Aulnay, commonly referred to as Aulnay-de-Saintonge (), is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes), France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aulnaysiens or Aulnaysiennes.
Geography
Aulnay is located on the Via Turonensis. one of the Ways of St. James some 45 km east by south-east of Surgères and 17 km north-east of Saint-Jean-d'Angély. Access to the commune is by the D950 from Les Églises-d'Argenteuil in the south-west which passes through the commune just west of the town and continues to La Villedieu in the north. The D121 comes from Saint-Georges-de-Longuepierre in the north-west passing through the town and continuing south to Cherbonnières. The D129 comes from Varaize in the south passing through the town and continuing north-east to Saint-Mandé-sur-Brédoire. The D133 goes from the town south-east to Néré. In the commune there is the village of La Cressoniere west of the town, Pinsenelle north-west of the town, and Salles-lès-Aulnay east of the town. Apart from the urban area of the town the commune is entirely farmland.
Hydrography
The Brédoire river flows through the commune and the town from east to west to join the Boutonne at Nuaillé-sur-Boutonne. Although a small river the Brédoire flooded the town in December 1982. The Palud flows through the north of the commune from the east to join the Brédoire at La Cressoniere. The Saudrenne flows from the east in the south of the commune forming part of the southern border before continuing to join the Boutonne at Saint-Pardoult.
Neighbouring communes and villages
History
Aulnay during the Roman Empire
Formerly called Aunedonnacum in the itinerary of Antoninus Pius and Auedonnaco in the Tabula Peutingeriana, Aulnay was a Gallo-Roman station on the important imperial Roman road between Saintes and Poitiers, and possibly between Saintes and Lyon before a more direct route, the Via Agrippa, was built.
Aerial photographs taken by aerial archaeologist Jacques Dassié and archaeological excavations have revealed a remarkable Roman camp at a place called Rocherou. This castrum was created for strategic reasons around the year 21 AD and abandoned around the year 43 AD. Its construction was carried out modelled on Roman camps in the conquest of Germania under the Principate of Augustus (along the Lippe) and also on camps on the limes of the Rhine due to the attested presence of displaced legions from Germania. Several Roman inscriptions have been found.
Aerial photography has also revealed the existence of a Fanum with a polygonal Cella and a Peribolos, proof of the existence of an important Gallo-Roman city.
Aulnay in the Middle Ages
As the capital of a fiscal jurisdiction Aulnay was already the seat of a lordship in 925, as evidenced by the donation made by Cadelon I to several abbeys. The Viscounts of Aulnay (or Viscounts of Aunay) were descendants of other noble families in Poitou and Saintonge and lived in a castle which was demolished in 1818 but whose tower still remains.
Aulnay in the contemporary era
A common name for Aulnay is Aulnay-de-Saintonge but under the Ancien Régime Aulnay (often spelled Aunay) did not belong to the province of Saintonge but to the Province of Poitou and the Diocese of Poitiers.
By decree dated 12 December 1973 the commune of Salles-lès-Aulnay merged with the commune of Aulnay.
Aulnay is the capital of the canton of Aulnay-de-Saintonge which has the largest extent in the department of Charente-Maritime.
Heraldry
Administration
List of Successive Mayors
Demography
In 2017 the commune had 1,369 inhabitants.
Distribution of Age Groups
The population of the town is older than the departmental average.
Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Aulnay and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017
Source: INSEE
Economy
Old Railway service
The Compagnie de chemins de fer départementaux (Departmental Railway Company or CFD) operated the Charentes and Deux-Sèvres railway network with a line crossing the commune. This was the Saint-Jean-d'Angély to Saint-Saviol line (1896-1951). The first locomotives used were built by Derosne-Cail. The old station buildings were transferred to the Departmental Directorate of Public Works in 1954.
The Goizin factory for agricultural Ploughs
The Goizin factory was once the largest industrial employer in the commune. Robert Goizin first set up a maintenance workshop and sold spare parts for agricultural equipment with a shop to display them.