Castelnau-d'Auzan

Infobox Commune de France
nomcommune=Castelnau-d'Auzan
région=Midi-Pyrénées
département=Gers
arrondissement=Condom
canton=Montréal
insee=32079
cp=32440
maire=Philippe Beyries
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=
longitude=0.08638
latitude=43.94916
alt moy=203 m
alt mini=82
alt maxi=186 m
hectares=4379
km²=43.79
sans=1036
date-sans=1999
dens=23
date-dens=1999

Castelnau-d'Auzan is a commune in southwestern France, more precisely in Gascony, in the Gers department which is a part of the Midi-Pyrénées region. The inhabitants are called "Auzanais".

Geography

A picturesque little village on the river Gélise on a crossing of roads, 26 km east of the city of Condom in the Gers bounding the departments Lot-et-Garonne and the Landes. It benefits of a privileged situation on the fringe the Landes forest in the middle of an agreeable and fertile region. The village lays on the water parting between the Gélise and the Izaute and occupies the emplacement of an ancient castle.

The geographical situation is agreeable: the Atlantic coast on one side and on the other side the ski resorts of the south of France are by car only on a distance of 145km (2h15m).

The village is a part of the canton of Montréal.

History

The name "Castelnau d'Auzan" means: "Château Neuf in the land of Éauzan". The castle disappeared, but here and there in the village some remains are still visible.

pecial places and monuments

* Town hall.
* The arena for the course Landaise.
* Leisure area and its lake.
* Old Armagnac caves.
* Église Sainte Marie-Madeleine:
** In the centre of Castelnau, a neo Gothic church from the 19th century.
* Église Saint Jean de Béziey:
** A country side church from the 11th century, well known by its miraculous source believed to cure illnesses of the eyes.
* Église Saint Martin d'Arèch:
** From the 15th century with a particular cylindrical bell-tower.
* Église de Rieupeyroux:
** A church in the countryside in the centre of Houeillères with a particular forged iron cross.
* Notre-Dame de Pibèque:
** A regional pilgrimage centre with a miraculous source. The splendid little church is a jewel and dates from the 15th century.
* In the surroundings of Castelnau d'Auzan
** The bastide of Bretagne-d'Armagnac.
** The Bastide Gasconne of Fourcès.
** The city of Montréal-du-Gers with a medieval bastide.
** The city of Eauze and its Roman treasure.
** The fortified village of Larressingle.
** The roman gaul villa of Séviac is located in Montréal-du-Gers.
** The Ganaderia de Buros.
** The museum of D'Artagnan in Lupiac.
** The Spa of Barbotan-les-Thermes in Cazaubon.

Demography

The graph hereunder shows the number of inhabitants by year. (Source: INSEE). ImageSize = width:250 height:200 PlotArea = left:40 right:10 top:10 bottom:20 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = justify Colors = id:gray1 value:gray(0.9) DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1960 till:2010 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:1960 PlotData = bar:1800 color:gray1 width:1 from:start till:end bar:1200 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:600 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:0 color:gray1 LineData = layer:front points:(48,142)(84,142) color:blue width:2 #1962 tot 1968. Inwonertal 1962: 1295 1968: 1291 points:(84,142)(100,134) color:blue width:2 #1975: 1207 points:(100,134)(128,125) color:blue width:2 #1982: 1109 points:(128,125)(160,120) color:blue width:2 #1990: 1062 points:(160,120)(196,118) color:blue width:2 #1999: 1036 points:(196,118)(228,122) color:blue width:2 #2004/5

The commune is a part of the canton of Montréal where according the last population count of 1999 only 4.741 inhabitants are living a surface of more than 240 km².

Like in other communes in rural France the canton has to face an important decrease of population. In 1962 the canton had 5.938 citizens. At the last count of the population in 1999 only 4.741 inhabitants could be counted, which a decrease of 20% is. This decrease is still continuing.

Young people leave the area, the old stay behind.

This phenomenon started, as in many other rural areas during the War of 1914-1918. Many young men did not return home, with the consequences we still see to day. Lack of manpower changed the once wealthy and healthy pastoral area in a region where the population and wealth both decreased. New immigrants from Spain and Italy compensated partly the loss in population.

After the independence of Algeria, the French farmers and winemakers returning to the motherland were encouraged to settle down in the Gers.

All these waves of immigrants now are completely integrated.

Due to the changes in the rural economics the last decade agricultural land and farms were put on the market and sold to newcomers from the north of Europe, looking for an active countryside way of life.

