Argein

Argein (Occitan: Argenç) is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.

Argein
Commune
The drinking trough in Argein
Location of Argein
Argein Argein
Coordinates: 42°55′56″N 0°59′36″E
Country	France
Region	Occitanie
Department	Ariège
Arrondissement	Saint-Girons
Canton	Couserans Ouest
Intercommunality	Castillonnais
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Denis Lourde
Area ^1	11.09 km^2 (4.28 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	194
• Density	17/km^2 (45/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	09014 /09800
Elevation	517–1,675 m (1,696–5,495 ft) (avg. 534 m or 1,752 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Argenois or Argenoises[2]

Geography

Argein is located some 12 km south-west of Saint-Girons just a kilometre west of Audressein. Access to the commune is by the D618 road from Audressein in the east passing through the centre of the commune and the village and continuing west to Aucazein. Apart from the village there is also the hamlet of Viellot. The centre of the commune is the valley of the Bouigane oriented east-west where the village lies. In the valley there is some farmland however the rugged north and south of the commune is heavily forested.[3]

The Buouigane river flows along the central valley east to join the Léz at Audressein. Some tributaries rise in the commune to join the Bouigane including the Ruisseau d'Auriech and the Ruisseau de Sol.[3]

Neighbouring communes and villages

[3]

Administration

The Town Hall

List of Successive Mayors[4]

Mayors from the French Revolution to 1929

From	To	Name	Party	Position
1791	1792	Jacques Bataille
1792	1796	Jacques Fourment
1796	1802	Jean Doumenc
1802	1811	Jean Argela
1811	1813	Jean Doumenc
1813	1830	Jean Argela
1830	1837	Jean Bourdeau
1837	1847	Bernard Doumenc
1847	1857	Gaudens de Meritens de Roses
1857	1870	André Tap
1870	1899	Jean-Pierre Ille
1899	1904	Jean Ferre
1904	1915	Pierre Pujol
1915	1919	François Bauby
1919	1929	Michel Ferre

Mayors from 1929

From	To	Name	Party	Position
1929	1945	François Dedieu
1945	1965	Guillaume Ortet
1965	1971	Jean Delbert
1971	1977	François Bauby
1977	2001	Guy Dubuc
2001	2014	Raymond Junca

(Not all data is known)

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 194 inhabitants.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 632 —     1800 385 −6.84% 1806 632 +8.61% 1821 636 +0.04% 1831 674 +0.58% 1836 779 +2.94% 1841 846 +1.66% 1846 881 +0.81% 1851 837 −1.02% 1856 762 −1.86% 1861 736 −0.69% 1866 767 +0.83% 1872 784 +0.37% 1876 657 −4.32% 1881 624 −1.03% 1886 634 +0.32% 1891 638 +0.13% 1896 626 −0.38%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 583 −1.41% 1906 539 −1.56% 1911 515 −0.91% 1921 380 −2.99% 1926 373 −0.37% 1931 335 −2.13% 1936 342 +0.41% 1946 271 −2.30% 1954 262 −0.42% 1962 235 −1.35% 1968 214 −1.55% 1975 211 −0.20% 1982 193 −1.27% 1990 164 −2.01% 1999 149 −1.06% 2007 162 +1.05% 2012 186 +2.80% 2017 194 +0.85%
Source: EHESS[5] and INSEE[6]

Argein War Memorial

Sites and Monuments

The Parish Church of Saint Peter

A Wayside Cross in Argein

The Parish Church of Saint Peter is an old Romanesque church from the 12th century and now an integral part of a church originally built in the 9th century. The original semicircular Apse forms the south aisle of the present building. There is an altar bearing a very ancient inscription (prior to the 4th century) depicted again in the south wall of the church. The Church contains many items that are registered as historical objects:

• 2 Altar Candlesticks (17th century)[7]
• 2 Collection Plates (16th century)[8]
• A Thurible (17th century)[9]
• A Ciborium (1638)[10]
• A Chalice (17th century)[11]
• A Chalice with Paten (16th century)[12]
• A Statue: Saint Peter (18th century)[13]
• A Tabernacle (18th century)[14]
• An Altar, Retable, and Altar Dais (18th century)[15]
• A Monumental Painting on the southern exterior facade and interior walls (17th century)[16]

Notable people linked to the commune

• Honoré Laffont, born 6 October 1901 at Argein and died on 14 February 1975. An international Rugby player (1st time in 1926 against Wales). He was twice a finalist in the championship of France with RC Narbonne (1932 and 1933). He played scrum half (1.65m, 62 kg). He was also coach for RC Narbonne.

See also

• Communes of the Ariège department

References

1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
2. Inhabitants of Ariège (in French)
3. Google Maps
4. List of Mayors of France (in French)
5. Données Cassini, EHESS
6. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
7. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000018 2 Altar Candlesticks (in French)
8. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000017 2 Collection Plates (in French)
9. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000016 Thurible (in French)
10. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000015 Ciborium (in French)
11. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000014 Chalice (in French)
12. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000013 Chalice with Paten (in French)
13. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000012 Statue: Saint Peter (in French)
14. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000011 Tabernacle (in French)
15. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000010 Altar, Retable, and Altar Dais (in French)
16. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM09000001 Monumental Painting on the southern exterior facade and interior walls (in French)

External links

• Argein on the National Geographic Institute website (in French)
• Argein on Lion1906
• Argein on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website (in French)
• Argein on the 1750 Cassini Map