Surrounded by hills and
Champagne vineyards, the city is traversed by the river Aube, from which it derives its name.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Baralbins or Baralbines and Barsuraubois or Barsurauboises.[4]
The commune has been awarded three flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom.[5]
Geography
Bar-sur-Aube is located some 30 km west by north-west of
Chaumont and 25 km south-east of
Brienne-le-Château. Access to the commune is by the D619 road from
Ailleville in the north-west which passes through the centre of the commune and the town before continuing east to
Lignol-le-Château. The D396 branches off the D619 south-east of the town and goes south to
Juvancourt. The D4 goes south-west from the town to
Couvignon. The D13 comes from
Fontaine in the south and passes through the town before continuing north-east to
Colombé-la-Fosse. The D384 goes north to
Ville-sur-Terre while the D73 branches off it in the town and goes to
Arrentières. in the north. The
TER Grand EstTroyes to
Chalindrey railway passes through the commune coming from
Vendeuvre-sur-Barse to the west to
Bricon in the south-east with a station in the town. With a substantial urban area in the west and some forest in the south the commune is mostly farmland.[6][7]
The
Aube river flows through the commune and the town from south-east to north-west continuing to eventually join the
Seine at
Marcilly-sur-Seine. The Bresse also flows through the commune coming from the north-east and forming a small part of the northern border before joining the Aube at the north-western tip of the commune.[6][7]
The area was attested in the form castro barro in the 7th century and Barri villa in 932.
Bar comes from a Gallic word meaning "summit" and is perhaps even older (pre-Gallic).[8]
Bar-sur-Aube appears as Bar sur Aube on the 1750
Cassini Map[9] and the same on the 1790 version.[10]
History
Ancient times
The existence of Bar-sur-Aube goes back to ancient times. There are remains of an
oppidum from the
Iron Age. A coin with the image of a horse in the name of Togirix (Chief of the
Lingones) was discovered on the Sainte Germaine hill.
In
Roman times the town appeared on the
Tabula Peutingeriana under the name of Segessera. Some remains from the 1st to the 4th century including villas have been discovered in the town and surrounding areas. Segessera seemed to have existed from the Roman period to the first
Lyonnais in the territory of the Lingones.
The city was devastated by
Attila. After the division of the kingdom of
Clovis by his son the town became part of
Austrasia.
Middle Ages
Under
Charles the Bald several varieties of coins were issued with the name of the city on the reverse. During the period of the
Counts of Champagne the town was of great importance with the
Champagne fairs where merchants from
Flanders and
Italy traded Oriental spices and silk for textiles and raw materials from the north of
Europe in mid-February and mid-April. The town was then joined to the crown of France. In 1318
Philip V the Tall sold the town to Jacques de Croÿ, residents bought it themselves to ensure that the king could no longer sell or alienate the lands.
Modern and contemporary eras
When
Charles V besieged
Saint-Dizier the inhabitants of nearby villages came under his protection. The town suffered a long
plague in 1636 which led to the end of the fair. In 1862 the fortifications were demolished and the boulevard du tour put in their place.
The
French Revolution was well received in the commune and the
convents disappeared. It became the chief town of the district from 1790 to 1800.
The city and surrounding area was the scene of the
Battle of Bar-sur-Aube towards the end of the Napoleonic era on 27 February 1814.
One college: the College Gaston Bachelard The college consists of 19 classes spread over 4 floors offering students with options for
Latin in the 5th year,
Greek in the 3rd year and has the distinction of being the only college in France to have a cinema-audiovisual option. A soccer section is available for middle school and high school students.[17]
One comprehensive school: Lycée Polyvalent Gaston Bachelard This general and technological school consists of 14 classes spread over 3 levels and offers its students the following courses: S (Scientific), L (literary), ES (economic and social) and STMG (Science and Technology manageant and management). It also offers a cinema-audiovisual option from the 2nd year. Foreign languages ??taught are
German, English and
Spanish. Classes are held in groups of skills not whole classes. Each year school trips are organized to Germany, Scotland, and Spain. In 2013 an exchange with students from
Ashburn (United States) began. The French students went in February and US students came in 2014. The vocational high school consists of 6 classes spread over 3 floors and offers its students courses in trade and electrical engineering.[18]
Sports
There are numerous sports clubs in Bar-sur-Aube:[19]
Sports Clubs in 2014
Activity
Club
Billiards
Billiard Club Baralbin
Diving
Club Nautique Baralbin
Cycling
Cyclo Club Baralbin, Étoile Cycliste Baralbine
Football
BFC vétéran, OS Luisadas, Bar Football Club
Gym
Gymnastic Volontaire Bar. Gym des Nin's, Jeune Garde de Bar-sur-Aube, La Concorde
Hang-gliding / Para-gliding
Les Ailes de Sainte-Germaine
Table tennis, roller blades, canoe, kayaking
Maison pour Tous
Pétanque
Pétanque baralbine
Basketball
PL Basket
Multi-sports
Patronage laïque
Rhythmic Gym
G.I.R.L.S.
Badminton
Badminton Club Baralbin
Aikido
Bar-sur-Aube Aïkido
Athletics
Cercle Athlétique Bar-Bayel
Fencing
Cercle d'Escrime Baralbin
Archery and Shooting
Diana Sport
Judo
Judo Club Baralbin
Thai Boxing
Muay thai pahuyouth
Handball
PL Handball
Mountain Climbing
Roc Altitude
Karate
Shotokan Karaté Do
Swimming
Stade Nautique Baralbin
Tennis
Tennis Club Baralbin
Economy
The commune has a branch of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Troyes and Aube.
Industry
The
hemp industry is highly developed in Bar-sur-Aube and has been growing steadily for several years.
Metal processing (forging, machining) for aerospace, armaments, agricultural machinery, medicine (prosthetics), etc. Manoir Aerospace.
Agriculture
Bar-sur-Aube, is the largest French producer of
straw hemp (125 tons per day) and many hemp products are manufactured in the commune. Around the town there are many
vineyards specializing in
champagne.
Culture and heritage
Guided tours of the town are organised on request by the Office of Tourism.
The commune contains over 200 objects that are registered as historical objects - mainly in the Church of Saint Peter but many others in different locations.[20]
Civil heritage
The Covered Market
The former Hotel de Surmont (now the Post Office)
The Marcasselles Mill
The commune has many buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments: