of strong walls.
Athos was the birthplace of Jean-Baptiste Boucho, born in the Bouchoô house in 1797, French
Apostolic vicar
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Chur ...