Alès marks 100 years since official rename from Alais

On 29 July 2026 the town of Alès in southern France observed the centenary of the decree that, on 29 July 1926, officially changed its spelling from Alais to Alès. The change was part of a broader effort to standardise French commune names and was promoted by the local scientific and literary society before being formalised by a Council of State decree.

Historical research shows the settlement’s name derives from the Latin *Alestum*, appearing in medieval documents as Alais, Alez, Alest and other variants. The mistaken spelling “Alais” originated in a 1629 peace‑of‑Alais document and persisted in official use until the 1926 decree. Today the older form still appears on local monuments such as the war memorial and the Tempéras arena. The centenary celebrations included exhibitions at the town hall that highlighted the town’s onomastic history and the role of historians like Bernard de Fréminville in documenting the evolution of the name.