Bar-sur-Aube (French: [baʁ syʁ ob] , literally Bar on Aube) is a commune and a sub-prefecture in the Aube department in the Grand Est region of France.[3]

Bar-sur-Aube
Town hall of Bar-sur-Aube
Town hall of Bar-sur-Aube
Coat of arms of Bar-sur-Aube
Location of Bar-sur-Aube
Map
Bar-sur-Aube is located in France
Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube is located in Grand Est
Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube
Coordinates: 48°16′N 4°43′E / 48.27°N 4.72°E / 48.27; 4.72
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentAube
ArrondissementBar-sur-Aube
CantonBar-sur-Aube
IntercommunalityRégion de Bar sur Aube
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Philippe Borde[1]
Area
1
16.27 km2 (6.28 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
4,753
 • Density290/km2 (760/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
10033 /10200
Elevation156–348 m (512–1,142 ft)
(avg. 166 m or 545 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Surrounded by hills and Champagne vineyards, the city is traversed by the river Aube, from which it derives its name.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Baralbins or Baralbines and Barsuraubois or Barsurauboises.[4]

The commune has been awarded three flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom.[5]

Geography

edit

Bar-sur-Aube is located some 30 km west by north-west of Chaumont and 25 km south-east of Brienne-le-Château. Access to the commune is by the D619 road from Ailleville in the north-west which passes through the centre of the commune and the town before continuing east to Lignol-le-Château. The D396 branches off the D619 south-east of the town and goes south to Juvancourt. The D4 goes south-west from the town to Couvignon. The D13 comes from Fontaine in the south and passes through the town before continuing north-east to Colombé-la-Fosse. The D384 goes north to Ville-sur-Terre while the D73 branches off it in the town and goes to Arrentières. in the north. The TER Grand Est Troyes to Chalindrey railway passes through the commune coming from Vendeuvre-sur-Barse to the west to Bricon in the south-east with a station in the town. With a substantial urban area in the west and some forest in the south the commune is mostly farmland.[6][7]

 
The Aube river at Bar-sur-Aube

The Aube river flows through the commune and the town from south-east to north-west continuing to eventually join the Seine at Marcilly-sur-Seine. The Bresse also flows through the commune coming from the north-east and forming a small part of the northern border before joining the Aube at the north-western tip of the commune.[6][7]

Toponymy

edit

The area was attested in the form castro barro in the 7th century and Barri villa in 932.

Bar comes from a Gallic word meaning "summit" and is perhaps even older (pre-Gallic).[8]

Bar-sur-Aube appears as Bar sur Aube on the 1750 Cassini Map[9] and the same on the 1790 version.[10]

History

edit

Ancient times

edit
 
Togarix coin - Front
 
A Togarix coin - back

The existence of Bar-sur-Aube goes back to ancient times. There are remains of an oppidum from the Iron Age. A coin with the image of a horse in the name of Togirix (Chief of the Lingones) was discovered on the Sainte Germaine hill.

In Roman times the town appeared on the Tabula Peutingeriana under the name of Segessera. Some remains from the 1st to the 4th century including villas have been discovered in the town and surrounding areas. Segessera seemed to have existed from the Roman period to the first Lyonnais in the territory of the Lingones.

The city was devastated by Attila. After the division of the kingdom of Clovis by his son the town became part of Austrasia.

Middle Ages

edit

Under Charles the Bald several varieties of coins were issued with the name of the city on the reverse. During the period of the Counts of Champagne the town was of great importance with the Champagne fairs where merchants from Flanders and Italy traded Oriental spices and silk for textiles and raw materials from the north of Europe in mid-February and mid-April. The town was then joined to the crown of France. In 1318 Philip V the Tall sold the town to Jacques de Croÿ, residents bought it themselves to ensure that the king could no longer sell or alienate the lands.

Modern and contemporary eras

edit

When Charles V besieged Saint-Dizier the inhabitants of nearby villages came under his protection. The town suffered a long plague in 1636 which led to the end of the fair. In 1862 the fortifications were demolished and the boulevard du tour put in their place.

The French Revolution was well received in the commune and the convents disappeared. It became the chief town of the district from 1790 to 1800.

The city and surrounding area was the scene of the Battle of Bar-sur-Aube towards the end of the Napoleonic era on 27 February 1814.

In 1911 the Champagne riots of the Aube winegrowers and the Marnais traders to keep the vineyards in the Appellation d'origine contrôlée of "Champagne".

Heraldry

edit
 
Arms of Bar-sur-Aube
Blazon:

Parti per pale, at 1 Gules, a barbel Argent; at 2 Azure, a bend argent potent counter potent Or; in chief Azure chrged with 3 bees flying of Or.



