Aubenton
Aubenton is a commune in the department of Aisne in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aubentonnais or Aubentonnaises
Geography
Aubenton derives its name from its location near the confluence of the Aube and the Thon.The commune is located some 70 km east of Saint Quentin and 40 km west by north-west of Charleville-Mézières. The D1043 road from Hirson to Charleville-Mézières runs along the northern border of the commune. The village can be accessed from this road by the D5 road running south-east or the D37 road running south-west. The D5 road continues through the commune and south, changing to the D977, and continuing to Rozoy-sur-Serre. The D37 road continues west from the village to Besmont. There is also the D38 road from Leuze in the west passing through the village and continuing to Hannappes in the east. The railway from Hirson to Charleville-Mézières also passes through the commune following the course of the Thon river but there is no station in the commune – the nearest being at Liart to the east. The commune is about 80% farmland with the rest extensive forests in the south. There are a number of hamlets other than the village. These are:
- Bas Val La Caure
- Buirefontaine
- Haute Val la Caure
- Hurtebise
- La Rue Larcher
- Le Bois Carbonnet
- Ribeauville
- Saint-Nicholas
Aubenton is surrounded by 7 communes: Brunehamel, Iviers, Beaumé, Leuze, Any-Martin-Rieux, Logny-lès-Aubenton, and Mont-Saint-Jean.
Neighbouring communes and villages
History
Second World War
The department of Aisne has 10 people designated "Righteous Among the Nations", of whom 3 were from Aubenton:- Emile Fontaine
- Annette Pierron, his girlfriend at the time
- Camille Pierron, mother of Annette and the owner of a farm at Buirefontaine
Heraldry
Administration
List of Successive Mayors of AubentonFrom | To | Name |
1640 | 1648 | Roland Dobsen |
1848 | 1649 | Dormet |
1649 | 1688 | Nicolas Deswatines |
1688 | 1694 | Dormet |
1694 | 1704 | Jean Grégoire de l'Etang-Neuf |
1704 | 1708 | Martin Brucelle |
1708 | 1753 | Louis Dambraine |
1754 | 1763 | Jacques Coyer |
1763 | 1790 | Jacques Pierre Coyer |
1790 | 1800 | Louis Antoine Sorlin |
1800 | 1816 | Nicolas de Villelongue |
1816 | 1830 | Joseph Petit |
1830 | 1831 | Edouard Marie Louis Ternaux |
1831 | 1836 | César Millet |
1836 | 1840 | Paul Emile Barbier |
1840 | 1848 | Célestin Landragin |
1848 | 1849 | Joseph Millet |
1848 | 1850 | Joseph Prud'homme |
1850 | 1870 | Célestin Landragin |
1871 | 1902 | Isidore Cabaret |
1902 | 1909 | Henri Cabaret |
1908 | 1914 | Juramie |
1914 | 1919 | Procureur |
1919 | 1926 | Fernand Dizy |
;Mayors from 1926
From | To | Name | Party | Position |
1926 | 1946 | Henri Bouxin | ||
1946 | 1971 | Charles Dejume | ||
1971 | 1973 | Marcel Ferraris | ||
1973 | 1983 | Guy Navaux | ||
1983 | 1989 | Christian Pillot | ||
1989 | 2001 | René Sablin | PCF | |
2001 | 2013 | Bernard Noé | UMP | General Council Member |
2013 | Present | Denise Charlier | DVD |
Population
Culture and heritage
The commune has a very large number of buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments. For a complete list including links to descriptions and photos . An abridged list of the most prominent historical monuments is shown below.Civil heritage
- The Girls' School
- The War memorial
- The Town Hall. The Town Hall contains two items that are registered as historical objects:
- * A Bust: Marianne
- * A Bust: Lieutenant André Bouxin
- Le Chalet Industrial House. The house contains a Fountain which is registered as an historical object.
- The Railway Station
- The old Hotel Collin now the Jean Mermoz Museum. The Museum contains several items which are registered as historical objects:
- * A Bas-relief: Arms surmounted by lions
- * A Bust: Jean Mermoz
- * A Bas-relief: Jean Mermoz as an aviator
- * A Bas-relief: Jean Mermoz
- * A Lamp called the Lampedaire of Jean Mermoz
- * Jean Mermoz's Cradle
- * A Commemorative plaque for Jean Mermoz
- The old Flour Mill
- The old City Walls of which only two remain of the original seven towers: the Tour de Chimay has been transformed into a cottage managed by the commune. Another tower on private land is visible from the road along the Thon
Religious heritage
- The Fortified Parish Church of Notre-Dame There are also a very large number of registered historical objects contained in the Church. A complete list with links to descriptions can be seen by .
- A Funeral Monument to André Bouxin. The monument is surmounted by a large Statue: André Bouxin in a lieutenant's uniform which is registered as an historical object.
Photo gallery
Notable people linked to the commune
- Jean Mermoz, aviator.
- Joseph Nelson Soye, doctor and MP
- Emile Fontaine, Annette Pierron, and Camille Pierron, resistance fighters and "Righteous Among the Nations"