Arrens-Marsous

Arrens-Marsous ; Arrens-Marçós
region	Occitania
Department	Hautes-Pyrénées
Arrondissement	Argelès-Gazost
Canton	La Vallée des Gaves
Community association	Pyrénées Vallées des Gaves
Coordinates	42 ° 57 ' N , 0 ° 13' E Coordinates: 42 ° 57 ' N , 0 ° 13' E
height	720-3,144 m
surface	100.55 km 2
Residents	727 (January 1, 2017)
Population density	7 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code	65400
INSEE code	65032
Website	http://www.arrens-marsous.com/

Arrens-Marsous ( Occitan Arrens-Marçós ) is a French commune with 727 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitania region ; it belongs to the Argelès-Gazost arrondissement and the canton of La Vallée des Gaves . The residents call themselves Arrensois (es) .

location

Arrens-Marsous is the westernmost municipality in the Hautes-Pyrénées department. It is located around 39 kilometers (as the crow flies) southwest of Tarbes on the border with the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and Spain . The Gave d'Azun river crosses the commune, which is partly in the Pyrenees National Park . The highest point in the municipality is the peak of the Pic du Balaïtous (3144 m above sea level) on the border with Spain. Several natural lakes and reservoirs are located in the municipality, including the 48-hectare Lac de Migouélou at 2278 meters.

The municipality consists of the villages Arrens and Marsous, the hamlets (hameaux) Artoeys, Bascou and Escaillère and numerous individual farms.

Neighboring communities are Ferrières in the north-west, Aucun in the north-east, Estaing in the south-east, Spain in the south, Laruns (in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department) in the south-west, Eaux-Bonnes and Béost (both also in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department) in the west and Arbéost in the north-west.

history

In the early Middle Ages the rulership changed frequently (Visigoths, Basques, Franks, Saracens). After that, the place was under the rule of the Kingdom of Aquitaine and the Duchy of Gascony for centuries. From 900 to 1609 there was a county of Bigorre within the aforementioned areas. During the Hundred Years War Arrens-Marsous was sometimes under English, sometimes under French rule. From 1425 to 1609 the place belonged as part of the county of Bigorre to the county of Foix, which is only loosely connected to France . Because the last ruler of this county, King Henry II of the House of Bourbon, ascended the throne of France (as Henry IV) in 1589, the places in the region were crown domains from 1609 to 1789. The municipality belonged to the District of Argelès from 1793 to 1801. It was also part of the canton of Aucun from 1793 to 2015 . With the exception of the years 1926 to 1942 (Arrondissement Bagnères) Arrens-Marsous was administratively part of the Arrondissement Argelès-Gazost since 1801. First mention of Arrens by name around 1069 and Marsous as Marcaos in the copial book of Saint-Savin. The municipality is part of the historical Lavedan landscape (also known as the Pays des Sept Vallées ). In 1972 Arrens (1968: 556 inhabitants) and Marsous (1968: 226 inhabitants) merged to form the new municipality of Arrens-Marsous.

Population development

year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006	2012
Residents	927	782	726	711	721	697	763	723
Sources: Cassini and INSEE

The population figures from 1962 onwards refer to the current municipality of Arrens-Marsous (two municipalities until 1972). The number of residents has fallen sharply since 1793 due to emigration. The lowest population figures come from the last few decades.

Attractions

Saint-Pierre village church in Arrens; oldest parts from 1200; partly a monument historique since 1941/1989

Saint-Martin village church in Marsous; built between 1750 and 1757

Notre-Dame chapel with the Vierge de Bagnadé statue in Pouey-Laün (built around 1350); Pilgrimage church on the Way of St. James; partly a monument historique since 1954