Asson is a large commune in the Ouzom Valley some 30 km south by south-east of Pau and 35 km east by south-east of Oloron-Sainte-Marie which almost completely surrounds the commune of Arthez-d'Asson. The south-eastern border of the commune is the border between the departments of Pyrenees-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. Access to the commune is by the D 35 road from Igon in the east which passes through the village and continues west to Bruges-Capbis-Mifaget. The D 36 road comes from Nay in the north to join the D 35 just west of the village. The D 126 road goes south from the village to Arthez-d'Asson. The D 226 branches from the D 126 and goes east by a circuitous route to Lestelle-Betharram. The southern half of the commune is mountainous and heavily forested while the north is farmland with scattered small patches of forest.[3]
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques Interurban Network of buses has a stop in the commune on route 810 from Lys to Pau
The Ouzoum is fed in Asson by the Ruisseaux of Gerse, Turonnet, de Thouet, le Goulet, d'Incamps, de Berdoulat, and the Arrieucourt which forms the eastern border of the commune (itself fed by the Ruisseau de la Fontaine Béra), and the Hèche, Hau, and Gat. Paul Raymond mentioned in the 1863 dictionary on p. 168[7] another tributary of the Ouzoum called le Touchet which rose in Asson and Arthez-d'Asson.
The Béez is joined in the commune by the Ruisseaux of Landistou, Trubés (itself fed by the Ruisseau de Marlies), Toupiette, Arrouy, Mourté, Lacot (joined in the commune by the Ruisseau de la Sègue), Jupé, Picas, Coudé, and Soulens.
The commune name in béarnais is also Asson. Michel Grosclaude said that the name probably comes from the basque aitz/as ("rocky point") with the locative suffix -on, giving "place where there is a high point".[9]
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
Paul Raymond[7] noted on p. 14 that before 1232 Asson was localised near the place called the Hermitage and that there was a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn.
The local language is occitan-gascon, called locally béarnais. A bilingual class offers courses in béarnais in the commune school from kindergarten to CM2.
Civil heritage
There is a Metallic Glasshouse[24] at Lalanne in the Asson zoo[25] built in 1900.
The owners of the Château of Abère[26] have been known since the 12th century.
Religious heritage
The Church of Saint-Martin, partially dating from the 15th century,[27] contains a Triptych of the Crucifixion[28] from the 16th century.
Asson is a stage on the Chemin du piémont pyrénéen (or el cami deu pé de la coste), a secondary itinerary on the Way of St. James.[29]
Their extent cover some of the communes of Asson and Lestelle-Bétharram in Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre in Hautes-Pyrénées. They can be explored on foot, by boat, or by a small train.
Asson Zoo
Covering five hectares, Asson zoo displays a zoological collection composed of endangered or unusual species in zoos.
Mountains
The following mountain peaks are found in the commune:[8]
The Castet-Ousset (718 metres)
The Soum de Camlong (881 metres)
The Céberi (891 metres)
The Soum d’Arangou (892 metres)
The Soum de la Bécole (947 metres)
The Pène de la Hèche (1,326 metres)
The Toupiettes (1,357 metres)
The Soum de Martî-Peyras (1,464 metres)
The Soume de Moulle (1,544 metres)
The Peak of Monbula (1,583 metres)
Facilities
Éducation
Asson has two primary schools (The école du Bourg and the école du Pont Latapie).
Sport
Sports in Asson revolve around the Ladies Handball Championship of France, National 3.