Aubigny-sur-Nere
Geography
An area of forestry and farming surrounding a small light industrial town, situated in the valley of the river Nère some 30 miles (48 km) north of Bourges at the junction of the D940, D924, D30 and the D923 roads.
History
First known as Albinacum in Roman times, the commune was established as a royal town in 1189 by Philip II.
This is the location by which the Duke of Richmond and Gordon gets his honorific title, as the Duke of Aubigny.
In 1419, John Stewart of Darnley, a junior member of the House of Stuart, arrived in France with a large contingent of Scottish soldiers, to fight for Charles VII. He was awarded many titles, among them the Lordship of Aubigny. The family stayed here for 400 years.
Links with Scotland
Aubigny is a common tourist destination for Scots and others from the United Kingdom. The commune is very attached to the Auld Alliance, due to its 400 years of French-Scottish history and is the only place in France that still celebrates this long association each year, on Bastille Day. It is twinned with the Scottish town of Haddington, East Lothian.
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 5,242 | — |
| 1975 | 5,468 | +0.60% |
| 1982 | 5,600 | +0.34% |
| 1990 | 5,803 | +0.45% |
| 1999 | 5,907 | +0.20% |
| 2007 | 5,751 | −0.33% |
| 2012 | 5,590 | −0.57% |
| 2017 | 5,488 | −0.37% |
| Source: INSEE | ||
Places of interest
- The church of St.Martin, dating from the thirteenth century.
- The fifteenth-century Château d'Aubigny.
- The sixteenth-century Chateau de la Verrerie.
- Several sixteenth-century houses.
- A tower, one of few remains of the original town fortifications.
- A museum dedicated to Marguerite Audoux, (1863–1937), a writer who lived nearby.
Personalities
- John Stewart, Earl of Buchan (1381–1424)
- Bernard Stewart, Lord of Aubigny (1452–1508)
- Robert Stewart, Lord of Aubigny (1470–1544)
- Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Aubigny (1649–1734)
- Théophile Moreux, astronomer, is buried here.
Twin towns
Haddington, East Lothian, United Kingdom
Plopana, Romania
Oxford, Mississippi, United States
Vlotho, Germany
Villeneuve-de-la-Raho
See also
References
- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
External links
- Official town website (in French)
- Regional Tourism website (in French)
- Site of the Aéroclub d'Aubigny-sur-Nère (in French)
- Aubigny-sur-Nère on the departement website (in French)
- SISTER CITIES: OXFORD AND AUBIGNY
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