Gradually immigration changed, now a days retired people from the north European urban areas come to the Gers in search of idyllic homes for there retirement.

Features

Castelnau-d'Auzan is surrounded by vineyards, smoothly undulating hills and here and there a nice little village. The setting and ambiance are perfect for promenades by foot or by bicycle, or a little play of golf on the splendid Golf de Guinlet, which is on five minutes distance of the village.

Because of its landscapes the Gers is now and then called the "Tuscany of France". The summers are long and warm; the winters are warm and short. In the neighborhood are numerous old castles, little medieval walled villages, small cities built around castles and "sacred" places, because the Way of St. James of Compostela and the Via Podiensis are going through the Gers and left their traces.

Close to the "place de la Mairie" with the pretty town hall you will find the oldest street of Castelnau the "rue du Canon". This spot survived everything, invasions, wars and whatever it dates from the 15th century.

Tourism and culture

Local associations develop numerous activities which make it possible to share the local passion for: the nature, good walking bicycling routes, traditional skittle and ball games "quilles au maillet") and "palet gascon"; courses Landaises a daring and innocent game with wild cows; old fashioned battue hunting; local feasts; and gastronomy.

The leisure area offers during the summer holidays the children collective and individual games, trips in to the nature and theme days. The leisure area offers a wide range of amusement in a splendid green neighbourhood with swimming pool, children's pool and game zone, two tennis courts, a beach volley ball court, a fitness circuit, a fishing lake of 3 hectares, pick-nick places and perfect walking and bicycle routes.

Castelnau d'Auzan is today a perfect place to be for a short or longer time. A lot of healthy occupations are possible, cultural and gastronomic trips and you simply can take a rest. The visit card of the region: a fine glass of Côtes de Gascogne, Saint-Mont or Madiran or if you like a Floc de Gascogne and a good conversation. With measure it also nice to consume a glass Armagnac, a good cassoulet, a typical "confit de canard" or a small piece of foie gras.

Traditional festivities

* Easter Monday: attic, antique and garage sale with course Landaise.
* The before last weekend of July: local feasts with village dinners in the open air, attic sales and time-honoured skittle and ball games
* First weekend of August: feast in Arèch with open air dinner and ball and numerous attractions.
* Third weekend of August: feast in Houeillères with open air dinner and ball and numerous attractions.

Personalities

* Joseph Nicolas Barbeau Barran was a delegate in the National Convention and the Chambre des Cent Jours, born in Castelnau-d'Auzan in 1761, he died in 1816 in Switzerland. At the trial of Louis XVI he voted guilty and for the death penalty. He was President of the Jacobin Club and an antagonist of Robespierre. At the second Restoration in 1816 he was, because of the assassination of the king, condemned to exile and he went to Switzerland.
* General Henri de Mibielle was born in Castelnau d'Auzan in 1841, died in 1910; his tomb is on the cemetery of Béziey.

Transportation

The village can easily be reached by car or train. Nearby rail stations are: Mont-de-Marsan (55 km - 1h00m), Agen (65 km - 1h05m) and Auch (70 km - 1h05m).

Three airports are in the neighbourhood: Toulouse (140 km - 2h10m), Bordeaux (150 km -1h50m) and Pau (100 km - 1h40m).

External links

* [http://www.ign.fr/affiche_rubrique.asp?rbr_id=1087&CommuneId=33390 Castelnau-d'Auzan sur le site de l'Institut géographique national]
* [http://www.recensement.insee.fr/RP99/rp99/co_navigation.co_page?nivgeo=C&codgeo=32079&theme=ALL&typeprod=ALL&lang=FR&quelcas=LISTE Castelnau-d'Auzan sur le site de l'Insee]
* [http://www.quid.fr/communes.html?mode=query&req=Castelnau-d'Auzan Castelnau-d'Auzan sur le site du Quid]
* [http://www.lion1906.com/Pages/ResultatLocalisation.php?InseeVille=320079 Localisation de Castelnau-d'Auzan sur une carte de France et communes limitrophes]
* [http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=43.9491666666667&longitude=8.63888888888889E-02&zoom=8 Plan de Castelnau-d'Auzan sur Mapquest]
* [http://www.sigognac.com Armagnac Baron de Sigognac]
* [http://www.lecastel.eu Le Castèl]
* [http://fleole.ffg.org/golf/ficgol01.htm?num_golf=0386&st=0 Golf de Guinlet]