Allons is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Allonsais or Allonsaises
Geography
Allons occupies an area mainly located in the small valley of the Ivoire, a tributary of the Verdon, away from the main road of the valley of the Verdon some 60 km north-west of Nice and 40 km south-east of Digne. There are two natural closures of the site, one at Vauclause which corresponds to the edge of the commune at the valley of the Verdon, the other immediately at the exit of the village where the remains of a fortification can be seen.
The village is situated at 1073 m altitude.
The only access to the commune is via road D52 which runs south-east to the village from Road D955 some 6 km north-east of Saint-Andre-les-Alpes.
Relief
The commune is mountainous with high points including: Puy de Rent (1996 m) Le Puy (1820 m) Basse d'Allons (1493 m) Le Roncheret (1617 m) Le Puel (1532 m) Col de l'Iscle (1394 m) Montagnone (1775 m) Chamatte Basse d'Angles Serres (1778 m at Serre Gros)
Hydrography
The commune is traversed by the Ivoire stream into which many streams flow from the mountains. The Ivoire flows into the Verdon (a tributary of the Durance), which forms the north-western border of the commune.
Flora
The commune is a Drainage basin oriented east-west resulting in a large shady side and a large south-facing slope. On the shady side, there are Pine forests. There is a forest of beech trees growing near the village. A Riparian forest with abundant willow trees grows along the Ivoire stream.
Transport
There is a railway station at the intersection of the roads called Allons-Argens Halt which is an optional stop on the metre-gauge Nice to Digne line of the Chemins de Fer de Provence.
Hamlets
La Moutiere
La Forêt
Neighbouring communes and towns
Natural and technological hazards
The area to which Allons belongs is in zone 1b (low risk) according to the deterministic classification of 1991, based on historical earthquakes (medium risk), and in zone 4 according to the classification probability EC8 of 2011. The common Will also faces three other natural hazards: forest fire, flood, marginally in the valley of the Verdon) landslide: the community is affected by a medium hazard high on the slope located above Vauclause in the valley of the Verdon avalanche
The commune is not exposed to any risk of technological origin identified by the prefecture and no prevention plan for foreseeable natural risks (PPR) exists for the commune, the DICRIM has existed since 2011.
The commune was the subject of one natural disaster in 1994 for flooding and mudslides.
Toponymy
The village is mentioned for the first time in the charters of 1113 (in the form Alonz). This place name is formed from the Germanic proper name Alonius according to Ernest Nègre. Charles Rostaing and Fénié argue that the name was formed from the orographic root (in relation to the mountains) Al- (as in the word alpe). This root is probably older than the Gallic.
History
An oppidum occupied the site of Castellas in the Iron Age. Augustus conquered the valley of the Verdon at the same time as the Alps, which he completed in 14 BC. It is difficult to know the name of the Gallic tribe that inhabited the valley nor the name of the civitas on which Allons depended in the High Empire: Eturamina (Thorame), Civitas Saliniensum (Castellane), or Sanitensium (Senez). At the end of the Roman Empire, the connection to Sanitensium and its diocese seem to be proven.
A bronze statue from Antiquity was once found in the commune (now lost).
Middle Ages
It is possible that the Chapel Saint-Domnin at La Moutiere was built on the site occupied by the Allons community in the High Middle Ages in connection with a first monastery. On the opposite side of the valley there are several names of Villas that reinforce this hypothesis. The site of the upper Town, in the valley is possibly contemporary.
In 1072, Pons Sylvain (Pontius Silvanus) owned an important part of the area, if not the entire valley. He donated land to the abbey of Saint-Victor de Marseille which established the priory of Saint Martin there at the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 12th centuries. The village of Allons was created shortly after around a new church which was also called Saint Martin and the priory was abandoned in the 13th century.
The fief belonged to the bishops of Senez and then to the Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille.