L'Aiguillon is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of southwestern France.

Geography

Location

L'Aiguillon is part of the natural region of Olmes Country and lies halfway between Lavelanet, the capital of the canton and Bélesta. It has a number of hamlets and localities including Terris, Durenat, Couchou, Pagès, Jordy, Ramoundino, Les Peyriquets, Saint Charles, and Roudière. The D117 road (the former National Route N117) passes through the commune and is joined in the centre of the village by the D16 road.

Neighbouring communes and villages

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Hydrology

The Hers traverses the commune in the north at the foot of the Crète de l’Arse. Several tributaries join it within the commune: streams of Benaix, Mede, and Bacref.

Geology and relief

The commune lies at the bottom of a gorge carved by the Hers in the Massif de Plantaurel of the Pyrenees Mountains. The village is sandwiched between the peak of Mede to the south which rises to 912 m above sea level and the peak of the Arse to the north whose highest point is 718 m. The latter is cut off from the Bouchard peak by the Balussous Pass where the Hers turns north (see map).

Toponymy

L'Aiguillon was formerly spelled L’Éguillon. In Occitan L'Aiguillon is called agulhon which means "a sharp height".

History

The Lordship of L'Aiguillon came under Mirepoix until the sharing of the fief in 1329 when it passed to the authority of Léran. From the 16th century L'Aiguillon was part of the barony of Bélesta with the lordships of Bélesta and Fougax. The village was part of the commune of Bélesta until its separation in 1926. The main industries in the 19th and 20th centuries were, as is the case in all of Olmes Country, were those of horn comb manufacturing (formerly made of boxwood) and spinning.

Administration

List of mayors

Population

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aiguillonnois or Aiguillonnoises in French.

Sites and monuments

Notable people linked to the commune