Estang

Estang is a common French, located in the department of the Gers and the area the Midday-Pyrenees.

Geography

Estang quoted Gascon :

Located in the North-West of the department of Gers (with approximately two miles of the Meridian of Greenwich) and in the center of the Novempopulanie old Roman province of Gaulle with the antique Elusa (Eauze) like capital. This Far West gersois is the area of Low Armagnac producing a of the same nectar name which abonnit into growing old and exhales a heady flavor then… Its deep forests offer to the landscape a sunk coloring, from where the name of black Armagnac.

The borough is crossed by a ruisselet which divides the village into two Agglomération S. It takes its source with the locality “Houn Sante” (the Holy Fountain). This abundant source is today collected and is used for the supply drinkable Eau of ten villages around. In its periphery meet both Route S connecting Auch to Mount-with-Marsan (via Eauze) and Cazaubon with Aire-sur-l'Adour. The city aturine is distant of 25 km and the place chief of canton, Cazaubon, is only to 9 km. The capital landaise Mount-of-Marsan is the principal center of attraction. The geographical position of Estang confers the characteristic to him to be equidistant of the two regional metropolises (Bordeaux and Toulouse). Indeed, these two cities of it are respectively distant from 150 km.

In spite of the intervention of the general adviser of Cazaubon, the Compagnie of the South refused to make rather pass the layout of the Railway (Agen /Mont-de-Marsan via Port-Sainte-Marie, Nérac) by Estang than Labastide-in Armagnac. Estang will be thus a village without Gare! The coach will mitigate (the chart of the network of the departmental buses subsidized in 1929 by the General advice of Gers indicates Estang to the number of the service roads). Gers is an important department jacquaire, thus the Via Podiensis (the way of Puy) furrows with four miles of Estang, circumventing it by the south!

Estang, small Brook with shaded banks thanks to a Ripisylve limited in foot of bank, skirts the borough. It takes its source with Lias of Armagnac and is tributary of the Midour. Its limpidity is appropriate for salmonidés, fishing resources having allowed the classification of part of its course in first category. In the commune, its waters running propelled the paddles of two mills including one, very original, is in the course of rehabilitation. A third, now ruined, was fed by the emerging ruisselet of Houn Sante. Thus, before its collecting, this spouting spring and inexhaustible was capable to make swivel a stone runner! A walker with the fiber ecologist could dream that the bed of Estang is widened and its arranged banks! Thus could it only be devoted to romantic Sunday walks or in gallant company… In north the Twelve runs which the Middle Ages with the Revolution will separate the dioceses from Auch and Surface. Thus the parish of Estang depended on the archpriest of Mauléon, itself concerning diocese of Surface. In the south, Midour runs. In moved back times, to go of Estang to the Houga it was necessary to cross the aforementioned brook with Monguilhem and to carry on its way via Toujouse. The Carte of Cassini indicates this single layout (the direct road, via Monlezun of Armagnac, is thus posterior).

In a department considered for its quality of life and its products of the soil, Estang is coiled in the middle of landscapes alternating between green slopes, timbered hills, vineyards of Armagnac. The privileged situation of this area armagnacaise will be worth the praises of the Gallant Green (Henri IV) which will thus describe it with one of its favorite, Gabrielle d' Estrées: “Lives God, nice, anything is not comparable with only Armagnac. ” The winds of west bring to him the scents of the forest of pines, arrivals of the very close Moors. The slopes which surround it make it possible to have, in clear weather, a wide sight on the snow-covered summits of the Pyrenees. At the XIXe century Estang exceeded the thousand of inhabitants. The hemorrhage of the Great War, the country policy of the only son that the father will marry with an only daughter (thus avoiding the dispersion of the real estate) and the rural migration later will contribute to reduce of more than half the population of this village. In summer period, the complex of the Short Lakes of with its residential park of leisures and its camp-site inflates manpower temporarily… It thus acts of a small borough whose zone of influence of its basin of intermediate services remains limited to some village of surrounding. The population growing old, little by little male nurses (LMBO) will be more numerous than the teachers…

