Aubagne
Aubagne is a commune in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, southern France. In 2020, the commune was awarded three flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom.
Geography
Aubagne is located in the Huveaune Valley and surrounded by the mountain ranges of Garlaban with Sainte-Baume to the north and east of Marseille. Aubagne was the main city of the former Agglomeration community of Pays d'Aubagne et de l'Étoile; it has been part of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis since 2016. It is the sixth largest city of Bouches-du-Rhône by population.It is the main producer of Santon figurines and also hosts many cultural events each year. The Foreign Legion has its headquarters in Aubagne. Public transport has been free at the point of use since the year 2000.
Access to the commune is by the A50 autoroute from Marseille which continues south to Toulon. The A501 and A52 autoroutes branch off the A50 in the commune and merge to go north to Aix-en-Provence. Numerous departmental roads go through the commune including: the D96 which goes north to Roquevaire, the D2 which goes east to Gémenos, the D8N which comes from Marseilles and goes south-east to Cuges-les-Pins, the D41E which goes south to Cassis, and many other connecting roads within the commune. There are several smaller towns and villages in the commune apart from the main town: Les Arnauds, Les Grands Mellets, Pinchon, La Martelle, L'Agrie, La Coueste, La Thuiliere, and Font de Mai. A large proportion of the commune is urban with mountainous terrain to north and south
The main railway from Marseille passes through the commune splitting into two lines - one going north-west and one going south with a station in the town.
The river Huveaune flows through the commune from the east flowing west into the Mediterranean Sea at Prado beach in the 8th Arrondissement in Marseille.
Climate
Transport
Aubagne was the first commune in France to be completely surrounded by autoroutes: the A50 autoroute Marseille-Toulon, the A52 autoroute to Aubagne-Aix-en-Provence, and the connecting motorway A501.Regional TER trains operated call at the Gare d'Aubagne railway station, linking the city with Marseille and Toulon. Local public transport in the city, operated under the Lignes de l'agglo brand, is provided by a network of buses and, since 2014, a single tram line with seven stops between the railway station and Le Charrel. This project has been criticized, as it is not common for a city of its size. Construction started in 2012 and the first phase opened on 1 September 2014, with service provided by eight Alstom Citadis Compact trams. An eastern extension of this line to Les Paluds, as well as a second line to La Penne-sur-Huveaune in the west, has been planned, with a long-term project to link the network to the Marseille tramway.
In 2009, Aubagne made bus travel zero-fare, a scheme which was subsequently extended to the tramway following its opening. This makes the Aubagne tramway the first in the world to be completely free for all users.
History
The Middle Ages
The death of Queen Joanna I of Naples began a conflict of succession as to who would become the head of the County of Provence. The Union of Aix, a confederation of cities in the region of Provence, supported Charles, Duke of Durazzo, rather than Louis I, Duke of Anjou. By the spring of 1382 the Lord of Aubagne, François des Baux, supported the Duke of Anjou. This support was conditional upon the Duke helping to restore the queen to her throne.On 4 April 1402 in Brantes, at the foot of Mont Ventoux, and in the presence of his wife Alix des Baux, Odon de Villars bestowed upon his nephew Philippe de Lévis the fiefs of Brantes, Plaisians and their dependencies: the Lordships of Saint-Marcel, Roquefort, le Castellet, Cassis, and Port-Miou which were dependencies of the barony of Aubagne, as well as La Fare-les-Oliviers, and Éguilles. In return, Philippe de Lévis would be surety for Viscount Raymond VIII of Turenne for the agreement between Odon de Villars, his wife Alix, and himself. If Odon and Alix failed to respect the terms of the agreement, they would have to pay 50,000 florins to the viscount.
Heraldry
Politics and administration
Political life
Between 1965 and 2014, Aubagne has elected three Communist mayors: the municipal council is composed mainly of communist, socialist, and other left-leaning members. Still, a significant portion of the population supports centre, right-of-centre, or even far-right political positions. In the second round of elections in 1988, both a representative of the French Communist Party, Jean Tardito, and a representative of the far-right National Front party, Joëlle Melin, were elected. Edmond Garcin, of the Communist party, was elected mayor from 1965 to 1987.In 2001, the resignation of Jean Tardito brought Daniel Fontaine to the position of mayor. In 2008 there were 4 candidates in the first round of municipal elections: Daniel Fontaine for The United Left and a civil society, Sylvia Barthelemy for the UMP and the New Centre, Jean-Marie Orihuel for the Democratic Movement, and Joëlle Melin for the National Front. In the second round the United Left, the Civil Society, and the Democratic Movement joined together to form the Left Union list which was renamed the "rainbow". In 2014, the mayorship shifted as Gérard Gazay was elected to the position of mayor after an alliance with Sylvia Barthelemy during the second round.
