Axat (; ''Atsat'' in

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language Occitan (; o ...

) 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

Aude Aude (; ) is a Departments of France, department in Southern France, located in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region and named after the river Aude (river), Aude. The departmental council also calls it "Ca ...

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

Occitanie Occitanie may refer to: *Occitania, a region in southern France called ''Occitanie'' in French *Occitania (administrative region) Occitania ( ; french: Occitanie ; oc, Occitània ; ca, Occitània ) is the southernmost administrative region of ...

region of southern

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 ''Axatois'' or ''Axatoises''.

Geography

Axat is located in

Cathar Catharism (; from the grc, καθαροί, katharoi, "the pure ones") was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France. Follow ...

country at the doors of the Aude

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...

some 45 km west by northwest of

Perpignan Perpignan (, , ; ca, Perpinyà ; es, Perpiñán ; it, Perpignano ) is the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France, in the heart of the plain of Roussillon, at the foot of the Pyrenees a few kilometres from the ...

and 10 km southeast of

Quillan Quillan (; Languedocien: ''Quilhan'') is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. On 1 January 2016, the former commune of Brenac was merged into Quillan.Belvianes-et-Cavirac Belvianes-et-Cavirac (; oc, Bèlvianes e Cavirac) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aude Departments of France, department in southern France. The journalist and writer Gaston Bonheur (1913–1980) was born in Belvianes. Population Se ...

in the north which passes east through the top of the commune and continues to

Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes (; ca, Caudiers de Fenollet; oc, Caudièrs de Fenolhet) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Localisation Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes is located in the canton of La Val ...

. Access to the village is by the D118 which branches from the D117 in the north of the commune and goes south to the village then continues south through the length of the commune before turning west to follow a mountain ridge to

Puyvalador Puyvalador (; ca, Puigbalador) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Puyvalador is in the canton of Les Pyrénées catalanes and in the arrondissement of Prades. Population See also *Commu ...

. The commune is alpine in nature with extensive forests and rugged terrain. The village is in a valley in the north of the commune.Google Maps
/ref> Axat is a pretty tourist town situated in the high valley of the Aude. Surrounded by mountains and gorges, the narrowest Gorge of Saint Georges is only 3 km away. The River Aude is in a picturesque setting and is a popular whitewater sports location. There are 300 metres of fly fishing stretches where the quality of oxygen in the water attracts salmon and trout. A privately owned tourist railway known as The Little Red Train (''Train du pays Cathare et du Fenouillèdes''), runs on part of the old

Carcassonne Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the ...

Rivesaltes Rivesaltes (; ca, Ribesaltes, which means the ''high shores'') is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Rivesaltes is in the canton of La Vallée de l'Agly and in the arrondissement of Perpignan. ...

via

Quillan Quillan (; Languedocien: ''Quilhan'') is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. On 1 January 2016, the former commune of Brenac was merged into Quillan.SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (; abbreviated as SNCF ; French for "National society of French railroads") is France's national state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the country's national rail traffi ...

railway line, from a station just west of the village. In summer it links Axat to Rivesaltes passing through

Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet (; Languedocien: ''Sant Pau de Fenolhet'') is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet is located in the canton of La Vallée de l'Agly and in the arrondi ...

with 60 km of track running over impressive viaducts and through tunnels on open-air carriages. The former track between Axat and Quillan no longer exists. The river

flows through the length of the commune from south to north then continues northwest at the start of its journey to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

. Many tributaries rise in the commune on both banks and flow into the Aude including the ''Ruisseau d'Artigues'' (which rises in Artigues), the ''Ruisseeau de Seilles'', and many other unnamed streams.

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

In ancient times the Aude basin did not belong to the

Sordones The Sordones were an ancient (Pre-Roman) people of the Iberian Peninsula (the Roman Hispania). They are believed to have spoken the Iberian language. Their territory was located in the Roussillon, in what is now the French département of Pyrén ...

but to other iron producers inhabiting Atax country: the ''Atacini'' who made swords as well as axes. The nearest village to the Sordones and part of the land occupied by the Aticini was called ''Axat'' and this name, which is a simple inversion of ''Atax'' marks the exact point of division between the two tribes of ''Sordones'' and ''Atacini''.

History

The Barony became a Marquisate in 1776 according to Eric Thiou and was extinguished in 1788. It became a courtesy title borrowed by ''Philippe du Puy de Clinchamps''.

Heraldry

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 547 inhabitants. Gorge de St-Georges

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

*A Viaduct built in 1900 *A Bridge

Religious heritage

The Church of the Assumption of Notre-Dame, built in 1630, contains a Statue: the Immaculate Conception (17th century) which is registered as an historical object The New Provisional Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects: *A Statue: Saint John the Evangelist (17th century) *A Statue: Virgin with pedestal (17th century) *A Painting: Saint Michel vanquishing the demon (18th century) *A Painting: The Assumption (18th century)

Local life

Sports

*Water activities:

rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

, whitewater swimming,

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...

*Axat Football Club, a soccer club founded in 1940. *Outdoor sports:

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

(walking, horse riding, mountain biking), climbing There is also an outdoor swimming pool which is open from June to September with great mountain views.

Notable people linked to the commune

*The Dax family, originally from

, have been linked to Axat since the middle of the 15th century, when its members were Lords of Axat. *Henri Rouzaud, born in Axat on 14 November 1855, died at

Narbonne Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in France, commune in Southern France in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region. It lies from Paris in the Aude Departments of Franc ...

on 17 July 1935, professor and politician *Albert Cauneille, norn on 4 October 1910 in Axat. He was twice a finalist in the 1932–33 French Rugby Union Championship. He played centre three-quarters (he was 1.72m tall and weighed 82 kg). Clubs: Carcassonne and Narbonne. *Henri Gleyzes, born on 18 May 1901 in Axat and died on 15 October 1969. He was a finalist in the 1924–25 French Rugby Union Championship with Carcassonne. He played wing three-quarter.Rugby website
*Patrick David, born on 3 May 1954 in Axat. Rugby player. He was a finalist in the 1976–77 French Rugby Union Championship with Perpignan. He played prop (he was 1.83m tall and 87 kg).