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

Geography

Audaux is located some 18 km south of Orthez and 6 km north-west of Navarrenx. Access to the commune is by the D27 road from Bugnein in the south-east passing through the south of the commune and the village and continuing to Laàs in the west. The D427 branches off the D27 in the commune and goes to Castetbon in the north. The D947 highway passes through the north of the commune as it goes from Bastanès in the south-east to Orthez. Apart from the village there is the hamlet of Geup west of the village and Lacamoire in the north of the commune on the D947. The commune is mixed forest and farmland with most of the land area farmland. The Gave d'Oloron forms all of the south-western border as it flows north-west to join the Gave de Pau forming the Gaves réunis at Peyrehorade. The Barthes forms the eastern border of the commune as it flows south to join the Gave d'Oloron. The Ruisseau de Labaigt flows south through the centre of the commune and through Geap to join the Gave d'Oloron. The Saleys river flows across the north of the commune from east to west and it continues north-west to join the Gave d'Oloron east of Saint-Pé-de-Léren.

Places and hamlets

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

The commune name in béarnais is Audaus. Michel Grosclaude proposed a possible etymology from an Aquitaine man's name Aldene with the suffix -os. The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune. Sources: Origins:

History

Paul Raymond noted on page 16 of his 1863 dictionary that in 1385 the commune depended on the bailiwick of Navarrenx and had 84 fires. Audaux was dependent of the Marquis of Gassion.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Inter-communality

The commune is part of eight inter-communal structures:

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 164 inhabitants. Audaux has a very high proportion of non-permanent population (e.g. pupils in boarding schools): 31% (73 of 237) as of 2017. This is due to the private boarding school of Sainte-Bernadette having 110 students boarding there.

Economy

Economic activity in the commune is mainly agricultural. The commune lies in the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and heritage

Since 1991 the village has held a rally of hot air balloons on the second weekend in July.

Civil heritage

The commune has one building that is registered as a historical monument:

Facilities

Education

The commune has an elementary school as well as the private institution of Sainte-Bernadette which has a college, a professional school, and a masonry apprenticeship unit.

Notable people linked to the commune