Ayherre (; )AIHERRE, Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
Geography Ayherre is located in the Arberoue Valley in the former province of Lower Navarre some 23 km east by south-east of Bayonne and immediately east of Hasparren. Access to the commune is by the D10 road from Hasparren which passes through the west of the commune and continues north to La Bastide-Clairence. The D251 branches east off the D10 in the commune and goes to the village then continues east to Isturits. The D314 goes south-west from the village to Bonloc. The D14 from Bonloc to Saint-Esteben passes through the south of the commune. The commune is mainly farmland with scattered forests.Google Maps
The commune is located in the drainage basin of the Adour with a dense network of streams covering the commune, mostly flowing north-westwards, and including the Joyeuse, which forms part of the western border of the commune. The Arbéroue rises in the south of the commune and flows north gathering many tributaries before joining the Lihoury to the north.
Places and hamlets
Abarratia Ahounsbiscardeguy Aguerréa (3 places) Aguerréko Borda Ainguéroutéguia Andérétéguia Apairi or Apahiri, from Apʰara-hiri Apézénéa Apeztéguia Archidukénia Arduarria Arkhia Arramendy Arraydua Auchotéa Ayherregaraya Ballade Etcheberry Barné Uhartia Béhibidia Belzunce Berhéta Berhétako Borda Berhoa Bicaldéguy Bichartéa Bidartéa Bidegain Etchetoa Bidegainia Bildaraitz or Bildarraitz Bordalanda Buztingorria Celhaya Chapitalborda Chapitalia (mill) Chedarria Chelhaya Chocoa Courtaut Currioléko Borda Curutzaldéa Egyptoa Erketa Erregnétéa Errékahoua Errékartéa Espertatea Estekatea Etchartéa Etchébarnéko Borda Etchébazterréa Etchébéhéréa Etchébéhéreko Borda Etchéberria (2 places) Etcheberriko Borda Etchéberstia Etchéchouria Etchégaraya Etchégoïnéa Etchénika Etchenikako Borda Etchéparéa Etchétipia Etchetoa Eyhéra Ezpildéa Ferminéko Borda Fermirénéa Gandéramendia Gandéramendiko Borda Garralda Gauhetchia Granya Granyagaraya Haranbilléta Haranburua Haranéa Harréguia Harriéta Harriétako Borda Hastoya Hégoa Hergaitz Hiriartéa Ichuria Idiartéa Idigoïnia Ilharindéguia Ipoutsaguerria Irachiloa Irazabalia Iriart Urrutia Iribarnéa Iriberria Issouribeherea Jauberria (2 places) Jaungaztenia Jelossia Kintalénéa Kitendéa Larrégaïnia Larzabaléa Leichorrénéa Létouatéguia Lohichundéa Londaits Londaitsbehere Londaïtzberria Londaitzekoborda Lukua Lur Berry Manéchéka Borda Manéchénéa Mayartéguia Mendia Mendiberria Mendiburua Mendigorria Mendilarréa Menta Mentaberria Mentachiloa Mignotéguia Négutéa Notariaénia Ourriola Oyhana Oyharartéa Oyharitzéa Oyharitséko Borda Patindeya Peña Petchitea Pipitea Pompochénéa Sallaberryborda Sarcabaleko Borda Sarhigaïnéa Tuturrutéguia Uhaldéa Urgorria Urquéta Zabaloa Zabalza Zaliotéguia Zokoa
Toponymy The commune name in basque is AiherraEuskaltzaindia - Academy of the Basque language (Eu icon) or Aiherre. According to Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, the name comes from the basque ailherr ("incline"), giving the meaning "place on a slope".
