Le Béage


Le Béage is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Béageais or Béageaises.

Geography

Le Béage is located some 30 km south-east of Le Puy-en-Velay and 30 km north-west of Aubenas. The northern border of the commune is the departmental border with Haute-Loire. Access to the commune is by the D16 road from Le Lac-d'Issarlès in the south-west which goes to the village. The D122 comes from Sainte-Eulalie in the south-east which passes through the village and continues north-west, changing to the D535 at the departmental border, and continuing to Freycenet-la-Cuche. The D302 goes south to Cros-de-Géorand while the D377 goes north-east changing to the D378A in the commune then to the D36 at the departmental border and continues to Les Estables in the north. The D378 branches from the D377 in the north of the commune and goes to Borée in the north-east. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Mazaboulet, Beauregard, Chanalettes, and Touzieres. The commune has large forests with farmland.
The Veyradeyre rises in the north-east of the commune and flows west then south-west through the commune gathering many tributaries in the commune as it continues south to join the Loire west of Le Lac-d'Issarles. The Gage river rises in the east of the commune and flows south forming most of the eastern border then continues to join the Tauron south of the commune. The Orcival forms part of the northern border as it flows west, forming the departmental border, to join the Loire west of Issarlès.

Toponymy

Le Béage appears as le Beage on the 1750 Cassini Map and the same on the 1790 version.

History

The origins and name of the commune appear to be linked to the old road that passes through it. Montpezat-sous-Bauzon in Monastier has a very old road coming from the Rhone valley called Chemin du Pal. Julius Caesar would have passed near the village on his way to face the Arverni with his legions. He would have been forced to make a great effort to shift the snow that was blocking him. Located at a halfway point, Le Béage experienced a renowned trade because this village was a relay point for mules and other carters who were halfway to Puy-en-Velay. There were many inns. After the French Revolution royalists were still very numerous in the area and troops from Puy-en-Velay came to reinforce the local forces to maintain order.
Many fairs and markets drew large crowds to Le Béage where most inhabitants were at the same time farmers, traders, freight carriers, and often owners of public houses. There were still more than 30 in the 1940s. In the 1830s the population was about 2400 inhabitants which dropped to 1550 by the 1900s and the number of inhabitants is now 285. This trade suggests that the origins of Le Béage date far back in time as for some names: "Chazales", de Casa, Casals. The houses: "Crouste", caves, underground houses, and "Chabanis" for huts bear witness to ancient settlements. It was certainly the grouping of inhabitants at a crossroads that gave birth to the village of Le Béage.
The etymology and origins of Béage come from French Le Béage or Lou Biadge in the local dialect. The current name "Le Béage" dates back to the French Revolution, in the 1790s, a time when Le Béage was created as a commune. There are several hypotheses on the origin of the name: it may have simply come from Le Péage but the most probable hypothesis refers to the ancient road that divides the interior of the village and Le Béage "Bizadge" or "Lou biadgé" would mean a village with two paths which agrees quite well with the ancient trade Béage. The village is also known as the Bisatico and Bidagiis.
The 2000s have seen the construction of housing estates, a community hall, and a fire station. The old village was also repaved. According to Regis Sahuc the village is also called "Arvermaténia" which would have meant "door of the Auvergne" or "Arverni", the Gallic tribes inhabiting the Auvergne.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors
FromToName
18011801Antoine Théofrède Chouvet
18011802Jean Louis Gimbert
18021825Antoine Saugues
18251828François Talobre
18281830Jean Louis Ollier
18301834Jean Jacques Gimbert
18341836Louis Testud
18361854Jean Louis Ollier
18541860Jean Antoine Souteyran
18701871Adolphe Lourdin
18711879Cyprien Souteyran
18801886Rosières Saugues
18861888Jean Louis Petit
18881889Cyprien Souteyran
18891901Cyprien, Clovis, Amédée, Léonard Souteyran
19011902Pierre Teyssier
19021929Cyprien, Clovis, Amédée, Léonard Souteyran

;Mayors from 1959
FromToNamePartyPosition
19591971Edmond Jalade
19711989Marcel Gardes
19891995Jean Lavastre
19952020Jean-Marie Redon

Demography

In 2012 the commune had 285 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known from the population censuses conducted in the commune since 1793. From the 21st century, a census of communes with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is held every five years, unlike larger communes that have a sample survey every year.

Education

The commune has a public primary school.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage