Oulx
Encyclopedia
Oulx is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Turin
in the Italian
region Piedmont
, located about 70 km west of Turin
, in the Susa Valley
on the border with France
.
tribe. 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
. 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."
Today, the municipality is called Oulx in Italian
and French
, Ours in the local Cisalpine Occitan (a Vivaro-Alpine
subdialect; using an alternate orthography), Ors uɾs in standard Occitan (using classical orthography), and Ols [ʊls] in Piedmontese
as well as in the Cisalpine Occitan standard (using classical orthography).
In addition to Oulx proper, the municipality includes the frazioni
(districts) of Amazas (local ), 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).
Oulx is served by Oulx-Claviere-Sestriere railway station on the Turin-Modane railway.
ist Joseph Chalier
was born in the village of Beaulard, now a frazione
of Oulx. Oulx was the birthplace of Luigi (Louis) Des Ambrois
(1807-1874), an Italian unification-era politician and jurist, who served as chairman of the Senate of the Kingdom
(Senato del Regno) shortly before his death.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Turin
Province of Turin
The Province of Turin is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin.It has an area of 6,830 km², and a total population of 2,277,686 . There are 315 comuni in the province – the most of any province in Italy...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, located about 70 km west of Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, in the Susa Valley
Susa Valley
The Susa Valley is a valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, located between the Graian Alps in the north and the Cottian Alps in the south. It is the longest valley in Italy. It extends over in an east-west direction from the French border to the outskirts of Turin. The valley takes its...
on the border with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan 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 SalassiSalassi
The Salassi were an Alpine tribe whose lands lay on the Italian side of the Little St Bernard Pass across the Graian Alps to Lyons, and the Great St Bernard Pass over the Pennine Alps...
tribe. 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
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. From the older forms, the name became Olcs in the Occitan language and was later Francized
Francization
Francization or Gallicization is a process of cultural assimilation that gives a French character to a word, an ethnicity or a person.-French Colonial Empire:-Francization in the World:...
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."
Today, the municipality is called Oulx in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Ours in the local Cisalpine Occitan (a Vivaro-Alpine
Vivaro-Alpine
Vivaro-Alpine or Vivaroalpenc, Vivaroaupenc is the northeastern dialect of the Occitan language. It belongs to the Northern Occitan dialectal group. Vivaro-Alpine is spoken in Southern France and North-Western Italy, and in the remote Guardia Piemontese, Calabria, where it is known as gardiol...
subdialect; using an alternate orthography), Ors uɾs in standard Occitan (using classical orthography), and Ols [ʊls] in Piedmontese
Piedmontese language
Piedmontese is a Romance language spoken by over 2 million people in Piedmont, northwest Italy. It is geographically and linguistically included in the Northern Italian group . It is part of the wider western group of Romance languages, including French, Occitan, and Catalan.Many European and...
as well as in the Cisalpine Occitan standard (using classical orthography).
Geography
There are three parts of the village of Oulx proper: Borgo Superiore (local ), Borgo Inferiore (Plan e Poyà or simply Ël Plan), and Abadia (Baîë).In addition to Oulx proper, the municipality includes the frazioni
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
(districts) of Amazas (local ), 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).
Oulx is served by Oulx-Claviere-Sestriere railway station on the Turin-Modane railway.
Notable Oulx natives
French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
ist Joseph Chalier
Joseph Chalier
Joseph Chalier was a French Revolutionist.As a young man, Chalier's family hoped he would take a career in the church. But instead he became a partner in a law firm in Lyon. Because of his job with the firm, he traveled to Levant, Italy, Spain and Portugal. While living in Paris in 1789, he became...
was born in the village of Beaulard, now a frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Oulx. Oulx was the birthplace of Luigi (Louis) Des Ambrois
Luigi Des Ambrois
Luigi Des Ambrois De Nevanche was Piedmontese statesman that become president of the Senate after Italian unification.- Life :Born in Oulx, son of an officer of Sardinian army, in 1828 he graduated in law in Turin, soon after his degree he entered as assistant of the district attorney of Turin...
(1807-1874), an Italian unification-era politician and jurist, who served as chairman of the Senate of the Kingdom
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
(Senato del Regno) shortly before his death.
External links
- Official commune website
- Oulx.org
- Map of Oulx at the official commune website.