Economy

In 1999 the income by household was of 14.322 €/an - Toulouse: 16.155 €/an

In 1999 unemployment rate was of 7,7% - Toulouse 18,7% - France 12,9%

History

It is the Latin word stagnum (stagnant water) which could found the name of the village étymologiquement. Indeed, water of Houn Sante made marshy the zone located on both sides of the borough (currently partly occupied by the football field). The 19th century of important excavation work allowed to cross this marsh. Thus an avenue haussmanienne took shape connecting in a rectilinear way the " haute" city; and the Notre-Dame church. Its exorbitant cost did not make it possible to the first magistrate of the commune of renew his representative mandate… However another filiation is plausible by the deterioration of the word “estanquet” and this in reference to the halt which the abbey of Haget placed at the disposal of the pilgrims going to Saint-Jacques-with-Compostelle. About 1075 it is mentioned a “castrum” to indicate the aforementioned village. However the Polysemia of this term meaning at the same time the enclosure of village and fortress seigneuriale does not facilitate research! Who more is the offset position of the Notre-Dame church could let suppose a first settlement with his proximity. Was it about a village connected with the church? Thereafter it there would have had translation of the habitat towards the headland overhanging the brook Estang and calls today in a solemn way: the high city? Whatever the assumption selected it appears obvious that Estang origin in the phenomenon of “enchâtellement” of the rural settlement in Gascogne gersoise as in France of the South. For this reason Estang is indexed in the category of castelnaux, i.e. agglomerations established with the foot of a castle, generally itself enclosed in an enclosure. In the east of the castelau, certainly with the immediate surroundings of the Notre Dame church, drew up a castle. It was mentioned as of the 11th century and completely disappeared. The grounds of Estang were detached, in 1368, by Charles V, in favor of Jean Ier, count d' Armagnac.

Extra-muros, with the foot of what had to be the primitive enclosure constituted a district called the " embarrats" served by only one sloping alley. In Gascon language " embarrat" mean: enclosure. With the Middle Ages it was to be connected, mutatis-mutandis , with our current ZUS (disadvantaged urban area) where took refuge disinherited (proletarians of the time!). Was this the place where were relegated the Cagots? Simple working hypothesis, that goes without saying! Bet among bet, the canting hypocrites can be compared to the untouchable Indians. Today it is a peaceful place offering to its residents a unspoilable view on the valley of Estang. For its part, the land middle-class especially lay in the main street, today known as the " large rue" what bordered some residences cossues. Other houses of character are disseminated in the village, these " hotels particuliers" often belonged to owners having of the smallholdings in the neighbouring countryside. Of aucuns leading an existence of shareholders thanks to these beams to share-cropping, the dîme of the Old Mode re-examined and corrected by the Revolution… Before the 17th century, the use of the stone did not spread in the construction of the houses. This noble material is used only for the castles and churches, of course, but also for certain houses belonging to middle-class men or religious communities. The urban residences are for the majority with half-timberings, i.e. in cob or bricks on a reinforcement out of wooden. Thus, of many dwellings of the village and it quasi totality of the farms had walls in cobs, shouldered beams, whitewashed lime. Main street was provided, northern side and over a short length, of embans (arcades). They were demolished in the Années 1960 in order to give again with this street an acceptable width. Moreover, the borough almost did not preserve anything of its medieval past. The rattling of the weapons did not save the aforementioned village. One knows that Arnauld Guillem of Armagnac controls for the king of France the towns of Marquestau, Monclar, Labatisde and the king of England, already Lias Master has just based intended new cities, with Estang, to support his rights on Gascogne. Thus Arnauld Guillem undoubtedly seized Estang after the foundation of Monguilhem. The confrontation appears to have been terrible: there were deaths, ruins, disasters of any kind. The count of Armagnac, Jean, intervened fortunately, and peace between the belligerents was signed in 1322. The One hundred Year old war saw the destroying passage of the Prince Noir and we let us have of it a historical trace thanks to the Memories of John Baker: “On October 13rd, 1355 one placed in the town of Monclar whose castle went. This same day three cities were taken and set fire to. Sir John Lisle was wounded of one square to the catch of the fort of Estang. ”

The reform was accommodated very favorably in the Kingdom of Navarre and Jeanne d' Albret, after Marguerite de Navarre, grants a support without reserve for Huguenots. The reformed worship had been organized in all the residences of the Jeanne queen: Nérac, Mount-with-Marsan, Hagetmau, Pau. The noble ones of its court for the majority had adopted the Reform. However, on the close territories submitted to king de France, the major part of the Gascon nobility was remained catholic still that, in certain big families, division had settled, a part following accurately the faith of king de France, the other that of the court of Navarre. Thus, little by little had set up themselves all the elements of a conflict situation which was not going to be long in putting the country at fire and blood. Jeanne d' Albret put the Protestant troops under the command of a young military chief of talent: Gabriel Ier de Montgomery. It will launch its armies in a mobile warfare which will be worth important successes to him. After having reconquered Béarn on the catholic army, it attacked Aire in September 1569, and, in company of another captain huguenot, it undertook to devastate and plunder Tursan and Chalosse until Tartas, burning the churches and their furniture and massacring many priests or monk. Other raids reached a little later areas more limited, until about 1592. They were often the fact of uncontrolled bands. At the end of the period, much of buildings had been seriously reached, the populations were bloodless. Thus, on July 15th 1572, the Notre-Dame church was devastated. In the chorus the mutilated sculptures testify to the fury iconoclast of these " casseurs" time! The Saint-Martial church, additional of the parish church Notre-Dame, was plundered and ransacked. Located near the current town hall (quasi contiguous), it was shaven at the beginning of the 20th century.

The advertisement of the coup d'etat of Napoleon III woke up reactions in the commune (contrary to Cazaubon considered preserving and Estang republican). Four red leaders went so far as to traverse the streets by singing republican refrains: the Cheyres carpenter-hairdresser; the Baylin ex-tax collector; Dussans Paul-Emile, lawyer without under and marshal-shoeing it Dambés. This last only spoke to cut the throat of the rich person, the Sirs , and to throw them in the well of the city.

The two World wars caused heavy human costs for the village. The first made disappear twenty percent from the men in age to be mobilized. With the war memorial, on the commemorative stele the name of the 58 victims of this butchery is engraved. As for the second, following a fixing between a German column and the resistance (the battalion of Armagnac) of the cruel reprisals followed themselves from there. July 3rd 1944 eight hostages were shot and at the place of their execution a monument was set up, inaugurated on July 3rd, 1948. The deportation reached also the village since one of its residents was interned with Buchenwald in 1944-1945.

Administration

List mayors since 1950

Leon Hugo
Marcel Carrère
Pierre Rouquette

List priests since 1950

Abbé Sheep
Abbé Lacassin
Abbé Pave-Bored
Abbé Van-Bars (withdrawn)

Demography

In 1880 Estang counted 1.410 hearts

Demographic trends

For the period of 62-69 one counted 76 births for 84 deaths
For the period of 90-99 one counted 39 births for 108 deaths.

Culture

Estang can be flattered to have had, and this as of the XIXe century, a harmony: “rebirth of Estang”. This musical company was founded in 1891. Its banner recalls us that since 1893 it expressed its vitality. It was invited in 1901 with the contest of Algiers and a nice success was cut there. Since, against winds and tides, with more or less of executants, it N `forever ceased existing. Thus it ensured Estang and with common the neighbors her presence to all the ceremonies and each time that its contest was required of him.

Being perennialized throughout the XXe century it perdure in this XXIe century, proof that the estangois are authentic music lovers. Who more is, it essaimé with creation already thirty years ago of Pitchouri band. The meeting between the festival of bandaged in Condom and this formation dates from the years 1974-75.

Monuments

Estang is honoured to have two registered monuments with ISMH, namely:

Notre-Dame

Of the three churches of 1860 (in XVIe century one counted four of them!) it does not remain any more that Notre-Dame whose chorus and its two absidioles are a wonder of the Romanesque art (vault in half dome). Its construction lasted about fifty year, of 1150 to approximately 1200. It was built with the Castelbielh locality. The chorus includes/understands arcades carried by columns resting on a full stone bench. That points out the ancient seat which one finds in the claustral construction industries. A monastic origin is not thus to exclude. The capitals with the top of the columns of the chorus are very interesting because oldest a group of lions in the purest Romance style represents, while the last four, with sheets of acanthus, announce already the Gothic style. The liturgical restoration impelled by the Vatican II made it possible to remove imposing it white marble furnace bridge which occulted the columns and chapitaux bottom. The new furnace bridge, more sober and of Romance style, was offered by a generous giver estangois. With the chorus, the old stained glasses with the imagery sulpician were replaced by the new ones of modern invoice (work of a glassmaker folgarien.) At the time of the last restoration (the years 1960) were discovered on the walls of two Chapelle S side southern the remainders of a decoration painted with a funerary Liter and characters nimbi carrying a cross of procession. This church was ruined mainly by the wars of religion. In 1572, the huguenots, under the orders of Montgomery, damage the transept and the nave. They will be rebuilt at the end of XVIe century, but the church will worsen quickly. It will be necessary to wait XIXe so that its restoration is completed. The renovation work starts at the XIXe century and it is the departmental architect Léopold Gentil who proposed a preliminary draft in 1862 with enlarging of the building. One thus adds a span to the nave and one rebuilds the Clocher and the sacristy. With this bell-tower-porch (with intersecting ribs) is plated in South-west a hexagonal turret of Escalier. To have an idea of the original bell-tower it is necessary to be provided with a pair of binoculars and to point them towards the bull's eye of the Transept southern (the stained glass represents it). The project was carried out in the long term by the architect Hippolyte Durand (1801-1882) and this as from 1868. The aforementioned architect made the plans of the crypt of Lourdes inaugurated in 1866 (in the presence of Bernadette Soubirous) and of the basilica of the Immaculate Conception (built of 1866 to 1871).

