Arette (French pronunciation: [aʁɛt]; Occitan: Areta) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. It is located in the arrondissement of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and the canton of Oloron-Sainte-Marie-1.

Arette
Town hall
Town hall
Coat of arms of Arette
Location of Arette
Map
Arette is located in France
Arette
Arette
Arette is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Arette
Arette
Coordinates: 43°05′46″N 0°42′56″W / 43.0961°N 0.7156°W / 43.0961; -0.7156
CountryFrance
RegionNouvelle-Aquitaine
DepartmentPyrénées-Atlantiques
ArrondissementOloron-Sainte-Marie
CantonOloron-Sainte-Marie-1
IntercommunalityHaut Béarn
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Pierre Casabonne[1]
Area
1
92.23 km2 (35.61 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
1,071
 • Density12/km2 (30/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
64040 /64570
Elevation292–2,315 m (958–7,595 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Arette Village.
The War Memorial.
The Primary School.
Arette Church.
The fronton.
The Vert d'Arette.

Geography

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Arrete is located some 15 km south by south-west of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and some 4 km south-east of Aramits. It lies close to both the French Basque region and borders Spain in the south. It is within the borders of Béarn, one of the traditional French provinces.

Access to the commune is by French rail SNCF to Pau, and a short bus ride to Arrete. Less scenic is the automobile route: D918 road from Lanne-en-Barétous in the north-west coming south-east to the village then continuing east to Issor. The D132 goes south from the village down the length of the commune following a tortuous mountain route before exiting the southern border of the commune over the Col de la Pierre St Martin (1,760m), which is also the border with Spain, and becoming the Spanish NA-137 which continues to Isaba. The D341 also goes south-east from the village then south, connecting with the D241 at the Col de Labays (1,351m) going east to join the E7 highway south of Sarrance, then continuing along the south-western border to join the D441 south of the commune. The D133 also goes north from the village to Aramits.[3]

Bus Route 848 of the Intercity Network of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (Transports 64) links Arette to Oloron-Sainte-Marie.

Arette is a very large commune and has a land area of 92 km2. It is also mountainous (the La Pierre Saint-Martin ski resort is within its borders, for example) and its highest peak is the 2,315 m Soum Couy, which is situated not far from the 2,504 m Pic d'Anie, the highest peak in the western Pyrenees. From Pic d'Anie the mountain range extends downwards for approximately 20 km, forming both sides of the Aspe Valley to the north-west. The Vert d'Arette (a tributary of the Vert) flows through this valley. The ancient village (also named Arette) from which the commune extends is located at an altitude of 316 m in the valley of Barétous, which lies between the aforementioned Aspe valley, to its east, and the Basque province of Soule, to its west.

Hydrography

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Located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, the commune is the source of numerous tributaries of the Vert which is itself a tributary of Gave d'Oloron. The largest tributary flowing through the commune is the Vert d'Arrette however many other streams flow north towards the Vert including: the Abat Daurèye and its tributary, the Banu Erreka (accompanied by the Ruisseau de Aurèye); Ibarcis Erreka; the Lancy;[4] the Ruisseau de Gurré and its tributary the Ruisseau de Lagaretche; the Ruisseau de Hournères and its tributary, the Ouettone; the Ruisseau de Légorre and its tributary, the Cassiau de Ber; the streams of Nécore,[4] Soulayets,[4] Talu Gros, and Virgou with the tributary of the latter, the Arrigau[4] (accompanied itself in the commune by the Bachère).

The Gave de Lourdios, a tributary of the Gave d'Aspe, and its tributaries, the Arric and the Moulia (and their tributaries, Casteigt Erreka and the Ruisseau de Poussious) also pass through the commune. The Gave de Sainte-Engrâce, a tributary of the Saison, and its tributary, the Montcholako Erreka also flow in the territory of the commune.

