Azet is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.

Azet
The village, with Col d'Azet in the background
The village, with Col d'Azet in the background
Coat of arms of Azet
Location of Azet
Map
Azet is located in France
Azet
Azet
Azet is located in Occitanie
Azet
Azet
Coordinates: 42°48′41″N 0°21′09″E / 42.8114°N 0.3525°E / 42.8114; 0.3525
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentHautes-Pyrénées
ArrondissementBagnères-de-Bigorre
CantonNeste, Aure et Louron
IntercommunalityAure Louron
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Maryse Puyau[1]
Area
1
26.63 km2 (10.28 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
143
 • Density5.4/km2 (14/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
65058 /65170
Elevation1,055–3,020 m (3,461–9,908 ft)
(avg. 1,172 m or 3,845 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

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Azet is located some 55 km south by south-east of Tarbes and 20 km west of Bagnères-de-Luchon. Access to the commune is by road D225 from Estensan in the west to the village. The public square of the village is 1,172 metres above sea level at the intersection of the Aure and Louron valleys with the Col de Val Louron-Azet to the south-east. The commune is very rugged and inaccessible with extensive forests in the south.[3]

The Ruisseau de Lustau flows north from the Lustou Lake in the south of the commune, gathering many tributaries including the Ruisseau de Sarrouyes which flows from lakes in the south-east of the commune, and becoming the Mousquere before passing the village and continuing north to join the Neste d'Aure north of Vielle-Aure.[3]

Climate

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Azet has a mountain climate with high temperatures in summer.

Neighbouring communes and villages

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[3]

Toponymy

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The probable etymology of the name is Adet, adou, ados, âne, asou, then Azet meaning a place marking the end of the terrain which could only be crossed by donkey or horse.

History

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Azet in winter

There is little evidence to trace the origin of the village except the church, which dates from the fourth quarter of the 12th century[4] In 1887 the village had two primary schools. Village resources were mainly pastoralism with livestock farming of sheep, cows, horses, and donkeys as well as crops such as wheat, rye, meslin, barley, buckwheat, beans, peas, potatoes, turnips, flax sprouts, and hay.

From the 1880s the population decreased due to the waves of typhoid fever during 1886-1887 and the rural exodus of young people.

Heraldry

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Arms of Azet
These arms do not respect the rule of tincture and are therefore faulty.

Blazon:
Azure, a fir proper between two donkeys Sable facing fess point all on a terrace in base Vert, in chief a crosslet Argent.



Administration

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List of Successive Mayors[5]

From To Name Party
2001 2020 Jean-Michel Carrot PS
2020 2026 Maryse Puyau

Population

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The inhabitants of the commune are known as Azetois or Azetoises in French.[6]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 406—    
1800 398−0.28%
1806 430+1.30%
1821 491+0.89%
1831 480−0.23%
1836 505+1.02%
1841 471−1.38%
1846 500+1.20%
1851 505+0.20%
1856 465−1.64%
1861 476+0.47%
1866 437−1.70%
1872 438+0.04%
1876 413−1.46%
1881 412−0.05%
1886 386−1.30%
1891 411+1.26%
1896 402−0.44%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 401−0.05%
1906 416+0.74%
1911 415−0.05%
1921 275−4.03%
1926 260−1.12%
1931 243−1.34%
1936 228−1.27%
1946 198−1.40%
1954 190−0.51%
1962 185−0.33%
1968 174−1.02%
1975 163−0.93%
1982 146−1.56%
1990 135−0.97%
1999 146+0.87%
2007 161+1.23%
2012 155−0.76%
2017 148−0.92%
Source: EHESS[7] and INSEE[8]
 
Azet and the mountains

Culture and heritage

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Civil heritage

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The commune has a number of sites that are registered as historical monuments:

  • Houses and Farms (18th-19th century) [9]
  • A Farmhouse (1865) [10]
Other sites of interest
  • The Pyrenean House of Pastoralism is an educational and tourist centre on pastoralism in the mountains. The museum traces the history and development of pastoralism in France and worldwide.

Religious heritage

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The Church

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (12th century)  is registered as an historical monument.[4][11] The Church contains a very large number of items that are registered as historical objects.[4][11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Google Maps
  4. ^ a b c Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00126577 Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (in French) 
  5. ^ List of Mayors of France (in French)
  6. ^ Le nom des habitants du 65 - Hautes-Pyrénées, habitants.fr
  7. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Azet, EHESS (in French).
  8. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  9. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00126622 Houses and Farms (in French)
  10. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00126612 Farmhouse (in French)
  11. ^ a b Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00135468 Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (in French)
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