Aussurucq (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
The inhabitants are known as Altzürükütar.Euskaltzaindia - Academy of the Basque Language
Geography Aussurucq is located in the former province of Soule in the Massif des Arbailles some 30 km west by south-west of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and 25 km east of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Access to the commune is by road D147 from Idaux-Mendy in the north which passes through the village and continues south through the commune to join the D117 on the southern border of the commune. A pastoral road from Béhorléguy to Alçay and Aussurucq passes through the Col d'Aphanize (without crossing it) and generally follows the line of the watershed along the Col de Burdin Olatzé. The commune is mostly rugged and heavily forested however there is some farmland in the north.Google Maps
The Ruisseau de Guessalia rises in the south of the commune and flows north-east gathering some tributaries to join the Apouhoura north of the commune. The Arangorena forms the north-western border as it flows north-east to join the Saison near Gotein-Libarrenx. The Bidouze rises in the south of the commune and flows north to eventually join the Adour north of Bardos.
Places and Hamlets
Abeheaborda Ahancetaborda Ahanzolha Ahusquy: known for its spring of the same name Althabéa (ruins) Althabegoïty Ambukoborda Ardiaénéa Ascune (rocks) Athekaketa Bagadoy Barnexborda Baskinabe Behegayborda Beherégaray (barns) Burdin-Clatze (col) Capara (barn) Carriquiborda Chalunia Cumba Elsareko Ordokia Erbinia (cayolar) Etchakokoua Etchaltia (rocks) Etchebidea Etchecopar Etchekolaz Exaltia (cayolar) Gettaborda Goyheneix Guessalia Harribiribile Hasgagnia Haspia (rocks) Héguilloré (cayolar) Hidogaratia (col) Hidondo Ibarrondoa Ihatia Inharpu (col) Istaurdy (cayolar) Jaguiborda Jaragoyhen Karkatz Lagay Lapistoy Lapitz (field) Larraguy Larramendy Latchéra Lecharegaratia (cayolar) Lecharéguibela (cayolar) Leycharzepia (fountain) Lhastéria Lohiolha Lucugnébehety (cayolar) Miadore (cayolar) Mouchako Naboleguy (cayolar) Nébélé (fountain) Nékolha Olhatzezarre (cayolar) Otxolatzé (fontaine) Potcho (cayolars) Sallaberria Sorzauqui (col) Souhourtia (cayolar) Thartassu Udoya (cayolar) Uhalberryborda Uhaldéa Uhaltéberria Uhartéa Urrutchoya Urrutia (château) Uthurbietta (fountain) Uthurieta (cayolar) Zouhourtia
Géoportail, IGN
Toponymy The commune name in basque is Altzürükü.
Jean-Baptiste Orpustan indicated that the name comes from the basque altzu ("alder tree") which is explained by the position of the valley covered in alder trees. The second part of the name is more enigmatic. According to Orpustan it could be from Urru ("the other side") or iri giving alzu-(i) ri-ku meaning "place in the Alder field".
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description Aussurucq Auçuruc 1189 Orpustan Village Auzuruc 1337 Orpustan Aussuruc 1385 Raymond Duchesne Aussuruc 1412 Raymond Notaries Ausuruc 1454 Raymond Not stated Sent-Martin d'Auçuruc, Auserucus 1471 Raymond Chapter Ausuruc 1520 Orpustan Dassurucq 1690 Orpustan Ausuruc 1690 Orpustan Aussurucq 1690 Orpustan La fontaine d'Ahusquy La fontaine d'Ahusquy 1863 Raymond Fountain Arabéhère Arabéhère 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Aran Aran 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Arhanset Arhanset 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Ariadar Ariadar 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Arsusqui Arsusqui 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Béherégaray Béherégaray 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Carrica Carrica 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Carricart Carricart 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Carriquiri Carriquiri 1520 Raymond Soule Farm (possibly the current Carriquiborda Farm) Goyen Goyen 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Goyti Goyti 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Iribarne Iribarne 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Lapistoy Lapitztoy 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Mendiburu Mendiburu 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Nécol Nécol 1520 Raymond Soule Farm (possibly the current Nékolha Farm) Sagarspe Sagarspe 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Urruchoro Urruchoro 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Burunolatxé Burunolatxé 1863 Raymond A Col between Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette and Aussurucq Escuné Escuné 1863 Raymond Forest
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
Origins:
Duchesne: Duchesne collection volume CXIVDuchesne Collection, volumes 99 to 114, containing the papers of Oihenart, former Imperial Librarian - Bibliothèque nationale de France Notaries: Notaries of NavarrenxDepartmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Chapter: Titles of the Chapter of BayonneChapter of Bayonne in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Soule: Customs of SouleCustoms of Soule in 1520, printed at Pau in 1760
History In the Middle Palaeolithic era Soule was already populated as remains of Neanderthal prehistoric man have been found in the Xaxixiloaga caves in Aussurucq. A tumulus was also reported at shepherd's cabins in Potxo along the D147 road.