Places and Hamlets

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  • Abat d'Ibarry
  • Adam
  • Gouffre d'Ahuzthéguia
  • Ambielle
  • Ambile
  • Cabane d'Ance
  • Apons
  • Pont de l'Araille
  • Gouffre de l'Arbre Sec
  • Pas d'Arlas[4]
  • L'Arre de Bas
  • Arrègle[4]
  • Arritsens
  • Aspit
  • Aurasse
  • Pont d'Aurèye[4]
  • Cabane d'Auriste
  • Ayesten
  • Barbé
  • Le Pas des Basques
  • Bayrès[4]
  • Bécari
  • Bélatch Paoussaguia
  • Bellegarde
  • Bellocq
  • Bernardicou
  • Bersacalongue
  • Ancien Moulin de Bignau
  • Col de Bissouritto (995 metres)[4]
  • Bitailloué
  • Bonnehe
  • Bonneu
  • Bordehore
  • Col de Boticotch
  • Bois de Bouchet[4]
  • Bourdès
  • Bourdet
  • Les Bourrugues
  • Burs
  • Coume de Cagastié
  • Cam dét Ragutio
  • Camgros
  • Camou
  • Candau
  • Capdelabat
  • Capdeville
  • Pas de Caque
  • Casabonne
  • Casamayou
  • Casaurang
  • Casaux
  • La Cassette
  • Cassiau
  • Castagne (Two places)
  • Cataplous
  • Cerciat
  • Château-Forez
  • Pédaing de Chousse[4]
  • Plateau de la Chousse[4]
  • Col de Cissaugue or Nécore[4]
  • Pont de Cissaugue
  • Costemale[4]
  • Costes
  • Coudure
  • Couillarsut
  • Cabane du Coup
  • Couretcoup
  • Courétot
  • Les Courréges[4]
  • Cousturé
  • Coutchet de Lacq
  • Coutchet dets Crapes
  • L'Arre de Soum Couy
  • La Croix du Berger
  • Croix des Contrebandiers
  • Davancens
  • Domecq
  • Fontaine Dorbe
  • Source de l'Ermite
  • Cabane d'Escuret de Bas
  • Cabanes d'Escuret
  • Esperabens
  • Pas des Estes
  • Estournès
  • Estratte[4]
  • Cabane de Féas
  • Pont du Fort
  • Frinchaboy
  • Gabarrat
  • Col de Garbas[4]
  • Gesta
  • Goaillardeu
  • Guilhers (Sheds and fountain)[4]
  • Guren
  • Cap de Gurré (ruins)
  • Handu
  • Source d'Harrigagna
  • Hondagneu
  • Grange Hondagneu
  • Houillis
  • Houndane (spring)
  • Pont du Hourat
  • Houratate
  • Hourcate
  • Hournères[4]
  • Hum
  • Borde de Hum
  • Ibarry - Coigt de Hecore
  • Granges d'Irasts
  • Coume d'Issaux
  • Cabane d'Issort
  • Jantet
  • Labarthe
  • Labatrère
  • Cabanes de Labays
  • Col de Labays (1,351m)
  • Laborde
  • Laclouque
  • Lacoume
  • Laculère
  • Lagarde
  • Lagaretche[4]
  • Lagrave
  • Lahore
  • Pas de Lamayou
  • Lancy
  • Lapeyre
  • Coume de Larrayet
  • Larricq
  • Croix de Larricq
  • Le pont Larron[4]
  • Camp de Larruga
  • Lassalle
  • Bois de Lèche[4]
  • Lèchéko Zingla
  • Légorre d'Ibarry[4]
  • Lembeyou
  • Gouffre Lépineux
  • Mail de Lerre
  • Létone
  • Pas de la Leugue
  • Libarde
  • Col de Lie (601m)
  • Lilles
  • Longis
  • Lourdios d'Arette
  • La Lousère
  • Lucq
  • Col de Mahourat
  • Le Mail blanc
  • Les Malices
  • Cayolar de Mantchola or Cabane d'Etchébar[4]
  • Pas de Massaré
  • Massaugues
  • Coume Mayou
  • Maysou
  • Mesplou
  • Bois de Métouret
  • Mirassou
  • Mirassou Bas
  • Mirassou Haut
  • Moulia
  • La Mouline
  • Moura
  • Nario
  • Nouqué
  • Noutary
  • Noye
  • Oron
  • Cabane d'Oumarre
  • Bois de l'Oumbre-del-Hourcq
  • Gouffre de l'Ours
  • Pagnon
  • Pédaing
  • Pélou
  • Les Pernes
  • Cabane de la Pernotte (ruins)[4]
  • Pescamou[4]
  • Borde des Peyres
  • Peyret
  • Arette La Pierre Saint-Martin
  • Col de la Pierre St Martin
  • L'Arre Planère
  • Pouey
  • Poursuca
  • Le Pourtet[4]
  • Prat
  • Granges de Prat
  • La Puyade
  • Rachet
  • Roucam
  • Pène Rouye
  • Sainte-Gracie
  • Saint-Marty
  • Salanove
  • Salet
  • Salies
  • Sarrelangue
  • Saudiat
  • Plateau de Séguitte
  • Pas de Single
  • Bois de Soudet
  • Cabanes de Soudet
  • Soulaing[4]
  • Soubies
  • Soubirou
  • Soulé
  • Borde de Soulé
  • Sous Pène
  • Superville
  • Col de Suscousse[4] or Garatéko L'époua
  • Talou
  • Talou d'Arnaune
  • Talou de Bouc
  • Tamarpouey[4]
  • Tapie
  • Col de Taules
  • Braca de Termy[4]
  • Le Terrail
  • Gouffre La Tête Sauvage
  • Tourette
  • Tourumy (harnessed spring)
  • Col de Tremeil[4]
  • Camp d'Urdette
  • Zélukobortha (chasm)

