Commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan (French pronunciation: [a.aks alsjɛt baskasɑ̃] ; Basque : Ahatsa-Alzieta-Baskazane )[ 3] is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France .
The people of the commune are known as Ahastar .[ 4]
Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is part of Cize/Garazi country which was a historical province in Lower Navarre . It includes three former parishes, sometimes counted as four groups of houses in the Middle Ages[ 5] and with five toponyms: Alciette, Ahaxe , Garatehegi, Ligeta, and Bascassan located at the confluence of the Laurhibar and Esteneko streams.
Alciette is the parish farthest away to the northeast in the combination of the three parishes.
Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is located some 6 km south-east of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and can be accessed by Highway D18 running from close to there through the heart of the commune southeast to Lecumberry . The village is not on the highway and is left onto the country road Vierge-d'Ahaxe off the D18 heading southeast. There is a country road from Aincille in the west to the village of Bascassin in the commune and there are other country roads entering from the north and the southeast.[ 6]
The commune is located in the Drainage basin of the Adour , the commune lands are watered by the Laurhibar, a tributary of the Nive , and a tributary of that, the Esteneko stream. The Apatéko stream, a tributary of the Arzubiko stream also crosses the territory of Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan.
Localities and hamlets [ edit ]
Aguerréa
Ahatsaxilo (former parish)[ 7]
Ahaxamendy[ 8]
Ahaxe
Alciette
Bascassan
Bastida[ 9]
Bernetcheko Borda
Bidartéa
Bordes (2 places)
Buirguista
Buluntza
Chilinchabidéa
Chilo
Curutchet (or Garat)[ 10]
Dorrea[ 11]
Errékaldéa
Erromatéguia (2 places)
Etcheverria[ 12]
Garatehegi[ 5] [ 13]
Garatéko Eyhéra
Gastelua[ 14]
Gastalepo
Haraune
Harguindéguia
Idioinea[ 15]
Irahane
Iriberria
Irigaraya
Irustikoborda
Italatzé
Kapila
Larluzia
Libiéta[ 16]
Lietamendy
Ligeta[ 5]
Olherry
Orido
Ospitaletchia
Sagardoyguibel
Seineguy
Uhaïtzia
Urrutia
Neighbouring Communes and Villages
[ 17]
The commune's name in Basque is Ahatsa-Alzieta-Baskazane .[ 3] [ 18]
Ahaxe
The toponym Ahaxe appears in the forms:
Jean-Baptiste Orpustan[ 5] indicates that the toponym comes from the Basque oronymic base of (h)aitz meaning "rock" or "height".
The people of the commune are called in Basque Ahatsar .[ 5]
Alciette
The toponym Alciette appears in the forms:
Alsuete (1249)[ 5]
La Grange Alsuete (1302,[ 23] Chapter of Bayonne[ 20] )
Alçueta (1305)[ 18]
Alzueta (1513,[ 23] Titles of Pamplona [ 24] )
Alçuete and Alçueta (1350)[ 18] )
Alchuete (1387)[ 18]
Alchuette (1387)[ 5]
Alçueta (1621,[ 23] Martin Biscay[ 25] )
Alsiette (1667,[ 23] regulations of the States of Navarre[ 26] )
The Basque name for the people of this area is Alzietar .[ 5]
According to Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,[ 5] Alciette is derived from the medieval Alzueta which itself comes from the Basque alzu meaning "place where there are abundant alder trees".
Bascassan
The name Bascassan appears in the forms:
Its origin is uncertain.[ 5] The people of the area are called Bazkazandar in basque.[ 5]
Ahaxachillo is mentioned in the 1863 dictionary.[ 7] )
Bastida is also indicated by Raymond.[ 9]
Errékaldéa is mentioned with the spelling Errecaldia referring to the flowing stream of Bascassan flowing into the Laurhibar.[ 28]
Curutchet
Curutchet (also called Garat ) was a former fief of Ahaxe, a vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre .[ 10]
Etcheverria
Paul Raymond mentioned an Etcheberry , a fief located in the parish of Alciette and a vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre .[ 12]
Garatehegi
The name Garatehegi appears in the forms:
Garateguia (1350)[ 5]
sent jullian et garateheguj (1366)[ 5]
la parropie de garatehegi (1413)[ 5]
Garatteguy (1518,[ 13] Titles of Pamplona[ 24] )
Garatéhéguy (1708,[ 13] Regulation of the commander of Irissarry [ 29] )
Garateguy (1863)[ 13]
Garatehegi from Basque means "summit of the high country".[ 5]
Gastelua
Gastelua appears with the spelling Gastellu in 1863.[ 14]
Libiéta
Libiéta is a toponym that appears in the forms:
Libiet (1621,[ 16] Martin Biscay[ 25] )
Libiette (1789)[ 5]
Ligeta
Ligeta is mentioned in the forms:
Lagueta (1264)[ 5]
Ligueta (1307)[ 5]
Liguete (1350),[ 5] 1366,[ 5] and 1413[ 5] ).
