Authon (French pronunciation: [otɔ̃]; Occitan: Auton) is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of south-eastern France.

The commune is located on the eastern boundary of the Baronnies Orientales on Provençal limestone formations of the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous periods (sedimentary rocks from a former Alpine Ocean) between three main geological formations of the Alps:[3] The village is located at an altitude of 1,137 metres above sea level[6] in the Massif des Monges.

Mount Jouere is located in the north with the ridge of Clot des Martres being the northern boundary of the commune.

In the south, the Col de Font-Belle, towards Le Castellard-Melan, lies between the Melan mountain and the escarpment of Géruen.

[8] Several streams flow into the Vançon: the Riou d'Authon, the Ravin de la Bastié, and the Verdachon.

[9] Human occupation is dispersed across the commune in tiny hamlets, mostly in the western part: Les Fabres, le Vivier, Briançon, Bonnet, Lèbre, Théous, Champdolent.

According to Charles Rostaing the name designates a height (from the Latin altus meaning "high" and the Gallic dunam).

[20] The churches and communities of Authon and Briançon depended on the Order of the Temple in the 13th century who also received the related income.

[20] Rigaut de Montomat seized the castle on 4 November 1392 and established a substantial toll for passage to Maupas.

He also ransomed the surroundings until the Viguerie of Sisteron raised an army equipped with artillery and put siege to the castle.

[21] At the end of the Middle Ages a Fair was held in Authon as it was located on one of the routes between the Sisteron bridge on the Durance and the Bléone valley.

[22] In the 12th century there was a lawsuit opposing the hospitallier commander of the village over an honorable ceremony (it brought honour to the peasants who were invited): the villagers brought wood at Christmas and the commander shared the family nectar (a superior quality drink), fine pastries, and grapes with their leaders.

[23] At the beginning of the French Revolution the news of the storming of the Bastille was welcomed but caused collective fear of an aristocratic reaction.

The communities of La Motte, Clamensane, Saint-Geniez, Authon, Curbans, Bayons, and Claret together constituted a group of 700 armed men.

They put the Marquis d'Hugues de Beaujeu at its head who decided to meet the danger by monitoring the ferries on the Durance.

As soon as the fear subsided, however, the authorities recommended disarming the workers and the landless peasants and to keep only property owners in the National Guard.

Unlike the departmental trend, population loss continued long after the war until 1982 when the town, had only 21 inhabitants.

Based on its size the town has a council of 9 members (Article L2121-2 of the General Local Authorities Code[32]).

Authon has an area of 4,016 hectares and a population of 45 and is ranked in the following table: The commune has neither a kindergarten nor a primary school.

[49] Mechanization of harvesting, better organization of the market, and obtaining an AOC for "Lavender essential oil from Haute-Provence" in 1981 should have boosted production.

Each year nearly 400,000 animals used to pass through the slaughterhouses of Sisteron enjoying a certain laxity sought to usurp their provenance.

[53] Apples from Alpes de Haute-Durance received a Protected Geographical Indication which was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 17 April 2010.

The prevailing cold nights during the maturation of apples prevents the degradation of acids while a strong diurnal temperature range allows them to yellow and even become pink.

Honey from other flowers is produced in a wide area bounded by Nîmes, Montélimar, Gap, Digne-les-Bains, Nice, Toulon, Marseille, and Avignon.

[58] At the end of 2010 the tertiary sector (trades and services) had 6 businesses (no employees) plus three administrative entities employing one person.

[45] Near the Calade passage of Malpas between Authon and Saint-Geniez there is an engraved stone, dated 1849, depicting a devil or demon, smiling and with feline features like the Matagot des Hautes-Alpes.

[20] The Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church in the village is a simple rectangular shape and capped in timber except for the choir which is surmounted by a bower of slats.