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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Aramits

Aramits (French pronunciation: [aʁamits]; Occitan: Aràmits; Basque: Aramitze) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

Geography

Location

Aramits is located in part of the Barétous valley, the westernmost of the three main valleys of Béarn crossing the Pyrenees. It is located some 15 km south-west of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and 3 km north of Arette.

Access

Access is by the D919 road from Ance in the north-east to the village then continuing to Lanne-en-Baretous in the south-west. There are also the minor roads D659 from the village north to join the D159 on the northern border and the D133 which goes south from the village to Arette.

Bus route 848 of the Inter-urban network of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, which connects La Pierre Saint-Martin (a ski resort in Arette) to Oloron-Sainte-Marie, has a stop in Aramits.

Hydrography

Located in the drainage basin of the Adour, the commune is bisected from south-west to north-east by : Le Vert a tributary of the Gave d'Oloron which gathers many tributaries of its own in the commune including the Aurone, the Lancy, the Littos, the Talou Gros, and also by the arrècs of Bugalaran, Bitole (as well its tributary the Rachet), Ibarcis, and Labaigt (and by its tributary the Audore).

The tributaries of the Joos: the Arriou de Sulu and the Bouhatéko erreka (with the Dragon) also flow through the commune.

Localities and hamlets

The Town Hall.
  • Aïtzaguer
  • Andillon
  • Arhanchet
  • Aripe
  • Atchouètos
  • Badet
  • Balen
  • Baliros
  • Villa Barétous
  • Bénébig
  • Bernasqué
  • Bigué
  • Bile
  • Bouenou
  • Bourette
  • Brincou
  • Fontaine Bugalaran
  • Bois de Bugangue
  • Borde Estanguet
  • Granges Cachau
  • Calangué
  • Camou
  • Capdeville
  • Carquet
  • Carrère
  • Casabonne
  • Casalet
  • Casemayou
  • Castera
  • Chandelle
  • Chicane
  • Chinaberry
  • Chourrout
  • Coig
  • Coig de Lamothe
  • Couéchot
  • Coustarou
  • Crapuchette
  • Escary
  • Escoubès
  • Escribasse
  • Estrate
  • Galard
  • Garay
  • La Gloriette
  • Gouloume
  • Gourroure
  • Guirail
  • Hondeville
  • Laborde
  • Lac de Bas
  • Lacazette
  • Lacouère
  • Lagarde
  • Lahitte
  • Lamothe (2 localities)
  • Lanne de Haut
  • Lanneretonne
  • Larrande
  • Lartigau
  • Laserre
  • Laude Bousquet
  • Grange Lerdou
  • Lesponne
  • Lhande
  • Loustalot
  • Loustaucaus
  • Grange de Lurbet
  • Mendioudou
  • Ménin
  • Mesplou
  • Miapira
  • Miramon
  • Mirande
  • Moncole
  • Mounolou
  • Les Murs
  • Olivé de Haut
  • Olivé de Baig
  • Oscamou
  • Grange d'Osse
  • Ounces
  • Oyhenard
  • Pastou
  • Les Pernes
  • Peyré
  • Grange de Pradet
  • Prat
  • Bois de Rachet
  • Pont de Rachou
  • Ripaète
  • Satzoury
  • Serres
  • Serreuille
  • Sottou
  • Soulou
  • Talou
  • Talou Andichou
  • Talou Piarroch
  • Tembla de la Loupère
  • Tos de Haut
  • Trébucq
  • Les Trois Arbres

Toponymy

The commune name in béarnais is Aràmits (according to classical norm of Occitan). For Brigitte Jobbé-Duval, the origin of the name is from the Basque aran ("valley") and -itz (a locative and collective suffix) giving "place of valleys" or "confluence". It would also indicate that the inhabitants were once nicknamed grenouilles (frogs) - a name for the inhabitants of wetlands).

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

Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description
Aramits Aramiçs 1270 Raymond
7
Ossau Village
Aramitz en Baratons 1376 Raymond
7
Luntz
Iramitz 1383 Raymond
7
Luntz
Sent-Vinsens d'Aramitz 1606 Raymond
7
Insinuations
Aramys 1630 Grosclaude Le Païs de Béarn Map
Aramits 1750 Cassini
L'Arrigau lo ariu aperat la Rigau 1538 Raymond
12
Reformation Stream with its source in Arette and joining the Vert in Aramits
L'Arrigas 1863 Raymond
Basques Basques 1863 Raymond
22
Hamlet
La Bourette La Bourette 1863 Raymond
35
Tributary of the Vert which rises in Aramits
Le Bois de Bugangue lo boscq de Buyangue 1477 Raymond
37
Aspe Wood on the territory of Asasp in 1863. The Ruisseau de Bugangue, a tributary of the Mielle which rose in Asasp and Gurmençon in 1863, passed through the wood.
Calangué La Calangue 1863 Raymond
39
A Stream with its source in the Bois de Budangue and joining the Dandarou, a tributary of the Vert.
Gouloume Goulomme 1863 Raymond
72
Wood
La Grange-d'Osse L’Espitau d’Osse 1385 Raymond
73
Census Farm next to the Vert belonging to Pontaut Abbey(Landes) and a fief of the Viscounts of Béarn depending on the bailiwick of Oloron.
La Grange de Osse ab une petite gleysi 1538 Raymond
73
Reformation
Lanne de Haut Lane 1385 Raymond
92
Census Close to another place in Aramits which is now in the commune of Lanne-en-Barétous. It had a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn. In 1385 it was part of the bailiwick of Oloron and had 17 fires.
Lana 1444 Raymond
92
Cour Majour
Sanctus Martinus de Lanne 1673 Raymond
92
Insinuations
Lanne 1863 Raymond
92
Olivé Oliber 1538 Raymond
124
Reformation Farm
Serreuille Seruilhe 1376 Raymond
160
Military Hamlet
Sarrulhe-Susoo 1385 Raymond
160
Census
Sarrulhe-Jusoo 1385 Raymond
160
Census
Soulou Soulon 1581 Raymond
163
Reformation Farm