The origin of this toponym could be the Latin Liger [ 5] (which was equally likely to be the origin of Loire ).
The Lordship of Ahaxe, also called the Lordship of Cize , was allied with the Viscounts of Arbéroue in the 11th century as well as the lordships of Guiche and to the Counts of Biscay .[ 5]
Ahaxe and Alciette-Bascassan were reunited on 11 June 1842.[ 18]
Arms of Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan
Blazon:
Quarterly at one and four party per pale Azure with three escallops of Argent and Or with three bars in gules; at two gules with three escallops of Argent and bordure engrailed in Argent; at three Argent with bend engrailed in gules between two escallops gules .
List of Successive Mayors of Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan [ 30]
From
To
Name
Party
1995
2008
Simone Ithurbide
2008
2026
Jean-Paul Bidart
DVD
The commune belongs to seven inter-communal structures:[ 31]
the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque ;
the AEP union of Ahaxe-Lecumberry-Mendive;
the energy union of Pyrenees-Atlantiques;
the RPI (Intercommunal Education) union Hergaray;
the inter-communal union for the development and management of the abattoir of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port;
the joint association for the watershed of the Nive;
the union to support Basque culture.
Historical population Year 1793 474 — 1800 485 +0.33% 1806 472 −0.45% 1821 460 −0.17% 1831 555 +1.90% 1836 588 +1.16% 1841 930 +9.60% 1846 864 −1.46% 1851 892 +0.64% 1856 830 −1.43% 1861 738 −2.32% 1866 641 −2.78% 1872 674 +0.84% 1876 670 −0.15% 1881 624 −1.41% 1886 614 −0.32% 1891 571 −1.44% 1896 561 −0.35%
Year 1901 576 +0.53% 1906 570 −0.21% 1911 545 −0.89% 1921 469 −1.49% 1926 462 −0.30% 1931 440 −0.97% 1936 454 +0.63% 1946 419 −0.80% 1954 368 −1.61% 1962 344 −0.84% 1968 335 −0.44% 1975 307 −1.24% 1982 265 −2.08% 1990 263 −0.09% 1999 320 +2.20% 2007 290 −1.22% 2012 283 −0.49% 2017 274 −0.64%
Source: EHESS[ 32] and INSEE[ 33]
Economic activity is mainly agricultural. The commune is part of the zone designation of the Ossau-Iraty cheese.
Culture and heritage [ edit ]
According to the Map of the Seven Basque Provinces published in 1863 by Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte , the Basque dialect spoken in Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is eastern low Navarrese.
There is a gaztelu zahar (a prehistoric fortified complex) at a place called Gaztalepo (Ahaxe), located 550 metres above sea level. There is also a lice or a fence surrounding a fortification running at 313 metres above sea level at a place called Gaztelua or Gastellia . These artifacts represent the ancient past of the commune.
There are several buildings, houses, and farms in the commune that are listed as historical monuments. These are:
Houses and Farms (17th - 19th centuries)[ 34]
Kapila House [ 35]
Idioinea farm (17th century)[ 36]
Gohonetxea farm (17th century)[ 8]
Château Saint-Julien (12th century)[ 11]
A number of churches and sites in the commune have been classified as historical monuments. These are:
Parish Church of Saint Julien of Antioch (16th century)[ 37] The cemetery contains a remarkable collection of Hilarri .
