{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{short description|Commune in Occitanie, France}} {{Infobox French commune |name = Auzat |commune status = Commune |image = Auzat - Rue des Pyrénées - 20110813.jpg |caption = The ''Rue des Pyrénées'', in Auzat |image coat of arms = |arrondissement = Foix |canton = Sabarthès |INSEE = 09030 |postal code = 09220 |mayor = Abdel El Yacoubi<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=2 December 2020|language=fr}}</ref> |term = 2020–2026 |intercommunality = CC Haute-Ariège |coordinates = {{coord|42.7672|1.4808|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |elevation m = 737 |elevation min m = 720 |elevation max m = 3143 |area km2 = 162.74 |population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}} |population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}} |population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}} }}
'''Auzat''' ({{IPA|fr|ozat}}; Languedocien: ''Ausat'') is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
The commune has been awarded '''one flower''' by the ''National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom'' in the ''Competition of cities and villages in Bloom''.<ref>[http://www.cnvvf.fr/les_villes_et_village_fleuris-47.html Auzat in the Competition for Towns and Villages in Bloom] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210053901/http://www.cnvvf.fr/les_villes_et_village_fleuris-47.html |date=December 10, 2014 }} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
==Geography== thumb|The Pica d'Estats Auzat is located some 45 km south by south-west of Pamiers and 40 km north by north-west of Andorra la Vella. Its south-western border is the border between France and Spain and its south-eastern border is the border between France and Andorra. Access to the commune is by road D8 which branches from the D18 at Vicdessos and goes to the village then continues south to access the dam at Etang de Soulcem. Due to the extremely rugged terrain there is no access to Spain or Andorra from the commune. Its highest point is the Pica d'Estats (3143 m), which is located in the Montcalm Massif, exactly on the Spanish border.<ref name=Google>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Auzat,+France/@42.6806965,1.4717194,26294m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x12af422d5e196b37:0xa08fe9596cc46884?hl=en Google Maps]</ref>
Many streams rise in the south of the commune and flow north in two parallel main streams - the ''Ruisseau de la Coume de Subra'' and the ''Ruisseau de Mounicou''. The ''Ruisseau de la Coume de Subra'' joins the ''Ruisseau de l'Artigue'' flowing east to join the ''Ruisseau de Mounicou'' which continues north to the village where it becomes the ''Ruisseau de Vicdessos'' then continues east to join the Ariège at Tarascon-sur-Ariège. There are also many lakes in the south of the commune with the Etang de Soulcem being the largest.
===Hamlets and places in the commune=== *Emperrot *L'Artigue *Marc *Saleix *Olbier *Artiès *Mounicou
===Neighbouring communes and villages=== {{Geographic location |width=auto |Centre = Auzat |North = Le Port |Northeast = Tarascon-sur-Ariège |East = Vicdessos |Southeast = El Serrat |South = Arinsal |Southwest = Tavascan |West = Aulus-les-Bains |Northwest = }}
===Environment=== The commune has a rich environment in terms of Wilderness and ecological potential but industrialization has left traces: in particular the disused Pechiney Aluminium Smelter (closed in 2003) left heavy environmental consequences. The smelter was ranked 2 under Directive 96/82/EC (Seveso). The plant had an internal landfill site of 1.8 hectares located several kilometres from the smelter site at a place called ''Massada'' on the border with Vicdessos commune. This discharge area, as well as the groundwater and soil that supported the plant operations, are polluted by various pollutants including fluorides, cyanides, hydrocarbons, arsenic, aluminium, and barium.<ref name=RobBois2003>[http://www.robindesbois.org/dossiers/pechiney1003.pdf Note by ONG on the Robin Hood website] entitled "The failures of Pechiney" dated 6 October 2003 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
==History== thumb|Auzat south of the Etang de Soulcem *Onost had the first group housing in the Middle Ages with the Church of Saint-Vincent of Onost mentioned in the 11th century *Auzat village was founded in the 11th or 12th century. It was a village grouped around the present Rue du Fort and the Rue du Rocher *12th-15th centuries: domination by Montreal-de-Sos, castle of the Counts of Foix *1907: Construction of the Pechiney Smelter to manufacture ingots and billets of aluminum *1908: construction of a central hydroelectric station to supply electricity to the Pechiney smelter *1911: opening of the ''Tramway de Tarascon-sur-Ariège à Auzat'' *1939: The ''Catastrophe of Izourt'' - an avalanche that killed 28 people<ref>[http://auzatvicdessos.free.fr/izourt2.htm Catastrophe of Izourt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213440/http://auzatvicdessos.free.fr/izourt2.htm |date=2014-07-14 }} {{in lang|fr}}</ref> *1990: Implementation of the Montcalm Water Company *2003: closure of the Pechiney smelter *2007: Opening of the House of heritage *2011: a new athletics stadium was inaugurated in the presence of President of the FFA, Bernard Amsalem
==Administration== thumb|Auzat Fountain {{incomplete list|date=April 2021}} '''List of Successive Mayors'''<ref>[http://www.francegenweb.org/mairesgenweb/resultcommune.php?id=13861 List of Mayors of France] {{in lang|fr}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! From !! To !! Name !! Party !! Position |- | 1867 || 1871 || Victorin Galy || || General Councillor |- | 1985 || 2014 || Bernard Piquemal || PS || General Councillor |- | 2014 || 2020 || Jean Pierre Ruffé || || President of the Community of Communes |- | 2020 || 2026 || Abdel El Yacoubi || || |}
