Auga (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
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.Google Maps
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
Géoportail, IGN
Neighbouring communes and villages
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.
Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description Auga Algar 11th century Raymond Saint-Pé Village Augar 13th century Raymond Fors de Béarn Augaar 1385 Raymond Census Augaa 1437 Raymond Homages Sent Laurens d'Auguaa 1538 Raymond Reformation Augua 1544 Raymond Reformation Abescat Abescat 1673 Raymond Reformation Fief under the Viscounts of Béarn Baradat Baradat 1863 Raymond Place
Sources:
Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011 Grosclaude: Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, 2006 Michel Grosclaude, Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages,
Origins:
Saint-Pé: Cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-PéCartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Pé, Pierre de Marca, History of Béarn Fors de BéarnManuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Census: Census of Béarn Homages: Homages of BéarnManuscript from 1343 in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Reformation: Reformation of BéarnManuscript from the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
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 MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name Party Position 1983 1995 Alexis Cassoulet 1995 2001 Michel Chéret PS 2001 2008 Pierre Dubourdieu 2001 2014 Pierre Chéret PS Regional Councillor 2014 2020 Jean-Paul Lacabanne 2020 2026 David 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
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 (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A House at Haou (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Pellarouy (17th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Pargade (1733)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Miraut (1830)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Maison Lacabanne Farmhouse at Bret (17th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Maison Labescat House (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée This was one of the two Lay Abbeys mentioned by Paul Raymond which was rebuilt in the 19th century. A Mill at Grange Haget (1707)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Maison Dubourdieu House (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Claux (1780)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Bidot (1801)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Chateau d'Auga Fourcade fortified chateau (11th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Houses and Farms (17th-19th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Religious heritage
The Parish Church of Saint-Laurent (12th century) is registered as a historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects: The Furniture in the ChurchMinistry of Culture, Palissy The Furniture in the Church (Supplementary list)Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Painting: Christ on the Cross between the Virgin and Saint Laurent (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Altar, Altar seating, Tabernacle, and 2 Statues (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy The Balustrade of the gallery (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy
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 (Bournos Doumy Garlède Sports Group)
See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
External links Auga on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Anga on the 1750 Cassini Map
References