Hilarri in the Saint Julien Church Cemetery
Chapel of Saint-Saveur of Alciette (12th century).[ 38] The chapel contains several historical objects:
Pulpit (17th century)[ 39]
2 Benches (17th & 18th century)[ 40]
Main Altar , Retable and 4 Candlesticks (17th century)[ 41]
Secondary Altar. Retable, 2 Candlesticks (17th century)[ 42]
Baptismal fonts (17th century)[ 43]
Ceiling (17th century)[ 44]
Statue: Baby Jesus (18th century)[ 45]
Processional Cross (18th century)[ 46]
Cross: Christ on the Cross (17th century)[ 47]
Chapel of Saint-Saveur of Alciette (Interior Decor)[ 15]
Former benoîterie of Bascassan (18th century).[ 48]
Former benoîterie of Bascassan garden.[ 49]
Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan (17th century).[ 50] The church contains a number of historical objects. These are:
2 Altars, 2 Retables, 2 Paintings, 4 Candlesticks (17th century)[ 51]
Baptismal fonts (17th century)[ 52]
Pulpit (17th century)[ 53]
Processional Cross (18th century)[ 54]
Cross: Christ on the Cross (17th century)[ 55]
Bronze Bell (17th century)[ 56]
Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan (Interior and Cemetery)[ 57]
Cemetery Cross of Ahaxe (1827)[ 58]
The commune has a kindergarten.
^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" . data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies . 28 December 2023.
^ a b AHATSA-ALZIETA-BASKAZANE , Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia (in Spanish)
^ Brigitte Jobbé-Duval , Dictionary of country names - Pyrénées-Atlantiques , 2009, Ed. Archives and Culture, ISBN 978-2-35077-151-9 (in French)
^ 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 Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy , Ed. Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2006, ISBN 2867813964 , page 140 (in French)
^ Google Maps
^ a b Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 3 (in French)
^ a b Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000854 Gohonetxea Farm (in French)
^ a b Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 23 (in French)
^ a b Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 54 & 67 (in French)
^ a b Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000845 Chateau of Saint-Julien (in French)
^ a b Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 63 (in French)
^ a b c d Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 67 (in French)
^ a b Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 68 (in French)
^ a b Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00084304 Chapel of Saint-Saveur Interior (in French)
^ a b Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 101 (in French)
^ Géoportail , IGN (in French)
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000871 Presentation of the Commune (in French)
^ a b c Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , Paul Raymond , Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011, p. 3 (in French)
^ a b Chapter of Bayonne - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
^ Manuscript of the 18th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
^ Manuscripts from the 17th to the 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of des Pyrénées-Atlantiques
^ a b c d Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 4 (in French)
^ a b c Titles published by don José Yanguas y Miranda (in Spanish)
^ a b c Derecho de naturaleza que la merindad de San-Juan-del-pie-del-puerto, una de las seys de Navarra, tiene en Castilla - 1622 petit in-4° (in Spanish)
^ Collection of manuscripts in 11 volumes of deliberations (1606 to 1789) - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
^ a b Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 22 (in French)
^ Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees , p. 59 (in French)
^ Regulations of the commandery of Irissarry - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
^ List of Mayors of France (in French)
^ Intercommunality of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Archived 2014-05-06 at the Wayback Machine , Cellule informatique préfecture 64, consulted on 9 November 2011 (in French)
^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui : Commune data sheet Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan , EHESS (in French) .
^ Population en historique depuis 1968 , INSEE
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000963 Houses and Farms (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000856 Kapila House (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000855 Idioinea Farm (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000844 Church of Saint Julien (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000843 Chapel of Saint-Saveur (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000015 Pulpit (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000014 2 benches (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000013 Main Altar, Retable and 4 Candlesticks (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000012 Secondary Altar. Retable, 2 Candlesticks (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000011 Baptismal fonts (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000010 Ceiling (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000009 Statue: Baby Jesus (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000008 Processional Cross (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000007 Cross: Christ on the Cross (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000851 Former benoîterie of Bascassan (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00084549 Former benoîterie of Bascassan garden (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000850 Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000021 2 Altars, 2 Retables, 2 Paintings, 4 Candlesticks (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000020 Baptismal fonts (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000019 Pulpit (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000018 Processional Cross (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000017 Cross: Christ on the Cross (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM64000016 Bronze Bell (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00084303 Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan Interior & Cemetery (in French)
^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00084302 Cemetery Cross of Ahaxe (in French)