[5]

Neighbouring communes and villages

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Toponymy

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The commune name in béarnais is Arèta (according to the classical norm of Occitan). The name comes from the Basque ar- meaning "stone" and from the locative suffix -eta meaning "stony place".[6]

The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.

Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description
Arette Areta 1186 Raymond
9
Barcelona Village
Rete 1383 Raymond
9
Luntz
Arete 1385 Raymond
9
Census
Erete 1440 Raymond
9
Barétous
Aretha 1444 Raymond
10
Cour Major
Eretha 1444 Raymond
10
Cour Major
Hereta 1538 Raymond
10
Reformation
Saint Pierre d'Arette 1674 Raymond
10
Insinuations
Arrette 1750 Cassini
Arete 1801 Ldh/EHESS/Cassini Bulletin des lois
Arrègle le molii d'Arregle 1385 Raymond
141
Census Farm and a Mill on the Vert d'Arette
Aregle en Baretous 1433 Raymond
141
Notaries
Aregla 1538 Raymond
141
Reformation
Réglé 1863 Raymond
141
Arlas Arlas 1538 Raymond
10
Reformation Mountain on the Spanish border
L'Arrigau lo ariu aperat la Rigau 1538 Raymond
12
Reformation A stream rising in Arette and which joins the Vert at Aramits
L'Arrigas 1863 Raymond
12
Aurèye L'Aureye 1863 Raymond
17
Stream rising in Arette, tributary of the Vert
Bayrès Bayres 1538 Raymond
25
Reformation Farm
Bayres 1863 Raymond
25
Col de Bissourritto Col de Bissourritte 1863 Raymond
32
Mountain Pass
Bois de Bouchet Bouchette 1863 Raymond
34
Wood
La Chousse La Chousse 1863 Raymond
50
Stream rising in Arette, a tributary of the Vert
Costemale Costemale 1863 Raymond
52
Mountain
Les Courréges Les Courréges 1863 Raymond
53
Mountain
Estratte Estrate 1385 Raymond
62
Census Farm
Estrata 1538 Raymond
62
Reformation
Estrate 1863 Raymond
62
Col de Garbas Col de Garbas 1863 Raymond
67
Pass between the communes of Arette and Lanne-en-Barétous
Guilhers Le Pas de Guilhers 1863 Raymond
74
Wood between the communes of Arette and Lées-Athas
Hournères Le Hourner 1863 Raymond
80
Stream rising in Arette and joining the Chousse
Lagaretche Lagarretche 1863 Raymond
89
Wood
Le Pont Larron Le Pont Larron 1863 Raymond
95
Bridge named after the former name of the Vert d'Arette: Larron
Lèche La singla de Lexe 1589 Raymond
98
Reformation Mountain and Wood
Légorre d'Ibarry Legorre 1863 Raymond
98
Mountain
Mantchola Le Manchola 1863 Raymond
108
Stream delineating the border between Arette and Sainte-Engrâce before joining the Uhaïtxa
Le Nécore Le Col de Nécore 1863 Raymond
122
Mountain Pass. A stream of the same name rises at the pass and joins the Vert d'Arette in Arette
Pernalatte Pernalatte 1863 Raymond
134
Mountain
La Pernotte La Pernotte 1863 Raymond
134
Stream, tributary of the Chousse
Pescamou Pescamou 1863 Raymond
134
Mountain and Pass on the Spanish frontier
La Pierre Saint-Martin La peyre de Sent-Martin, frontière de Navarre 1589 Raymond
150
Reformation Assembly place for the inhabitants of the Barétous Valley in France and Roncal in Spain
Le Pourtet Pourtet 1863 Raymond
139
Mountain on the Spanish border extending to Arette and Lées-Athas
Le col de Soès Le col de Soès 1863 Raymond
161
Mountain Pass
Soulaing Soulaing 1863 Raymond
163
Mountain between Arette and Osse-en-Aspe and a stream, tributary of the Lourdios
Soulayets Le Soulayet 1863 Raymond
163
Stream that flows through Arette and joins the Vert
Tamarpouey Tamarpoey 1385 Raymond
166
Census Farm
Tamarpoey 1863 Raymond
Le Termy Le Termy 1863 Raymond
167
Stream rising in Arette and joining the Uhaïtxa at Sainte-Engrâce
Trémeil Torrumie 1703 Raymond
168
Regulation Mountain across Arette and Lanne-en-Barétous
Tremeilh 1863 Raymond
168