Administration

edit
 
The Aube river bank

List of Successive Mayors[11][12]

From To Name Party Position
1789 Claude-Laurent Bourgeois de Jessaint
1857 Vernand
1943 Arthur Bureau
1943 1947 Léon Chevillotte
1947 1959 Maurice Véchin
1959 1964 Henry Supper Printer
1964 1965 Roger Rubaud (interim) Retired
1965 1971 Claude Pertat Commercial agent
1971 2001 Jean-Pierre Davot Trader
2001 2008 Jean-François Leroux
2008 2014 René Gaudot PRG
2014 2026 Philippe Borde UMP

Twinning

edit

Bar-sur-Aube has twinning associations with:[13]

Demography

edit

In 2017 the commune had 4,902 inhabitants.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 3,652—    
1800 3,665+0.05%
1806 3,707+0.19%
1821 3,503−0.38%
1831 3,890+1.05%
1836 3,940+0.26%
1841 4,169+1.14%
1846 4,163−0.03%
1851 4,442+1.31%
1856 4,781+1.48%
1861 4,727−0.23%
1866 4,809+0.34%
1872 4,453−1.27%
1876 4,521+0.38%
1881 4,579+0.26%
1886 4,636+0.25%
1891 4,342−1.30%
1896 4,548+0.93%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 4,587+0.17%
1906 4,507−0.35%
1911 4,533+0.12%
1921 4,074−1.06%
1926 4,313+1.15%
1931 4,264−0.23%
1936 4,002−1.26%
1946 3,921−0.20%
1954 4,387+1.41%
1962 4,801+1.13%
1968 6,008+3.81%
1975 7,265+2.75%
1982 6,943−0.65%
1990 6,707−0.43%
1999 6,261−0.76%
2007 5,461−1.69%
2012 5,145−1.19%
2017 4,902−0.96%
Source: EHESS[14] and INSEE[15]

Education

edit
 
View from Lycée Gaston Bachelard.

The commune has several schools and colleges:[16]

  • One public Kindergarten: Gambetta
  • 3 Elementary schools:
    • Saint Teresa
    • Arthur Bureau Public school
    • Maurice Vechin public school
  • One college: the College Gaston Bachelard The college consists of 19 classes spread over 4 floors offering students with options for Latin in the 5th year, Greek in the 3rd year and has the distinction of being the only college in France to have a cinema-audiovisual option. A soccer section is available for middle school and high school students.[17]
  • One comprehensive school: Lycée Polyvalent Gaston Bachelard This general and technological school consists of 14 classes spread over 3 levels and offers its students the following courses: S (Scientific), L (literary), ES (economic and social) and STMG (Science and Technology manageant and management). It also offers a cinema-audiovisual option from the 2nd year. Foreign languages ??taught are German, English and Spanish. Classes are held in groups of skills not whole classes. Each year school trips are organized to Germany, Scotland, and Spain. In 2013 an exchange with students from Ashburn (United States) began. The French students went in February and US students came in 2014. The vocational high school consists of 6 classes spread over 3 floors and offers its students courses in trade and electrical engineering.[18]

Sports

edit

There are numerous sports clubs in Bar-sur-Aube:[19]

Sports Clubs in 2014
Activity Club
Billiards Billiard Club Baralbin
Diving Club Nautique Baralbin
Cycling Cyclo Club Baralbin, Étoile Cycliste Baralbine
Football BFC vétéran, OS Luisadas, Bar Football Club
Gym Gymnastic Volontaire Bar. Gym des Nin's, Jeune Garde de Bar-sur-Aube, La Concorde
Hang-gliding / Para-gliding Les Ailes de Sainte-Germaine
Table tennis, roller blades, canoe, kayaking Maison pour Tous
Pétanque Pétanque baralbine
Basketball PL Basket
Multi-sports Patronage laïque
Rhythmic Gym G.I.R.L.S.
Badminton Badminton Club Baralbin
Aikido Bar-sur-Aube Aïkido
Athletics Cercle Athlétique Bar-Bayel
Fencing Cercle d'Escrime Baralbin
Archery and Shooting Diana Sport
Judo Judo Club Baralbin
Thai Boxing Muay thai pahuyouth
Handball PL Handball
Mountain Climbing Roc Altitude
Karate Shotokan Karaté Do
Swimming Stade Nautique Baralbin
Tennis Tennis Club Baralbin

Economy

edit
 
The Covered Market

The commune has a branch of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Troyes and Aube.

Industry

edit
  • The hemp industry is highly developed in Bar-sur-Aube and has been growing steadily for several years.
  • Furniture Manufacturing: Dumeste (Cauval Industries Group)
  • Metal processing (forging, machining) for aerospace, armaments, agricultural machinery, medicine (prosthetics), etc. Manoir Aerospace.

Agriculture

edit

Bar-sur-Aube, is the largest French producer of straw hemp (125 tons per day) and many hemp products are manufactured in the commune. Around the town there are many vineyards specializing in champagne.

Culture and heritage

edit
 
Marcasselles Mill and the bell towers of the Church of Saint-Maclou

Guided tours of the town are organised on request by the Office of Tourism.