The Hôtel de Ville was established in a house on Rue Saint-Matthieu in 1828.
List of mayors
List of successive mayors| From | To | Name | Party |
| 1792 | 1793 | Jean Baptiste Domergue | |
| 1831 | 1843 | Félix Beaumond | |
| 1870 | 1871 | Jean Louis Henri Dieudonné Celly | |
| 1906 | Fernand Bouisson | ||
| 1919 | 1925 | Etienne Marius Florent Boyer | |
| 1933 | 1942 | Marius Boyer | |
| 1945 | 1951 | Mario Cresp | |
| 1951 | 1953 | André Jayne | |
| 1953 | 1959 | Marius Boyer | |
| 1959 | 1965 | Yves Chouquet | |
| 1965 | 1987 | Edmond Garcin | PCF |
| 1987 | 2001 | Jean Tardito | PCF |
| 2001 | 2014 | Daniel Fontaine | PCF |
| 2014 | 2026 | Gérard Gazay | LR |
Environment and related policies
sets the terms and conditions for sustainable development in Aubagne which includes providing free public transit, offering a recycling program, encouraging energy conservation and energy demand management, launching awareness campaigns in schools to promote sustainable development and eco-citizenship, and giving incentives for purchasing solar panels. More than 4,000 individual bins and 15,000 recycling bags are available to residents.The city of Aubagne conducts its environmental, social, and economic policies in collaboration with neighbouring communities to help enhance sustainable development and improve living conditions.
Communal transport: Since 15 May 2009 municipal buses have been free and the Tramway of Aubagne will also be when it opens in 2014. This has reduced the commune's transportation-related ecological footprint: 15% more buses have been put into service, and bus usage has increased by 175%, with 35% of these users from modal shift.
Compiègne and Châteauroux have done the same but with goals that are more socioeconomic: making the centre of town more dynamic, improving buying power, reducing isolation, etc.
Population
Its inhabitants are known as Aubagnais or Aubagnaises in French.Economy
Industry, trade and crafts
- Industry:
- *Zones of Activity : Paluds, La Martelle, Napallon Business Park;
- *Thales Underwater Systems currently has one of two establishments in France at Aubagne. The other is at Brest;
- Agriculture: there are farms at various locations in Aubagne ;
- Ceramic Crafts:: terracotta, Santon figurines; the appearance of domestic nurseries has allowed the development of Santon makers who now continue this art in a dozen workshops;
- Janot Distillery: produces its Gambetta syrup and its Janot Pastis in Aubagne;
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech: produces biopharmaceutical equipment;
- Viticulture: Aubagne is a wine commune located in the geographical areas of IGP Bouches-du-Rhone and the Mediterranean IGP;
- Branch office of the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Marseille-Provence.
Budget and indebtedness
The listing for Aubagne by the French Fitch Ratings agency in 2010 was "BBB−": "We have downgraded the city of Aubagne due to a strong presence of structured products, along with a very low savings rate and high debt loads. The rating has changed from "A−" to "BBB−" - the lowest category for this investment type" Subsequently the city has not wanted to pursue the issue of its credit status.
In 2009 Aubagne municipality renegotiated certain loans considered "toxic" which were based on risky products contracted with ABN AMRO bank. Risky loans have been converted to fixed-rate borrowings: less advantageous but less risky. The Court of Auditors in 2013 noted that these renegotiations resulted in additional financial burden borne by the commune of the order of 50 to 70 million Euros.
Investments in the commune are about half the average for French communes in the same stratum: approximately 13.3% of revenues against 31.4% according to the administrative accounts for the commune in 2012.
Finally the Observatory of subsidies has repeatedly criticized the management of the city of Aubagne, particularly for subsidies not related to the commune or representing a "waste of public money".