Sources:

Origins:

  • Barcelona: Titles of Barcelona.[8]
  • Luntz:[9]
  • Census: Census of Béarn[10]
  • Barétous: Titles of the Valley of Barétous
  • Cour Major: Regulations of the Cour Major[11]
  • Reformation: Reformation of Béarn[12]
  • Insinuations: Insinuations of the Diocese of Oloron[13]
  • Notaries: Notaries of Oloron[14]
  • Regulation: Regulation of Arette[15]

History

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In 1385 there were 87 fires in Arette and it depended on the Bailiwick of Oloron.[4]

On 13 August 1967 the village of Arette was 80% destroyed by an earthquake that killed one person. The ruined clock tower of the church indicated the exact time of the earthquake: 11:10 p.m. Seismic waves were felt from Pau to Tarbes and Bayonne.[16]

Heraldry

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Arms of Arette
Blazon:

Quarterly, 1 and 4 Gules with two cows of Or hooved, collared, belled, and horned in Azure one above the other; 2 and 3 Argent with a boar of Sable.



Administration

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List of Successive Mayors[17]

Mayors from the French Revolution to 1942
From To Name
1793 1800 Ignace Camou
1800 1807 Jean Lasalle
1808 1813 Pierre Hum
1813 1831 Jean-Pierre Salet
1831 1835 Jean Carrère
1835 1837 Pierre Camgros
1837 1843 Étienne Superville
1843 1848 Jean-François Sérée
1848 1853 Pierre-Joseph Castéran
1853 1856 Jean-François Sérée
1857 1861 Philippe Salies
1861 1872 Charles-Henri Fischer
1872 1877 Jean Bergé
1877 1884 Charles-Henri Fischer
1884 1890 Emmanuel Salet
1890 1892 François Dabancens
1892 1894 Charles-Henri Fischer
1894 1906 Jean-Baptiste Labourdette
1906 1907 Vincent Lagrave
1907 1916 Bernard Trébucq
1919 1942 Pierre Casabonne
Mayors from 1942
From To Name Party Position
1942 1952 Michel Lagrave
1952 1989 Jean-Marie Lonne-Peyret
1989 2001 Joseph Arrègle
2001 2026 Pierre Casabonne DVD General Councillor

Inter-communality

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Arette is part of six inter-communal structures:

  • the Communauté de communes du Haut Béarn;
  • the SIVU La Verna;
  • the energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
  • the inter-communal association for study and management of the Drainage basin of the Vert and its tributaries;
  • the joint association for la Pierre Saint-Martin;
  • the joint association for Haut-Béarn.

Twinning

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Arette has twinning associations with:[18]

Demography

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In 2017 the commune had 1,057 inhabitants.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 1,762—    
1800 1,561−1.72%
1806 1,826+2.65%
1821 2,014+0.66%
1831 2,139+0.60%
1836 2,176+0.34%
1841 2,245+0.63%
1846 2,245+0.00%
1851 2,218−0.24%
1856 2,069−1.38%
1861 2,113+0.42%
1866 2,078−0.33%
1872 2,065−0.10%
1876 1,982−1.02%
1881 1,990+0.08%
1886 2,050+0.60%
1891 1,905−1.46%
1896 1,851−0.57%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 1,743−1.20%
1906 1,734−0.10%
1911 1,761+0.31%
1921 1,444−1.97%
1926 1,452+0.11%
1931 1,404−0.67%
1936 1,377−0.39%
1946 1,309−0.51%
1954 1,171−1.38%
1962 1,189+0.19%
1968 1,055−1.97%
1975 1,166+1.44%
1982 1,117−0.61%
1990 1,137+0.22%
1999 1,094−0.43%
2007 1,092−0.02%
2012 1,068−0.44%
2017 1,057−0.21%
Source: EHESS[19] and INSEE[20]

Distribution of Age Groups

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The population of the town is relatively old.

