Arzacq-Arraziguet (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
Geography
Arzacq-Arraziguet is located in the north-east of the department and of Béarn, 30 km north of Pau and 40 km south of Mont-de-Marsan. The northern and north-eastern border of the commune is the border between the departments of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Landes. Access to the commune is by the D944 road from Méracq in the south passing through the town and continuing north to Samadet. The D946 road comes from Morlanne in the west passing through the length of the commune and the town and continuing east to join the D834 just south of Garlin. The D246 branches off the D946 in the centre of the commune and goes north-west to join the D45 north of Piets-Plasence-Moustrou. The commune is mostly farmland but with many forests mainly towards the west.Google Maps
The Louts river passes through the commune from south-east to north-west where it continues north-west to eventually join the Adour on the border of the commune of Préchacq-les-Bains. The Arriou river rises in the south of the commune and flows north-west parallel to the Louts joining it north of the commune. The Luy de France forms the south-western border of the commune as it flows north-west to eventually join the Luy north of Castel-Sarrazin.
Places and Hamlets
L'Abattoir Barot Borde La Borde Brioulou Castéra Castetber Chatou Collongues Couillet Coutet Cruhot Cussou Gaillat Gariman Gibardéou Glesia Gouaillard Higuères Hournas Jouanlanne Labère Labus Lacoste Lafitte (two places) Lafounta Lafume Lahon Lanot Larribaou Lasterrières Laulhé Lhamounet Licorne Loué Loustalet Massou Millet Nabailh Naude Ninot Piarrot Pifre Pigat Pountet Pouy Rouquet Roux Salles Sicut Sobole Ten Tristan VialéMinistry of Culture, Mérimée
Géoportail, IGN
Neighbouring communes and villages
Toponymy The name Arraziguet appears in the form: Raviguet (1793 or Year II) and was not shown on the Cassini Map of 1750.Michel Grosclaude, Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages,
Michel Grosclaude indicated that the origin of the name is arrasic ("root" in Gascon), with the collective suffix -etum added giving "cluster of roots or stumps".
The name Arzacq appears in the forms: Arsac (1385, Census of BéarnManuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques ), Lo marcat d'Arsac (1542,Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011, p. 14 Reformation of Béarn B. 736Manuscript from the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques ), at which time it came to Soule and Lower Navarre, Arzac (1620, related to a journey by Louis XIII to Pau), and Arzac on the Cassini Map in 1750Cassini Map 1750 - Arzac
Its name in béarnais is Arsac. The name is of Gallo-Roman origin - the name of a former owner ("Domain of Arsius").History page on the Town Hall website
Cherre was a hamlet in Arzacq, mentioned by the dictionary of 1863.Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 49
The name Vialé appears in the form Le Vialé in the 1863 dictionary.Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 173
History On 14 and 15 October 1620, Louis XIII stopped in Arzacq on his way to Pau. The two aldermen of the town were then Pierre Dubern and Dominique de Meylon.
In 1790 the Canton of Arzacq comprised the same communes as today except the village of Riumayou, but including the commune of Momas.
Arraziguet was merged with Arzacq on 7 September 1845.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Heraldry
Administration
List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name 1995 2020 Henri Fam 2020 2026 Jean-Pierre Crabos
Inter-communality The commune is part of three inter-communal structures:, Cellule informatique préfecture 64, consulted on 2 April 2012 the Communauté de communes des Luys en Béarn; the AEP association of Arzacq; the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
Twinning Arzacq-Arraziguet has twinning associations with:National Commission for Decentralised cooperation Schwarzach (Germany) since 1995. Luna (Spain) since 2004.
Demography The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arzacquois or Arzacquoises in French.Pyrénées-Atlantiques, habitants.fr
Culture and Heritage
Civil heritage The Gallo-Roman period in the commune was the subject of a study by the Ministry of Culture.
There are many buildings in Arzacq-Arraziguet of many types which are registered as historical monuments. These are: Lavoir or Public laundry at Labère (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée One of the first requirements at any Bastide was an ample supply of water. The Lavoir or Public laundry at Labère is oddly located several miles from the town in the open countryside. Presbytery House at Place du Marcadieu (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Mimbielle House at Place du Marcadieu (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Post Office at Place du Marcadieu (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée House at Place du Marcadieu (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Butchery at Place de la République (15th, 16th, & 20th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée House at Place de la République (15th, 16th, & 19th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Cafe at Place de la République (15th, 16th, 18th, & 19th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée War Memorial (First World War)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée House at Place de la République (18th & 19th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée House at Place de la République (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Houses and FarmsMinistry of Culture, Mérimée Motte la Tourette Fortified complex (10th-14th centuries).Ministry of Culture, Mérimée It includes a church, an outer courtyard, a mound, a moat, and an outer wall. Farms dating to the 19th century: Farm at Castetber,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Farm at Gibardéou,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Farm at Cruhot,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Farm at Salles,Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Farm at Tristan.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
The Town Hall has a painting by Paul Mirat depicting the arrival of Louis XIII at Arzacq on 14 October 1620 which is registered as an historical object.Ministry of Culture, Palissy
There is a Museum of Ham in Arzacq which traces the history of Bayonne ham.
Religious heritage The Church of Saint-Pierre (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée is registered as a historical monument.
The church contains many items which are registered as historical objects. These are: Cross: Christ on the Cross (16th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Ministry of Culture, Palissy Statue: Virgin and child (16th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy 23 Stained glass windows (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Choir enclosure (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Altar, Altar seating, Tabernacle (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Group Sculpture: Virgin and child surrounded by angels (15th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Baptismal fonts (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Stoup (16th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Furniture in the ChurchMinistry of Culture, Palissy Furniture in the Church (Supplementary list)Ministry of Culture, Palissy
Arzacq-Arraziguet is a stage on the via Podiensis (or Way of Puy), one of the modern paths on the Way of St. James from Puy-en-Velay and continues to the Roncesvalles Pass and from there to Santiago de Compostela. This is why the blazon of the town has three escallops.
Environmental heritage The town has a lake and two marked trails, one of which is labelled sentiers d'Émilie.Tourism page on the commune website
Facilities Education The commune has an elementary schoolElementary School on the commune website and a college.College of Arzacq on the commune website Arzacq also has a training establishment and a maternal assistance clinic.
Notable people linked to the commune Damien Catalogne, born at Arzacq in 1856 and died at Arzacq in 1934, was a French politician. Georges Visat, born on 2 January 1910, at Foce Di Mela (Corsica) and died on 2 February 2001 at Arzacq-Arraziguet, was an engraver, art editor, and French painter.
See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
External links Official commune website La bastide Arzacq-Arraziguet on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Arzac on the 1750 Cassini Map
References