Auga


Auga is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
WWW Official Site

Geography

Auga is located some 20 km north of Pau and 35 km east of Orthez. Access to the commune is by the D40 road which branches off the D944 just south of Méracq and goes south through the length of the commune and the village before continuing to join the D834 near Sauvagnon in the south. The D220 road goes south from the village to Viven. The commune is mostly farmland with scattered forests.
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques Interurban Network bus line has a stop in the commune on route 842 from Malaussanne to Pau.
The Luy de France flows north up the eastern side of the commune and continues north-west to join the Luy de Béarn to form the Luy north-east of Castel-Sarrazin.

Places and hamlets

  • Bidot
  • Bret
  • Castaing
  • Cazenave
  • Claux
  • Grange Haget
  • Haou
  • Laplante
  • Lauroua
  • Maupas
  • Méhil
  • Miraut
  • Moun
  • Pargade
  • Parrot
  • Pellarouy
  • Péruillet

Toponymy

The commune name in béarnais is Augar. Michel Grosclaude suggested the etymology is Gascon coming from augar meaning "marshy terrain".
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
NameSpellingDateSourcePageOriginDescription
AugaAlgar11th centuryRaymond16Saint-PéVillage
Augar13th centuryRaymond16Fors de Béarn
Augaar1385Raymond16Census
Augaa1437Raymond16Homages
Sent Laurens d'Auguaa1538Raymond16Reformation
Augua1544Raymond16Reformation
AbescatAbescat1673Raymond2ReformationFief under the Viscounts of Béarn
BaradatBaradat1863Raymond20Place

Sources:
  • Raymond: , 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table.
  • Grosclaude: Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, 2006
Origins:

History

Auriol Centulle, third son of Centule IV, Viscount of Béarn, and Angèle d'Oloron, was lord of Clarac, Igon, Baudreix, Boeil, and Auga.
Paul Raymond noted on page 17 of the 1863 dictionary that the commune had two Lay Abbeys, vassals of the Viscounts of Béarn: Abadie-Susan and Abadie-Jusan. In 1385, Auga had 22 fires and depended on the bailiwick of Pau. Auga was also a ruffebaronnie, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn.
The fief of Abescat was also a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors
FromToNamePartyPosition
19831995Alexis Cassoulet
19952001Michel ChéretPS
20012008Pierre Dubourdieu
20012014Pierre ChéretPSRegional Councillor
20142020Jean-Paul Lacabanne
20202026David Legros

Inter-communality

The commune is part of four inter-communal structures:
  • the Communauté de communes des Luys en Béarn;
  • the AEP association of Arzacq;
  • the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
  • the inter-communal association of Aubin-Auga-Doumy-Bournos;

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 153 inhabitants.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
  • The Haou Blacksmith's House
  • A House at Haou
  • A Farmhouse at Pellarouy
  • A Farmhouse at Pargade
  • A Farmhouse at Miraut
  • The Maison Lacabanne Farmhouse at Bret
  • The Maison Labescat House This was one of the two Lay Abbeys mentioned by Paul Raymond which was rebuilt in the 19th century.
  • A Mill at Grange Haget
  • The Maison Dubourdieu House
  • A Farmhouse at Claux
  • A Farmhouse at Bidot
  • The Chateau d'Auga Fourcade fortified chateau
  • '''Houses and Farms'''

Religious heritage

The Parish Church of Saint-Laurent is registered as a historical monument.
The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:

Facilities

Education

Auga has no primary school as it is part of an inter-communal educational regrouping with Aubin, Bournos, and Doumy.

Sports

People from the commune play football at ESBDG