The commune contains over 200 objects that are registered as historical objects - mainly in the Church of Saint Peter but many others in different locations.[20]

Civil heritage

edit
 
Old map of places in the town
 
the Library
 
The sub-prefecture
  • The Covered Market
  • The former Hotel de Surmont (now the Post Office)
  • The Marcasselles Mill

The commune has many buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

  • A House at 33 Rue d'Aube (16th century) [21]
  • A House at 44 Rue d'Aube (16th century) [22]
  • The Petit Clairvaux Storehouse at 24 Rue Beugnot (12th century) [23]
  • An Ursuline Convent at Place Carnot (17th century) [24] (now the Town Hall)
  • The Doré and son woollen mill at 1bis Rue Chenot (20th century) [25]
  • The René Thiéblemont Carpentry factory at Route de Fontaine (20th century) [26]
  • The Thuillier Stamping Plant at Avenue du Général Leclerc (20th century) [27]
  • The Perfor metalwork factory at 32 avenue du Général Leclerc (20th century) [28]
  • The Chevallier Foundry at 30 avenue du Général Leclerc (20th century) [29]
  • The Henry Comte Sawmill at rue du Général de Gaulle (20th century) [30]
  • A Building at 79 Rue Nationale (16th century) [31]
  • A Flourmill at 25 boulevard de la République (18th century) [32]
  • A Small Flourmill at 21 boulevard de la République (18th century) [33]
  • A Building at 1 petite rue Saint-Pierre (15th century) [34]
  • A Hotel at 15, 17 rue Saint-Pierre; 4 rue Delaunay (15th century) [35] (now a Museum and Library)
  • A Building at 4 rue Saint-Pierre (18th century) [36]
  • The Joseph de Bucy Diesel motor works at rue du Sommerard (20th century) [37]
  • The Breton-Cordier Tannery at 2 rue des Tanneries (19th century) [38]
  • The Three Towers House at 9 rue des Trois-Tours (16th century) [39]
  • The Sub-Prefecture (18th century) [40]
  • An Oppidum (Iron Age) [41]

Religious heritage

edit
 
The Church of Saint Peter
 
The Church of Saint Maclou
 
The Templar Chapel

The commune has three religious buildings that are registered as historical monuments:

  • A Priory (16th century) [42]
  • The Church of Saint Peter (16th century) [43]
  • The Church of Saint Maclou (12th century) [44]

Festivals

edit
  • Cheese festival in June
  • Eurythmies Festival, late June.
  • Festival "JazzàBar" early September
  • A Market every Saturday morning under the covered market, in the Town Hall Square, and in the Rue Nationale
  • Local Palm Festival
  • Medieval Fair, the first weekend in September
  • Gourmet Champagne Promenade in May

Notable people linked to the commune

edit

See also

edit
edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ INSEE commune file
  4. ^ Inhabitants of Aube (in French)
  5. ^ Competition for Towns and Villages in Bloom website Archived December 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (in French)
  6. ^ a b c Bar-sur-Aube on Google Maps
  7. ^ a b Bar-sur-Aube on the Géoportail from National Geographic Institute (IGN) website (in French)
  8. ^ Pierre Gastal, Our Celtic roots, éd. Désiris, 2013, p. 120-121. (in French)
  9. ^ Bar sur Aube on the 1750 Cassini Map
  10. ^ Bar sur Aube on the 1790 Cassini Map
  11. ^ List of Mayors of France (in French)
  12. ^ Seven Mayors since 1947 (in French)
  13. ^ National Commission for Decentralised cooperation (in French)
  14. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Bar-sur-Aube, EHESS (in French).
  15. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  16. ^ Schools in Bar-sur-Aube (in French)
  17. ^ College Gaston Bachelard (in French)
  18. ^ Lycée Gaston Bachelard Courses (in French)
  19. ^ List of Sports Clubs in Bar-sur-Aube Archived 2015-11-21 at the Wayback Machine 2014 (in French)
  20. ^ Base Palissy: Search for heritage in the commune, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
  21. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078038 House at 33 Rue d'Aube (in French)
  22. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078039 House at 44 Rue d'Aube (in French)
  23. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078033 Petit Clairvaux Storehouse (in French)
  24. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078029 Ursuline Convent at Place Carnot (in French)
  25. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000081 Doré and son factory (in French)
  26. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000059 René Thiéblemont Carpentry factory (in French)
  27. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000001 Thuillier Stamping Plant   (in French)
  28. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000002 Perfor metalwork factory (in French)
  29. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000056 Chevallier Foundry (in French)
  30. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000058 Henry Comte Sawmill (in French)
  31. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078034 Building at 79 Rue Nationale   (in French)
  32. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000062 Flourmill (in French)
  33. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000061 Small Flourmill (in French)
  34. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078035 Building at 1 petite rue Saint-Pierre (in French)
  35. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078032 Hotel at 15, 17 rue Saint-Pierre; 4 rue Delaunay (in French)
  36. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078036 Building at 4 rue Saint-Pierre (in French)
  37. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000057 Joseph de Bucy Diesel motor works (in French)
  38. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA10000060 Breton-Cordier Tannery (in French)
  39. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078037 Three Towers House (in French)
  40. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078042 Sub-prefecture (in French)
  41. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078040 Oppidum (in French)
  42. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078041 Priory (in French)
  43. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078031 Church of Saint Peter   (in French)
  44. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00078030 Church of Saint Maclou   (in French)
  45. ^ Armand (Jean-Francois) in Robert and Cougny, Dictionary of French parliamentarians, 1889 (in French)