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description Ayherre Sancti petri de ilarre 1236 Orpustan Village San Per de Aiherre 1321 Raymond Camara ayherra 1344 Orpustan ayheRe 1350 Orpustan Ajarra 1513 Raymond Pamplona Ahyerie 1754 Raymond Collations Aiherre 1750 Cassini L'Ahounbiscardéguy L'Ahunbiscardéguy 1863 Raymond Stream Apairi Apahiri 1863 Raymond Hamlet Aphara Apara 1621 Raymond Biscay Farm Aphara 1863 Raymond ***Bildarraitz beldarais 1249 Orpustan Hamlet bildarays 1350 Orpustan bildarraiz 1413 Orpustan Bildariz 1513 Raymond Pamplona Bildarraïts 1863 Raymond Belzunce Belçunze 1384 Raymond Duchesne Chateau, fief of the Kingdom of Navarre Belzunce 1384 Raymond Duchesne Velçunce 1621 Raymond Biscay Balzunze 1621 Raymond Biscay Belsunce 1863 Raymond Berhoa Le Berho 1863 Raymond Stream Chapitalborda Chapitel 1621 Raymond Biscay Farm Chapital 1863 Raymond Erquéta Erquéta 1863 Raymond Hamlet Etchebarnia Echabarne 1435 Raymond Pamplona Farm Etchebarnia 1863 Raymond Etchebéhère Echevehere 1435 Raymond Pamplona Farm Etchebéhère 1863 Raymond Hergaitz la croix d'Ergaïts 1863 Raymond Place of Pilgrimage Londaïtz Londayz 1621 Raymond Biscay Farm Londaïts 1863 Raymond Lukua Le Lucu 1863 Raymond Stream Mendigorria Mendigorria 1621 Raymond Biscay Farm Mendigorry 1863 Raymond La Place La Place 1863 Raymond Hamlet L'Uhartea L'Uhartea 1863 Raymond Stream
In the Middle Ages Bildarraitz was an independent area without a church but with its own council, and a half-dozen homes were ennobled in 1435. The name may be the joining of bil-, meaning "set" or "a round place", and araitz, meaning "blackthorn", "prickly", or "briar".
Sources: Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque ToponymyJean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy, Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2006, Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011 Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750Cassini Map 1750 – Ayherre
Origins:
Camara: Titles of Camara of ComptosTitles published by don José Yanguas y Miranda - Diccionario de Antiguedades del reino de Navarra, 1840, Pamplona Pamplona: Titles of PamplonaTitles published by don José Yanguas y Miranda ) Collations: Collations of the Diocese of BayonneManuscripts from the 17th and 18th centuries in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Biscay: Martin BiscayDerecho de naturaleza que la merindad de San-Juan-del-pie-del-puerto, una de las seys de Navarra, tiene en Castilla, 1622 Duchesne: Duchesne collection volume CXIVDuchesne Collection, volumes 99 to 114, containing the papers of Oihenart, former Imperial Librarian - Bibliothèque nationale de France
History On 18 March 1450,Philippe Veyrin, The Basques, Arthaud, 1975, , p. 122 Labourd returned to the French crown after the signing of a peace treaty at the Château of Belzunce in Ayherre which marked the end of English influence in the region. On that the representatives of Labourd made their submission and, upon payment of 2,000 gold écus secured by the retention of 10 hostages, retained their privileges.
Heraldry
Administration
List of successive mayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name 1995 2014 Jean Paul Basterretche 2014 2026 Arnaud Gastambide
Inter-communality The commune is part of six inter-communal structures: the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque the AEP association of Arberoue the sanitation association of Adour-Ursula the energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques the inter-communal association for the building of a retirement home in the Arberoue Valley the inter-communal association for the crafts zone in Ayherre
Demography The declaration of rights in 1749 counted 162 fires in Ayherre (130 third estate, one priest, two members of the nobility (Arcangues and Belsunce) and 29 non-owners).Census cited by Manex Goyhenetche, General History of Basque Country - Vol. 3, Elkarlanean, 2001, , p. 282. The same work by Manex Goyhenetche indicated (page 284) that there was an average of 5.5 inhabitants per fire.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aihertars.Pyrénées-Atlantiques, habitants.fr
Economy
Economic activity in the commune is mainly agricultural. The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty.
The Lauak company (aeronautical and aerospace industry) is located in the industrial zone of Ayherre.
The Uhagun Mill on the Aran dates to the 19th century and has been converted into a hydro-electric plant.
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage The commune has three sites that are registered as historical monuments: The Château de Belzunce (13th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Prehistoric fortifications on Mount AbarratiaMinistry of Culture, Mérimée Prehistoric fortifications (Gaztelu Zahar of three levels)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Religious heritage
The Parish Church of Saint Pierre (17th century) is registered as an historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Education
The commune has two primary schools: one in the town and one private school of the Immaculate Conception.
Notable people linked to the commune Émile Larre, born in 1926 at Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, was a priest, chronicler, Bertsolari, writer, and French academic in the Basque language. He was an active promoter of basque traditions and particularly attached to the basque modes of expression such as the bertsolarism and Basque Pelota. He was priest of Ayherre from 1969 to 1980.
See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
References
External links
Ayherre official website Ayherre on the 1750 Cassini map