Arenas

The western part was built into hard in 1901. At the time of the war 1914-1918, the east part was in construction. The mobilization and the patriotic fervour of the workmen forced to give up the building site. It is thus later, in 1919, that others carried out the completion of this section of work. Steps of fortune enclosed the remainder but they had terribly suffered during the war and instead of renewing them it was decided all to build and all to cover. The owners provided wood, the commune helped to pay the remainder. Large high-speed motorboats of the variety occurred for a long time there at the time of the local festivals. Single in their kind they became a regional curiosity. In 1984 they were registered with the repertory of the historic buildings and in 1994 with the ISMH. They bear the name of famous a aficionado local which with the number of was shot of July 3rd, 1944, Jean Bartherotte. In August 1984 they had the unexpected visit of the president of the republic in the person of François Mitterrand which chaired a race landaise thus. A plate commemorates the event.

Other buildings of the small inheritance

Vault of the Convent

It was the vault of the old convent of the Girls of Marie. This religious community caused the creation of a private elementary school (an investigation of 1854 mentions 75 girls and a teacher). This foundation took place in 1853 and the school still existed in 1903, but the aforementioned marianists had to withdraw themselves then because of the decree of the government against religious teaching. The building is demolished today and the contiguous vault concerns an announced ruin! The entry is barred by it by the undergrowth and ivy attaches its claws in the cracks…

Wrought iron cross

At the entry of the vault referred to above, on a stone base a beautiful wrought iron cross sits. Since more than one century and half it resists the injuries of years proudly. Only the iron hydroxide succeeded in changing its color of origin. It was established there in remembering a mission which took place in the parish in 1854.

Building of the elementary school

It is about a beautiful unit completed in 1895. The symmetry of volumes confers on the original buildings a proud pace.

Old laundrette

Formerly, where limpid water of Houn Sante emerged trônait a splendid laundrette. Its very beautiful frame protected the lavender fields from the whims of time. At that time the laundrettes were places of user-friendliness for the women until the arrival of the water conveyance and especially of the washing machine the linen. The malicious gossip was ironical by comparing the laundrette to a hotel of chatter boxes! The enlarging of the complex of the water conveyance destroyed it and consequently the vernacular inheritance of Estang was amputee of it!

In one its its poems entitled: WITH MY HOLY FOUNTAIN - 1926 - the abbot Paul Tallez evokes thus the aforementioned place:

From which do you draw your name? … Of the crystal of your water.

Will fountain, where the night be reflected stars?

… Of the washerwomen being built saints matter

At the rate/rhythm of the beaters falling down on the fabrics?

Personalities related to the commune

Arnaud-Seguin : Lord of Estang, about 1273 it was appointed at the assembly of the general court of Gascogne held in Saint-Sever by Edouard, king d' Angleterre.
Robert Tarride of Haget (Estang about 1702 - Brest 1757): Rider, it was immigrant (Acadie). Major of the troops of Isle Royal, knight of St Louis. He married on Sept. 25, 1737 Marguerite Rousseau de Chamoy and this in Louisbourg (old fortified town and old large fishing port for cod). He had one of the largest private residences of this city.
Abbé Paul Tiller (Estang 1846 - Auch 1938): writer of Gascon language. He was professor with the seminar of Auch. He is the author of some short poems. As for its songs (text and melody), their purity and their simplicity will give the impression to find in them the old songs of the Gascon floklore.
Francis James (Tournay 1868 - Hasparren 1938): author of “the church equipped with sheets” and which inspired to him the very close church of Maupas. It remained several times at Estang, returning visit with his sister married to that the place.
the general Poeymirau (Pau 1869 - Paris 1924): although not being native of Estang it nevertheless is buried in the cemetery of the known as village. It was in Morocco one of the closest collaborators of Lyautey, future marshal. The town of Pau honors it with a statue and name of an avenue.

See too

Common of Gers.

External bonds

Estang on the site of the national geographical Institute
Estang on the site of INSEE
Estang on the site of Quid
Localization of Estang on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Estang on Mapquest

Random links: