| Axat | |
| Commune Status: | Commune |
| Image Coat Of Arms: | Blason ville fr Axat (Aude).svg |
| Arrondissement: | Limoux |
| Canton: | Quillan |
| Insee: | 11021 |
| Postal Code: | 11140 |
| Mayor: | Philippe Parraud[1] |
| Term: | 2020 - 2026 |
| Intercommunality: | CC Pyrénées Audoises |
| Coordinates: | 42.8044°N 2.2361°W |
| Elevation M: | 398 |
| Elevation Min M: | 394 |
| Elevation Max M: | 1330 |
| Area Km2: | 11.77 |
Axat (in French pronounced as /aksat/; Atsat in Occitan) is a commune in the Aude department in the Occitanie region of southern France.
Axat is located in Cathar country at the doors of the Aude Pyrenees some 45 km west by northwest of Perpignan and 10 km southeast of Quillan. Access to the commune is by the D117 road from Belvianes-et-Cavirac in the north which passes east through the top of the commune and continues to Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes. Access to the village is by the D118 which branches from the D117 in the north of the commune and goes south to the village then continues south through the length of the commune before turning west to follow a mountain ridge to Puyvalador. The commune is alpine in nature with extensive forests and rugged terrain. The village is in a valley in the north of the commune.[2]
Axat is a pretty tourist town situated in the high valley of the Aude. Surrounded by mountains and gorges, the narrowest Gorge of Saint Georges is only 3 km away. The River Aude is in a picturesque setting and is a popular whitewater sports location. There are 300 metres of fly fishing stretches where the quality of oxygen in the water attracts salmon and trout.
A privately owned tourist railway known as The Little Red Train (Train du pays Cathare et du Fenouillèdes), runs on part of the old Carcassonne to Rivesaltes via Quillan SNCF railway line, from a station just west of the village. In summer it links Axat to Rivesaltes passing through Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet with 60 km of track running over impressive viaducts and through tunnels on open-air carriages. The former track between Axat and Quillan no longer exists.
The river Aude flows through the length of the commune from south to north then continues northwest at the start of its journey to the Mediterranean Sea. Many tributaries rise in the commune on both banks and flow into the Aude including the Ruisseau d'Artigues (which rises in Artigues), the Ruisseeau de Seilles, and many other unnamed streams.[2]
In ancient times the Aude basin did not belong to the Sordones but to other iron producers inhabiting Atax country: the Atacini who made swords as well as axes. The nearest village to the Sordones and part of the land occupied by the Aticini was called Axat and this name, which is a simple inversion of Atax marks the exact point of division between the two tribes of Sordones and Atacini.
The Barony became a Marquisate in 1776 according to Eric Thiou[3] and was extinguished in 1788.[4] It became a courtesy title borrowed by Philippe du Puy de Clinchamps.[5]
List of Successive Mayors[6]
| From | To | Name | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 1971 | Emile Gorse | |
| 1971 | 1983 | Alexandre Raynaud | |
| 1983 | 1985 | Jean Paul Raynaud | |
| 1985 | 1989 | Yves Ipavec | |
| 1989 | 2020 | Marcel Martinez | |
| 2020 | 2026 | Philippe Parraud |
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Axatois or Axatoises in French.[7]
The Church of the Assumption of Notre-Dame, built in 1630, contains a Statue: the Immaculate Conception (17th century) which is registered as an historical object[8]
The New Provisional Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
There is also an outdoor swimming pool which is open from June to September with great mountain views.