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Arette and Pyrénées-Atlantiques Department in 2017

Arette Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Age Range Men Women Men Women
0 to 14 Years 13.7 15.5 16.9 15.0
15 to 29 Years 13.5 11.8 16.4 14.3
30 to 44 Years 13.5 14.2 18.3 17.5
45 to 59 Years 26.3 22.2 21.2 20.6
60 to 74 Years 20.6 20.9 17.8 18.6
75 to 89 Years 11.5 12.3 8.5 11.7
90 Years+ 0.7 3.0 0.9 2.4

Source: INSEE[20][21]

Economy

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The economy of the commune is primarily oriented toward agriculture and livestock (cattle and sheep) and logging. The town is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone designation of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and Heritage

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Civil heritage

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The Barétous Museum is located in the commune. It features permanent collections on pastoralism and the Junta Roncal or "Tribute of the Three Cows".

Religious heritage

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The Retable in the church

The former Lay Abbey (17th century)  is registered as an historical monument.[22]

The Arette Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:

Environmental heritage

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  • The Soum de Liorry (1,012m)[5]
  • The Biscarroules Peak (1,017m)[5]
  • The Sudou Peak (1,167m)[5]
  • The Légorre Peak(1,359m)[5]
  • The Soum de Soudet(1,542m)[5]
  • The Guilhers Peak(1,597m)[5]
  • The Soum de Leche (1,839m)[5]
  • The Arlas Peak (2,044m)[5] on the Spanish border
  • The Arres d'Anie(2,120m)[5]

There is an arboretum in the east of the commune.[5]

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Facilities

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Education

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Arette has a public college: the College of Arette Barétous[27] and a primary school.

Sports and sports facilities

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The Basque pelota Club trains on the village fronton.

The town is located on the route of the 16th stage of the Tour de France 2007 which took place on 25 July. On Bastille Day 2015 the Tour will pass through the town again. 218 km route linked Orthez to Gourette - Col d'Aubisque.

The Hill-climbing event, organized since 1984, is listed as a championship of France.

Notable people linked to the commune

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  • Jacques I d'Arette de Béarn-Bonasse, baptized around 1600 in Béarn and died in 1666 in Saint-Castin, was a lord of Bonasse and lay abbot of Arette.
  • Henri Pellisson , Félibrige and member of the Escole Gastoû Febus affiliated to Félibrige (1846-1912), first at the Acadèmia dels Jòcs Florals (Academy of Floral Games) of Toulouse in 1898 for his poem Notre Dame de Sarrance.
  • Renée Massip, born in 1907 at Arette and died in Paris in 2002, he was a French writer, winner of the Prix Interallié in 1963.
  • Pierre Aristouy born on 18 October 1920 at Arette and died on 20 April 1974. A former French rugby player who played with the French team and in the Section Paloise in the position of second line or prop.
  • Paul Ambille, born in 1930 at Béziers and died in 2010 in Arette, was a French painter.
  • Nelson Paillou, president of the CNOSF (French Olympic Committee) lived in Arette.
  • Marie Bourdet Well known cheese farmer in Southern France; Sonoma Valley communities

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Google Maps
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011 (in French)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Géoportail, IGN (in French)
  6. ^ a b Michel Grosclaude, Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, ISBN 2-35068-005-3 (in French)
  7. ^ Cassini Map 1750 – Arette
  8. ^ Cited by Pierre de Marca, History of Béarn
  9. ^ Contracts retained by Luntz, Notary of Béarn in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  10. ^ Manuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  11. ^ Cour Majour of Béarn, register manuscripts from the 15th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  12. ^ Manuscript from the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  13. ^ Manuscripts from the 17th century in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  14. ^ Notaries of Oloron in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  15. ^ Communal Archives (in French)
  16. ^ Photographs of Arette after the earthquake (in French)
  17. ^ List of Mayors of France (in French)
  18. ^ National Commission for Decentralised cooperation (in French)
  19. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Arette, EHESS (in French).
  20. ^ a b Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Commune d'Arette (64040)
  21. ^ Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Département des Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64)
  22. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00084315 Lay Abbey (in French)
  23. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000035 Chandelier (in French)
  24. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000034 Altar and Retable (in French)
  25. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000033 Eagle-Lectern (in French)
  26. ^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000538 Statue: Virgin and child (in French)
  27. ^ College of Arette website Archived 2011-03-17 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
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