Sources:

Origins:

  • Ossau: Titles of the Ossau Valley
  • Luntz:
  • Insinuations: Insinuations of the Diocese of Oloron
  • Aspe: Titles of the Aspe Valley
  • Census: Census of Béarn
  • Cour Majour: Regulations of the Cour Majour
  • Military: Military Inspection of Béarn

History

Paul Raymond on page 7 of his 1863 dictionary that Aramits is the former capital of the Barétous valley and that there were two Lay Abbeys, vassals of the Viscounts of Béarn: The Abadie-Susan and Abadie-Jusan.

He further noted that in 1385 there were 52 fires at Aramits and it depended on the bailiwick of Oloron.

Shortly before (in 1375), the priest of Aramits played the role of mediator in conflicts between the Navarrese and the Bearnese which gave birth to the treaty called the Junta de Roncal, leading to the yearly tribute of the three cows paid by Aramits to Isaba (Spain).

In 1790, the Canton of Aramits also included Esquiule.

On 13 March 2000 Aramits was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 4.2.

Heraldry

Arms of Aramits
Arms of Aramits
Blazon:

Vert, two swords Argent saltirewise points to base surmounted by a musketeer's hat of Sable feathered in Argent.



Administration

List of Successive Mayors

From To Name
1983 1989 Pierre Louis
1989 2014 Daniel Lourtau
2014 2023 Étienne Serna
2023 current Jean-François Casaux

Inter-communality

Aramits is part of five inter-communal structures:

  • The Communauté de communes du Haut Béarn;
  • The SIVU for Tourism in Haute-Soule and Barétous;
  • The SIVU La Verna;
  • The Energy Association for Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
  • The Intercommunal association for study and management of the watershed of Le Vert and its tributaries.

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aramitsiens or Aramitsiennes in French.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 1,024—    
1800 938−1.25%
1806 1,001+1.09%
1821 1,220+1.33%
1831 1,264+0.35%
1836 1,317+0.82%
1841 1,303−0.21%
1846 1,306+0.05%
1851 1,249−0.89%
1856 1,209−0.65%
1861 1,150−1.00%
1866 1,073−1.38%
1872 1,024−0.78%
1876 1,040+0.39%
1881 1,110+1.31%
1886 1,031−1.47%
1891 962−1.38%
1896 986+0.49%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 953−0.68%
1906 953+0.00%
1911 940−0.27%
1921 796−1.65%
1926 766−0.77%
1931 753−0.34%
1936 740−0.35%
1946 697−0.60%
1954 642−1.02%
1962 622−0.39%
1968 600−0.60%
1975 621+0.49%
1982 602−0.44%
1990 588−0.29%
1999 653+1.17%
2007 667+0.27%
2012 678+0.33%
2017 669−0.27%
Source: EHESS and INSEE

Economy

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

Culture and Heritage

Church and entrance to the old Lay Abbey
Stained glass by Michel Garicoïts at Aramits

Religious heritage

The Parish church of Saint-Vincent (17th century) is registered as an historical monument. It was a former Lay Abbey with the remains of a portal from the 17th century but the old church was demolished in 1880. The new Romanesque-Byzantine style church was built from 1884 to 1886.

Environmental heritage

  • The Sommet de Souek is 623 metres high
  • The Soum d'Unars is 604 metres
  • The Barrat de Sottou is 556 metres.

Facilities

Education

The commune has a primary school.

Sports and sports facilities

Rugby Union: the Entente Aramits plays in Fédérale 2. Pierre Capdevielle played there from 1985 to 1994.

Notable people linked to the commune

See also

References

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 30 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Google Maps
  4. ^ Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011 (in French)
  5. ^ Géoportail, IGN (in French)
  6. ^ Brigitte Jobbé-Duval, Dictionary of place names - Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 2009, Archives and Culture, ISBN 978-2-35077-151-9 (in French)
  7. ^ Michel Grosclaude, Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, ISBN 2-35068-005-3 (in French)
  8. ^ Pontaut Abbey was founded in 1115 at Mant in Landes department.
  9. ^ Cassini Map 1750 – Aramits
  10. ^ Titles of Ossau in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  11. ^ Contracts retained by Luntz, Notary of Béarn in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  12. ^ Manuscripts from the 17th century in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  13. ^ Titles of Aspe in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the Accous Town Hall (in French)
  14. ^ Manuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  15. ^ Cour Majour of Béarn, register manuscripts from the 15th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  16. ^ Manuscript from 1376 in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  17. ^ List of Mayors of France
  18. ^ Pyrénées-Atlantiques, habitants.fr
  19. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Aramits, EHESS (in French).
  20. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  21. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA64000502 Parish church of Saint-Vincent (in French)