Asson


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 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 which almost completely surrounds the commune of Arthez-d'Asson. The south-eastern border of the commune is the border between the departments of Pyrenees-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. Access to the commune is by the D 35 road from Igon in the east which passes through the village and continues west to Bruges-Capbis-Mifaget. 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.
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques Interurban Network of buses has a stop in the commune on route 810 from Lys to Pau

Hydrography

Located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, Asson has the Gave de Pau on a short section of the north-eastern border, a tributary of the Adour, and is traversed by its tributaries the Ouzoum and the Béez.
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, 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 Arthez-d'Asson.
The Béez is joined in the commune by the Ruisseaux of Landistou, Trubés, Toupiette, Arrouy, Mourté, Lacot, Jupé, Picas, Coudé, and Soulens.

Places and hamletshttp://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/accueil?c=-0.2539,43.1414&z=7.92265E-5&l=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.3D$GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS@aggregate(1)&l=ADMINISTRATIVEUNITS.BOUNDARIES$GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&permalink=yes Géoportail, IGN">Institut géographique national">IGN

Toponymy

The commune name in béarnais is also Asson. Michel Grosclaude said that the name probably comes from the basque aitz/as 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.
NameSpellingDateSourcePageOriginDescription
AssonAssoo11th centuryRaymond
15
Saint-PéVillage
Assonium1100Raymond
15
Titles of Mifaget
Villa quœ vocatur Asso12th centuryRaymond
15
Lescar
Assun13th centuryRaymond
15
Fors de Béarn
La vegarie d'Asson1450Raymond
15
Cour Majour
Saint-Martin d'Asson1790Raymond
15
AssonCassiniCassini Map 1750
AbèreAbera1546Raymond
2
ReformationFief
ArribabèsArribebes1675Raymond
11
ReformationHamlet
Arribabès1863Raymond
11
ArribarrouyArribarroy1675Raymond
11
ReformationHamlet
Arribarrouy1863Raymond
11
ArribebotArribebot1675Raymond
11
ReformationHamlet
ArriutouletArriutoulet1863Raymond
13
Hamlet
ArtigauxArtigaux1863Raymond
13
A Hamlet in the area of the former commune of Lestelle
ArrieucourtArrioucourtA stream that rises in Asson and Igon and joins the Ouzom
Arriucourbe1863Raymond
12
BatailleL’ariu de Bathalhes1501Raymond
24
Notaries of NayA stream having its source in Asson and flowing to the Béez
Le Bataillès1863Raymond
24
Les BenguesLes Bengues1675Raymond
27
ReformationHamlet
BrocqBrocq1863Raymond36Farm
CamiL’ostau deu Cami1385Raymond
39
CensusFarm
Cami1863Raymond
39
Castet-OussèsCastet-Ousses1863Raymond
46
The mountains between Asson and Arthez-d'Asson
ClaverieL'ostau de Claveria1538Raymond
51
ReformationFief
Claverie1863Raymond
51
Chemin de Clerguetlo cami Clargues1536Raymond
51
ReformationA path that started at Clarac, crossed Asson and Igon, and was the border between Asson and Nay
le cami Claragues1536Raymond
51
Reformation of Béarn
le grant camii aperat Clergues1547Raymond
51
Reformation
Chemin de Clerguet1863Raymond
51
Couts-Dedans et Couts-DehorsFore-Couts1547Raymond
53
ReformationHamlet
Cootz1581Raymond
53
Reformation of Béarn
Dedans-couts et Fore-Couts1675Raymond
53
Reformation
Le chemin d’EstradèreLe chemin d’Estradère1863Raymond
62
A path that went from Asson to Arthez-d’Asson over the mountain
La FourcadeLa Fourcade1863Raymond
65
Farm
GrabotMartinet de Grabaud1771Raymond
73
IntendanceIronworks
HermitageLo Castet d'Assoo1538Raymond
77
ReformationAncient mound. Isaac Vergès of Nay built a monastery on the mound in the 17th century
la Bielle d'Asson1675Raymond
77
Reformation
LalanneLalanne1863Raymond
91
Hamlet
LarbanLarban1540Raymond
93
ReformationFarm
Minviellela maison noble de Mainvielle1673Raymond
113
ReformationFief of Asson, Vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn
PaluPaluu1385Raymond
131
CensusFarm
Palu1863Raymond
131
Les Pandelleslas Pandeles1443Raymond
131
Cour MajourFarm
Les Pandelles1863Raymond
131
Subercazela maison noble de Subercase1684Raymond
164
ReformationFief subject to the Viscounts of Béarn
Les Pandelles1863Raymond
164

;Sources:
noted on p. 14 that before 1232 Asson was localised near the place called the Hermitage and that there was a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn.
The village signed a Charter of Emancipation on 4 January 1282 with the consent of Gaston VII, Viscount of Béarn.
In 1385, Asson had 57 fires and depended on the bailiwick of Nay.
Asson came under the Notary of Nay as did Angaïs, Arros, Arthez-d'Asson, Baliros, Baudreix, Bénéjacq, Beuste, Boeil, Bordères, Bosdarros, Clarac, Coarraze, Igon, Lagos, Lestelle, Mirepeix, Montaut, Nay, Pardies, and Saint-Abit.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors
FromToNamePartyPosition
19471989Jean LabarrèreGeneral Councillor
19892008Laurent Aubuchou-AuriouxUMP
20082014Patrick Moura
20142020Marc CantonUDI

Inter-communality

The commune is part of five inter-communal structures:
In 2010 the commune had 2,000 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known from the population censuses conducted in the commune since 1793. From the 21st century, a census of communes with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is held every five years, unlike larger towns that have a sample survey every year.

Economy

The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée zone of Ossau-iraty and has protected geographical indications namely: Tarbais haricots, Tomme des Pyrénées, Duck foie gras of the South-west, and Bayonne ham.

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 of the Crucifixion from the 16th century.
Asson is a stage on the Chemin du piémont pyrénéen, a secondary itinerary on the Way of St. James.

Environmental heritage

;The Bétharram Caves
;Asson Zoo
;Mountains
The following mountain peaks are found in the commune:

Éducation

Asson has two primary schools.

Sport

Sports in Asson revolve around the Ladies Handball Championship of France, National 3.