Asson is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

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

The river Gave de Pau (Adour basin) and its tributaries the Ouzoum and the Béez 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 Arthez-d'Asson. 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

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

The commune name in béarnais is also Asson. Michel Grosclaude 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.

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, 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

Inter-communality

The commune is part of five inter-communal structures:

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Assonais in French.

Economy

The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty and has protected geographical indications (PGI) 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 (or el cami deu pé de la coste), a secondary itinerary on the Way of St. James.

Environmental heritage

The following mountain peaks are found in the commune:

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.