Ayssènes

Ayssènes is a commune in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region of southern France.

Ayssènes
Commune
The hamlet of Le Pouget
Coat of arms
Location of Ayssènes
Ayssènes
Ayssènes
Coordinates: 44°04′13″N 2°46′49″E
CountryFrance
RegionOccitanie
DepartmentAveyron
ArrondissementMillau
CantonRaspes et Lévezou
IntercommunalityCC Muse Raspes Tarn
Government
 • Mayor (2014-2020) Marie-Chantal Calmes-Bou
Area
1
23.14 km2 (8.93 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
216
 • Density9.3/km2 (24/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
12017 /12430
Elevation262–983 m (860–3,225 ft)
(avg. 356 m or 1,168 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ayssenols or Ayssenoles.[2]

Geography
The river below Le Pouget

Ayssènes is located some 25 km west of Millau and 7 km south-east of Alrance. Access to the commune is by the D510 road from Villefranche-de-Panat in the west which passes through the commune by a circuitous route to the village then continues south across the river to join the D200 on the opposite bank. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of:

  • Ardennes
  • Le Bastizou
  • Cabière
  • Calmels
  • Le Caussanal
  • La Caze
  • La Clerguie
  • Coupiaguet
  • Le Crouzet
  • Les Esclots
  • Lescure
  • Melet
  • Le Pouget
  • Rentières
  • Saint-Rémy
  • Vabrette
  • Valergues
  • Verdalle
  • Vernet

The commune is mainly forest with large areas of farmland.[3]

The southern border of the commune is formed by the Tarn river which is dammed just south-west of the commune to form a long lake along the southern border. From the dam the Tarn continues south-west to eventually join the Garonne just west of Moissac. The Ruisseau de Vernobre rises in the north of the commune and flows south, gathering many tributaries, to join the Tarn. The Ruisseau de Coudols flows from the north-east, gathering some tributaries in the commune, and joins the Tarn at the same point as the Ruisseau de Vernobre.[3]

Neighbouring communes and villages

[3]

History

Middle Ages

The village was built on a ridge overlooking the Tarn and was a direct link between the Lévézou Plateau and Raspes du Tarn. There was once a fortress on the peak of Roc Saint-Jean. It belonged to the Count of Rodez who maintained a garrison in order to maintain his influence over the southern Rouergue. Prestigious guests stayed at this location including the King of France, Charles VII, on 13 May 1437 while returning from Languedoc where he had been to restore order.

Modern Era

The castle was the subject of much covetousness during the wars of religion. In October 1586 the army of the Duke of Joyeuse, Anne de Joyeuse - brother of King Henry III, tried to besiege it. The Captain of the garrison made a ploy and the duke's army retreated towards the plateau of Saint-Victor which was where the garrison captain attacked the camp at night - taking fifty horses and capturing several soldiers. The fortress became dangerous for the kingdom and was destroyed in 1629 by order of Cardinal Richelieu. Today nothing remains but the location has one of the most beautiful views in the region.

Contemporary era

The commune consisted of four parishes in the second half of the 19th century with a population of around 1500. Today there are no more than 213 year-round residents.

Heraldry
Arms of Ayssènes
 Blazon:

Party per pale, first Gules, a lion Or tongued and armed in Sable; second Azure, a tower Argent embattled of 4 pieces, ensigned with a Latin crosslet the same, port open, masoned in Sable, debruised by two swords Argent hilt and pommel Gules saltirewise; in base three fesses Argent wavy.

Administration
The bridge over the Tarn

List of Successive Mayors[4]

FromToNamePartyPosition
18751888Galtier Calmeyrac
18881889Basile Bonnefous
18891892Félix Galtier
18921904Paulin Brengues
19041910Justin Fabre
19101912Camille Bou
19121914Edouard Cambefort
19141919Benoît Costes
19191953Edouard Cambefort
19531995René Arles
19952020Marie-Chantal Calmes-Bou

(Not all data is known)

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 216 inhabitants.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1800 591—    
1876 1,219+0.96%
1881 1,149−1.18%
1886 1,130−0.33%
1891 1,125−0.09%
1896 1,038−1.60%
1901 1,014−0.47%
1906 956−1.17%
1911 963+0.15%
1921 828−1.50%
1926 770−1.44%
1931 739−0.82%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1936 740+0.03%
1946 663−1.09%
1954 568−1.91%
1962 466−2.44%
1968 431−1.29%
1975 343−3.21%
1982 309−1.48%
1990 248−2.71%
1999 226−1.03%
2007 218−0.45%
2012 212−0.56%
2017 216+0.37%
Source: EHESS[5] and INSEE[6]
Saint Victor-et-Melvieu and Costecalde

Sites and monuments
The oak and sweet chestnut woodland near Costecalde (Le Truel)
  • The Old Ayssènes Cemetery (graves from the early 19th century).
  • The Roc Saint-Jean (The castle disappeared after Richelieu ordered its destruction)
  • The Roc du Cavalier
  • The Church of the Nativity of Mary (Ayssènes) (19th century)
  • The Church of Saint-Amans (at Coupiaguet) (19th century)
  • The Church of Saint Rémy (at Saint-Rémy) (19th century)
  • The Church of Saint-Blaise or of the Purification of Notre-Dame (at Vabrette) (19th century). The church contains two items that are registered as historical objects:
  • The House of Chestnuts
  • Church of St-Rémy.
  • Church of Saint-Amans.
  • Church of Saint-Blaise.
  • Church of the Nativity of Mary.

Notable people linked to the commune
  • Antoine Salvanh (1479-1555). Architect specialising in religious buildings, builder of the bell tower on Rodez Cathedral between 1513 and 1526.
  • Guillaume Molinier-Lamothe (1736-1794). Refractory priest jailed in 1793 in Rodez then deported to the Fort du Hâ at Bordeaux the following year where he died.
  • Georges Connes (1890-1974). Senior lecturer at the University of Dijon, Doctor of Literature, Dean of the University of Dijon in 1946 and 1947, resistance fighter in 1943, Mayor of Dijon after the liberation of the city in September 1944.
  • Pierre-Damien Hèbles (1864-1954). Priest for Ayssènes from 1903 to 1944, member of the literary society of Aveyron, historian for the Raspes du Tarn region. He wrote three manuscripts on local history after 40 years of research in the departmental archives and deeds.
  • Gaston Boulouis (1908-1991) Priest, Professor of Literature at the Seminary Minor of Saint Pierre and at the Sainte Marie de Rodez Institution. Canon, historian and occitan scholar at the end of his life. He published several historical books on the region as well as an autobiography and a collection of Occitan proverbs.
  • Alain Marc (born in 1957). Politician, Municipal councillor for Ayssènes from 2001 to 2004, he has been MP for Aveyron since 2007.

See also

Bibliography
  • Christian-Pierre Bedel, preface by Alain Marc, Sant-Roma, Aissenas, Broquièrs, Brossa, Las Còstas, L'Estrada, Sant-Victor, Lo Truèlh / Christian-Pierre Bedel e los estatjants del canton de Sant-Roma, Rodez, Departmental Mission for culture, 1995, Al canton collection, 239 pages, ill., cov. ill., 28 cm, ISBN 2-907279-20-3, ISSN 1151-8375, BnF 366885722 (in Occitan and French)

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. Inhabitants of Aveyron (in French)
  3. Google Maps
  4. List of Mayors of France (in French)
  5. Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Ayssènes, EHESS. (in French)
  6. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  7. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM12000911 Chasuble (in French)
  8. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM12000910 Chasuble (in French)
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