Oulx Explained

Oulx
Official Name:Comune di Oulx
Coordinates:45.0333°N 56°W
Region:Piedmont
Metropolitan City:Turin (TO)
Mayor:Paolo De Marchis
Area Total Km2:99.9
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:3330
Population As Of:30 September 2016
Population Demonym:Ulcensi
Elevation M:1100
Saint:St. Roch
Day:16 August
Postal Code:10056
Area Code:0122

Oulx (pronounced as /it/, in French pronounced as /u/, Occitan (post 1500);: label=[[Vivaro-Alpine dialect|Occitan]]|Ors) is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70km (40miles) west of Turin, in the Susa Valley on the border with France.

Names

Like many other towns in the Susa Valley, Oulx has different names reflecting the area's multiple linguistic traditions. One theory of the name's origin is that it derives from Ulkos, the name of a leader of the Celtic Salassi tribe.[2] Another theory holds that the derivation is from Ultor, a title of the god Mars, to whom a temple in the area was dedicated. These names were first rendered as Ulces, and later Ulcium on maps in the Middle Ages, in Latin.[2] From the older forms, the name became Olcs in the Occitan language and was later Francized as Oulx. As part of Italian Fascist Italianization, Oulx was renamed Ulzio from 1928 to 1947. However, this form is considered etymologically incorrect, deriving from the Latin "Ultium" rather than "Ulcium."[3] Today, the municipality is called Oulx in Italian and French, Ours in the local Cisalpine Occitan (a Vivaro-Alpine subdialect; using an alternate orthography),[4] Ors in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /uɾs/ in standard Occitan (using classical orthography), and Ols pronounced as /ʊls/ in Piedmontese as well as in the Cisalpine Occitan standard (using classical orthography).[5]

Geography

There are three parts of the village of Oulx proper: Borgo Superiore (local Occitan (post 1500);: Viêrë), Borgo Inferiore (Plan e Poyà or simply Ël Plan), and Abadia (Baîë). In addition to Oulx proper, the municipality includes the frazioni (districts) of Amazas (local Occitan (post 1500);: Zamazá), Auberges (Oouberja), Beaulard (Bioulâ), Beaume (Baoumë), Chateau-Beaulard (Chaté), Clots (Clos), Constans (Coutan), Gad (Ga), Monfol (Mounfol), Pierremenaud (Piarmenaou), Puy (Peui), Royeres (Rouliera), San Marco (Sa' Mar), Savoulx (Savou), Signols (Signoou), Soubras (Ël Soubrâ), Vazon (Lou Vazoun), and Villard (Viarâ).[6]

Oulx is served by Oulx-Claviere-Sestriere railway station on the Turin-Modane railway.

Twin towns

Notable natives

French Revolutionist Joseph Chalier was born in the village of Beaulard, now a frazione of Oulx. Oulx was the birthplace of Luigi (Louis) Des Ambrois (1807 - 74), an Italian unification-era politician and jurist, who served as chairman of the Senate of the Kingdom (Senato del Regno) shortly before his death.

Sports

External links

Notes and References

  1. All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
  2. http://www.araldicacivica.it/Articoli/toponomastica.htm Note di toponomastica: Periodo Pre-Romano.
  3. http://www.lavalsusa.com/principale/storia/c/1959.htm La Valsusa — Settimanale della Valle di Susa e Val Sangone — 1959: Ulzio o Oulx?
  4. https://www.comune.oulx.to.it/patois/index_patois.htm Il patois / Ël patouà
  5. http://www.provincia.torino.it/cultura/minoranze/lingue_olimpiche/pdf/cart_valli_occitane.pdf Map of the Occitan Valleys
  6. http://www.comune.oulx.to.it/mappa_frazioni.htm Le frazioni / Lâ frazioun