DISCOVERIES
FROM ROUERGUE TO ARGENTINA PAMPA
The strength of links and the regular relationships that unite communities offer
the advantage of maintain the memory of pioneers over time, such as tell us
Nathalie AUGUY-PERIE and Delphine BIELANSKY Presidente and general secre-
tary of the ROUERGUE PIGUE association of SAINT COME D'OLT in the depart-
ment of Aveyron and Maria Amalia RODRIGUEZ Presidente of the PIGUE ex-
change friendly located in the heart of the Argentina Pampa.
" Our association made up of 200 members founded in 1984 with the objective of maintain and perpetuate the relations
of friendship between France and Argentina and in particular between Rouergue and the Aveyron colony of PIGUE loca-
ted on the North West part of the silver continent in 584 kilometers from Buenos Aires." Tell us Nathalie AUGUY-PERIE.
" The emigration of Aveyron families to Argentina was initiated in 1881 under the leadership of Clément Cabanettes
from the village of Ambec near Saint Come D'Olt or he succeeds, at the time, to convince forty families to go into exile
towards Argentina new eldorado and the promised land for these new migrants and in 1884 they left Rodez by train and
then embarked on the Belgrano Ship which left from Bordeaux for South America and after a long and tiring journey,
they will arrive at the port of Buenos Aires from where they will take the train to PIGUE station only building present to
welcome us where they set foot on December 4, 1884.
"The economic and social data of Aveyron at the end of
19th century are very particular or a good number of
inhabitants who suffer from overpopulation,the cramped
nature of farms and the arrival of phylloxera in the vine-
yards of the valleys are tempted by the emigration and
the reasons for leaving of these families from the valley
of the Olt were mainly the search for a new more prospe-
rous life on South American soil in parallel with the disco-
very of new horizons as was the case for all pioneering
French in South America during centuries past. "During
the years which followed the first arrivals of families and
after a difficulat start,the Aveyron colony was one of the most active in the Argentina Pampa,helped by its agricul-
tural and commercial origins acquired in Aveyron and in
particular in the Region of Rouergue." tell us Delphine
BIELANSKY pointing out the specificities on a map.
The Association ROUERGUE PIGUE SAINT COME D'OLT
The Association PIGUE FRIENDLY EXCHANGES
The Dynamics Of Links Between Pigue And Aveyron
Created and initiated in May 2001 by a group of young people whose objective was to maintain and to perpetuate the
friendship relations between France and Argentina in particular between the Rouergue and the Aveyron colony of PIGUE
the association PIGUE FRIENDLY EXCHANGES chaired by Maria Amalia RODRIGUEZ including 15 active members com-
pleted by 10 external collaborators is also very active in its cooperation projects."Our actions are various with, for exam-
ple,educational projects and this since June 2001 with in particular the reception of students and trainees and partner-
ships between educational establishments in our 2 regions such as this was the case between the Louis Querbes High
School of Rodez and the escuela de educacion Media PIGUE NO2. Our association also has very regular relations with
French institutions as with the French Embassy and consulate in addition to the French Network of Buenos Aires. Our
cooperation projects which are very varied concern also genealogy and research for families who wish contacts in addi-
tion to trips in France and visits made with the descendants of emigrants from Rouergue closely with the ROUERGUE
PIGUE Association and the departemental council of Aveyron which has a cooperation agreement with the municipality
of Saavedra Pigue.We collaborate also closely with the cultural service of the city of PIGUE for actions to promote cul-
ture,gastronomy and traditions from the French community in parallel with cultural operations intended to promote
exchanges between France and Argentina also integrating promotional, economic and social data well in line with the
history specificities of the Aveyron emigration and which prove the dynamics and the sustainability of the links between
PIGUE and the Aveyron for more than 130 years".
Report : Gabriel PAGE
Photo Credit : Gabriel PAGE.ROUERGUE PIGUE.PIGUE FRIENDLY EXCHANGES (Produced in 2019)