The central part of Soule is also called the Messagerie des ArbaillesThe duty of the messenger of the royal procurer was the surveillance of a defined geographic zone - Paul Raymond, Topographic Dictionary of Béarn-basque country between Basabürü and Pettarra (in the Sauguis-Saint-Étienne, Aussurucq, and Barcus regions).
Administration
List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name 1983 1989 Jean Etchebarne 1989 2008 Jean-Baptiste Queheille 2008 2020 Jean Carricaburu 2020 2026 Jean-Marie Queheille
Inter-communality The commune is part of six inter-communal structures: the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque; the sanitation association for Pays du Soule; the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; the inter-communal association of Arbailla; the inter-communal association for transport from Musculdy to Ordiap; the inter-communal association to support Basque culture.
Demography
Economy Economic activity is based on agriculture (livestock and pasture). The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty.
Culture and Heritage
The village features a dynamic scene related especially to Basque culture. The inhabitants of the village performed the pastoral Ürrüti Jauregiko Peirot in 2002, a play written by the son of the village Niko Etxart, an acclaimed Basque musician.
Civil heritage The Chateau of Ruthie (11th century) is registered as an historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Gaztelu Zahar (Castellum) is at a place called gaztelu at an altitude of 582 metres.
Religious heritage
The town has a church with a Trinitarian steeple or a tower surmounted by three points of nearly equal height.Philippe Veyrin, The Basques, p. 241, Arthaud, 20 December 1975 The church contains a processional cross (17th century) which is registered as an historical object.Ministry of Culture, Palissy
Environmental heritage At the end of the 19th century, the Arbailles Forest covered parts of the communes of Aussurucq, Béhorléguy, Camou-Cihigue, Musculdy, Ordiarp, and Saint-Just-Ibarre.
A wealth of heritage in Aussurucq commune is contained in its sub-soil. Most of the territory of the commune is karstic. The environment is characterized by the presence of natural cavities in complex shapes that have not all yet been discovered or much less explored to date. Departmental cavers have undertaken the exploration, description, and publication of this heritage respecting the environment and the local population. One of the most beautiful caves in the commune is the Nébélé which has been the subject of works and regular explorations since 1972.
The peak of Ascune stands at 860 m, Echagorry is 935 m, Elsarré is 1,153 m, Sihigue is 1,193 m, and Etchecortia is 1,204 m. In the south-west of the commune, Bohorcortia is 1,214 metres high.
Amenities The town has a primary school (Garaibie).
Notable people linked to the commune Pierre V de Charritte de Ruthie, born in Aussurucq, was chaplain to François I.Claude de Vic, Joseph Vaissète, and Alexandre Du Mège, General History of Languedoc: with notes and justification pieces, J.B. Paya, 1841 Gilen Epherre, born at Aussurucq in 1911 and died in Bayonne in 1974, was a writer, priest, scholar and important cultural player in the post-war period
See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
References
External links ALTZÜRUKÜ in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa) Aussurucq on the Community of communes Soule-Xiberoa official website Aussurucq on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Anßuruc on the 1750 Cassini Map