Azille

Geography

Azille is located at the foot of the Montagne Noire some 25 km east by north-east of Carcassonne and 25 km west by north-west of Narbonne. The commune is traversed by the D610 from Homps to Puichéric in the south-east and also by the D11 from La Redorte to Rieux-Minervois in the west. Access to the town is by the D206 from Rieux-Minervois which goes to the village then continues north-east to Pépieux. The D72 comes from La Redorte in the south and passes through the town going north to join the D52. The D272 goes north-west from the town to La Livinière. The D606 goes south-east from the town to Homps. Apart from a large lake in the east of the commune (the Lac de Jouarres), which also forms the departmental border between Aude and Hérault, the commune is all farmland. Apart from the village there is the hamlet of Vaissiere in the west.

The Aude river forms the south-eastern border of the commune with the parallel Canal du Midi passing through the south-east of the commune. Several streams rise in the north-west of the commune and flow south-east to join the Aude including the Ruisseau de Georges, the Ruisseau de l'Etang de Jouarres, and the Ruisseau de l'Aiguille.

History

Azille contains Prehistoric remains of past civilisations including cremation graves from the iron age, many of which are preserved in the Olonzac museum. There is a superb Roman villa displayed at Billery and there is a statue of Silenus in Greek style, which could be a representation of the Satyr Marcyas, displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Narbonne. The recent discovery of a Visigothic necropolis at the edge of the village indicates habitation since earliest times.

In the Middle Ages, Azille was one of the most important towns in the Archidiocese of Narbonne. In the 14th century the village supported the church of Saint Julien which was part of the chapter of Saint Just of Narbonne. There were also two convents: the Franciscans and the Royal Abbey of Saint Clare. Unusually, apart from the episcopal city, the town was the only one to have two parishes: Saint-Julien and Saint-André. The parish of Saint-André, which is known today only from ruins and the name of a quarter in the town, was united with Saint-Jacques-de-Béziers in 1096, then with the Abbey of Lagrasse in 1118, then finally with Saint-Sebastian-de-Narbonne.

Saint-Julien was the seat of the Archpriest of Minervois. In the 14th century it was made a "county": Azilhan lo Comtal which it remained until the end of the 16th century. A town free of all lordly power from 1483, it belonged to the crown and its arms were those of the king. It was administered by an elected council.

Built on a rocky outcrop, the town was surrounded by walls with multiple doors and towers both round and square. The city became too crampd inside its walls and several suburbs were created to the east beyond the Narbonne gate - the oldest of which had its own wall.

At the beginning of the 13th century Azille was part of the Cathar inspiration and contained a house of Perfects which was destroyed in the period of the Albigensian Crusade. In 1289, 63 years after the death of Francis of Assisi, Eustache de Lévis founded or restored the convent of Franciscans outside the walls to the north of the city. In 1331 his daughter, Isabelle de Lévis - widow of Bertrand de l'Isle, founded The Royal Abbey of Saint Claire (the Abbey of Poor Clares) inside the walls. The remains of the walls and some monuments are still visible today.

The town’s economy was traditionally based on wheat: Azille wheat being highly prized in the 19th century. The commune was also the largest producer of olive oil in the region and there was also wine. The multitude of springs in the area allowed tanners and drapers to prosper.

By the end of the 19th century, with the arrival of the railway (the Moux to Caunes-Minervois line), further commerce developed which in turn led to building large houses such as the Château Gallimard where the musician César Franck stayed. The Canal du Midi, built in 1666, traverses the commune for four kilometres. There is a lock in the commune and the Riquet de Jouarres bridge.

Administration

List of successive mayors

(Not all data is known)

Demography

In 2010 the commune had 1,188 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.

Wineries

Azille, with an area of 2,333 hectares, includes 14 areas:

On both sides of the road from Rieux to La Redorte the Argent Double river also borders:

The commune is also remarkable for the diversity of its fauna and its flora with its typically Mediterranean Garrigue and olive trees.

The cultivation of olives has been increasing for a decade.

Transport

From 1887 to 1939 Azille was served by the Moux to Caunes-Minervois railway line. The station remains visible as well as a large part of the structures and embankments.

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of sites that are registered as historical monuments:

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

St. Clair monastery religious Clare returned to Azille in 1891 and built their monastery near the road to Liviniere. 2008 3, the Poor Clares have passed the baton to Chanoinesses of the Mother of God. The convent of the Cordeliers, founded in the 13th century, sold to the Revolution, you can still see the remains of the Franciscan church homes. Several stone carvings on the facades of buildings in the city from it without doubt. The arches of the choir of the church are visible from the aisles Pol-Lapeyre.

Festivals

The town hosts a Feria for several days around 1 May. It is managed by 120 volunteers and attracts about 30,000 people. It had its 10th anniversary in 2012.

Notable people linked to the commune