===Twinning=== Since 2003, the Auzat valley and Vicdessos have developed special links with Italy, especially with the Veneto and Friuli regions which were the origins of the victims of the Izourt Dam disaster in Auzat that had resulted in the deaths of 29 Italians and 3 Frenchmen on 24 March 1939. The Ricordate Association, with the support of elected officials, regularly organizes events and commemorations for the victims' families to honour their dead and to better understand the circumstances of the accident.<ref>[http://margaret21.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/the-tragic-and-savage-history-of-letang-dizourt/ Izourt Dam disaster]</ref>
==Demography== The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Auzatois'' or ''Auzatoises'' in French.<ref>[https://www.habitants.fr/ariege-09 Le nom des habitants du 09 - Ariège], habitants.fr</ref>
{{Historical populations | align = none | cols = 2 | percentages = pagr | source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|2085|Auzat}}</ref> and INSEE<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/8643952?geo=COM-09030#tableau-POPREF_G1 Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023], INSEE</ref> |1793 |1255 |1800 |1364 |1806 |1867 |1821 |1750 |1831 |1875 |1836 |1774 |1841 |1745 |1846 |1749 |1851 |1693 |1856 |1643 |1861 |1615 |1866 |1519 |1872 |1435 |1876 |1330 |1881 |1154 |1886 |1261 |1891 |1273 |1896 |1064 |1901 |1117 |1906 |1049 |1911 |1268 |1921 |997 |1926 |1012 |1931 |952 |1936 |778 |1946 |1383 |1954 |1068 |1962 |970 |1968 |949 |1975 |798 |1982 |847 |1990 |760 |1999 |666 |2007 |605 |2012 |565 |2017 |488 |2023 |561 }} thumb|The Etang de Bassiès
==Culture and heritage==
===Civil heritage=== *The '''Chateau of Montreal-de-Sos''' is located on a rocky escarpment overlooking the hamlet of Olbier *The '''Vicdessos Valley''' *The '''Vicdessos Lakes'''
<gallery> File:Pont du GR 10 dans les Pyrénées.JPG|A bridge on the GR 10 across the Ruisseau de Bassiès at 1590m File:Estanh de Canalbòna.JPG|The Etang de Canalbonne File:Etang de bassiès et chevaux de Mérens.JPG|The Etang de Bassiès and Mérens horses File:Zone1.JPG|Inside the Chateau of Montreal-de-Sos File:Col du Saleich (Saleix), Vicdessos, 17 juillet 1882 (8269463092).jpg|The Col du Saleich in 1882 File:Pont dAuzat, Vicdessos, septembre 1882 (8190562948).jpg|Auzat Bridge in 1882 File:Le Mont Calm, Auzat, 17 juillet 1882 (8190566606).jpg|Mont Calm in 1882 </gallery>
===Religious heritage=== The commune has several religious buildings: *The '''Cemetery Chapel''' has a Statue of Saint Bartholomew (15th century){{Palissy Icon}} which is registered as an historical object{{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000055|PM09000055 Statue: Saint Bartholomew}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref> *The '''Church of Auxat''' has three items that are registered as historical objects: **A Chandelier (19th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000047|PM09000047 Chandelier}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **A Ciborium (19th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000046|PM09000046 Ciborium}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **A Monstrance (19th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000045|PM09000045 Monstrance}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> *The '''Church of Olbier''' has one item that is registered as an historical object: **A Collection Plate (16th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000855|PM09000855 Collection Plate}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> *The '''Church of Saleix''' has many items that are registered as historical objects: **A Chalice (17th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000856|PM09000856 Chalice}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **A Tabernacle (18th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000054|PM09000054 Tabernacle}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **2 Statues: Virgin and Child, Saint Joseph (18th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000053|PM09000053 2 Statues: Virgin and Child, Saint Joseph}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **Group sculpture: Virgin of Pity (16th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000052|PM09000052 Group sculpture: Virgin of Pity}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **A Collection Plate: the Annunciation (16th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000051|PM09000051 Collection Plate: the Annunciation}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **A Collection Plate: Adam and Eve (16th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000050|PM09000050 Collection Plate: Adam and Eve}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **2 Statues: Saint Roch, Saint John (18th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000049|PM09000049 2 Statues: Saint Roch, Saint John}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> **A Chandelier (19th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM09000048|PM09000048 Chandelier}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref>
==Notable people linked to the commune== *'''Jean Sérafin''', footballer *'''Aimé Molinié''', senator
==See also== *Communes of the Ariège department
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Auzat}} *[http://www.auzat.fr Auzat official website] {{in lang|fr}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070311045203/http://www.ign.fr/affiche_rubrique.asp?rbr_id=1087&CommuneId=14126 Auzat on the old IGN website] {{in lang|fr}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120604085802/http://www.pays-du-montcalm.com/ Vicdessos Valley official website] {{in lang|fr}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213440/http://auzatvicdessos.free.fr/izourt2.htm The catastrophe of Izourt] {{in lang|fr}} *[http://rumsey.geogarage.com/maps/cassinige.html?lat=42.7672&lon=1.4808&zoom=13 ''Ausat'' on the 1750 Cassini Map]
{{Ariège communes}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Communes of Ariège (department)