Unterwegs

Sights Stone of Hasparren

Date: 275 to 285.

Characteristics: the Hasparren stone is a Roman stele discovered in 1660 in the foundations of the high altar of the village church during building works. This white marble slab, measuring 68.3 x 32.8 cm, commemorates the creation of the province of Novempopulania.

It reads: ‘Flamine (priest of the imperial cult) and also duumvir (member of a college of two magistrates governing the city), quaestor (tax collector), and administrator of the region, Verus, entrusted with an embassy to Augustus (the emperor), secured for the nine peoples the right to be united with the Gauls / to be separated from the Gauls. On his return from the City (Rome), he dedicated this altar to the Genius of the region.”

Its date is uncertain, but the most recent studies estimate that it dates from between 275 and 285, during the reign of Diocletian. It is thought to mark the annexation of part of Aquitaine to Gaul at the expense of Hispania.

A copy of the plaque is preserved and displayed in a niche set into the south wall of the present-day church. The original plaque is kept in a safe at the town hall.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 2015.

Construction: 19th century.

History and features: this church was completely rebuilt between 1879 and 1883 by architect Emile Doyère. Inside, the two-tiered galleries dating from 1859 are still in place. A painted decoration, created in 1895 by Daniel Saubès, adorns the apse of the chancel. As for the stained-glass windows, they are the work of master glassmaker Champigneule, dating from 1882.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 2015.

Construction: 20th century.

History and features: the chapel was built between 1928 and 1931 by architects Georges Tribout, Joseph Hiriart, Georges Beau and François Lafaye. It is an austere building that contrasts with the Art Deco-style interior décor. The paintings are by Antoine Sauvage, whilst the mosaics and stained-glass windows were created by the Mauméjean firm. In 1925; Parisian architects Hiriart, Lafaye, Tribout and Beau drew up an initial plan to rebuild the chapel in the Neo-Renaissance style, with the aim of replacing the original chapel, built in 1841 when the Missionaries’ house was founded by Father Garat, which later became Saint-Joseph College. Between 1928 and 1931, the new chapel was built based on a new design by Hiriart, Lafaye, Tribout and Beau. In 1935, the Mauméjean Brothers’ workshop, based in Paris and Hendaye, created a series of stained-glass windows and mosaics. Around 1935–1940, the nave and chapels were adorned with a series of murals by the painter A. Sauvage, an interior decorator from Courbevoie (dating and attribution according to source). The chapel was consecrated on 8 December 1936 by Bishop Houbaut of Bayonne.

Current use: it is now the chapel of the Lycée Saint-Joseph.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 2011.

The Route Impériale des Cimes is a historic strategic road, 53 km long, linking Bayonne and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. It is designated as the RD 22. It passes through the towns of Saint-Pierre-d’Irube, Mouguerre, Villefranque, Jatxou, Halsou and Cambo, then, before Hasparren, branches off towards Mendionde and Irissarry, bypassing the Ursuya on its eastern flank. In the early 19th century, the road was a strategic route for Napoleon’s troops, who used it during the Spanish War of Independence to reach Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

The road’s profile and its scenic viewpoints make it an ideal route for cyclists. The Tour de France has followed part of this route on several occasions. Today, traffic has become so heavy that its appeal to tourists and sports enthusiasts is under threat.

Built: 18th century.

Features: Maison Chrestia is a charming 18th-century building constructed in the purest Béarn style. Francis Jammes (1868–1938) lived in this house from October 1897 to December 1907. Since 1982, Maison Chrestia has been the headquarters of the Francis Jammes Association. From 1921 to 1938, following an inheritance, Francis Jammes settled in Hasparren, at Maison Eyhartzea. The poet is buried in Hasparren cemetery. The poet achieved recognition in 1898 with the publication of the book From the Angelus at Dawn to the Angelus at Dusk, written at Maison Chrestia. Some praised him for his simplicity, whilst others criticised him for his oversimplification. Among his friends were Anna de Noailles, André Gide, Arthur Fontaine, François Mauriac, Colette and Paul Claudel, with whom he maintained a prolific correspondence. An archive collection open to researchers can be consulted at the Maison Chrestia: the poet’s manuscripts, various correspondence comprising some 4,000 letters, press clippings dating from 1895 to the present day, an iconographic collection, and a musical collection comprising over 200 melodies composed to the author’s poems.

Sights Artouste Ski Resort

The Artouste ski resort is situated at an altitude of between 1,400 m and 2,100 m. Overlooking the Pyrenees National Park with a superb panoramic view of the Pic du Midi d’Ossau massif, the Artouste ski area welcomes visitors with an authentic, family-friendly atmosphere.

Built: 1920 (tourist service began in 1932)

Characteristics: The Artouste Train celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2022. Originally built to transport workers and materials for the construction of the Artouste Lake dam in 1920, it began operating for tourist purposes in 1932. Setting off from Lake Fabrèges, a dizzying ascent from 1,250 m to 2,000 m in altitude, aboard a cable car, offers the chance to admire an exceptional panorama with the Pic du Midi d’Ossau in the distance. Once at the top, it’s time to board the legendary Artouste Train. Travelling at a leisurely pace along the mountainside, the 50-minute journey offers a bird’s-eye view of the Soussouéou Valley and Lake Artouste. You can spot marmots and the typical flora of this glacial valley.

The reputation of Eaux-Chaudes is built on over twelve centuries of history and experience. The springs are sulphurous, sodium-rich, calcium-rich and silicate-rich. They are rich in bioglair and are beneficial for respiratory conditions and rheumatic ailments. Among the royal visitors who honoured Les Eaux-Chaudes with their presence were: the Prince of Prussia, the Duke of Montpensier, the Duke and Duchess of Nemours, the Infante of Spain, Don Enrique, and the Infanta, Dona Josepha.

In 1854, the Empress of the French, Eugénie, travelled to Eaux-Bonnes and spent 16 days taking her baths at the Esquirette des Eaux-Chaudes. Today, the establishment welcomes between 600 and 700 spa guests a year.

In the heart of the small village of Aste-Béon, at the foot of the Ossau Nature Reserve, the Vulture Cliff invites visitors to discover the great birds of prey of the Pyrenees and the life of shepherds. Two species of vulture are found in the Ossau Valley: the griffon vulture and the Egyptian vulture. They can be observed live via cameras positioned on the cliff, during a guided tour, or in a museum area dedicated to them.

In the heart of the Pyrenees National Park, just before reaching Col du Pourtalet, the Cirque d’Anéou marks the border with Spain. This vast grassy plateau, situated at an altitude of around 1,700 metres, offers a very unobstructed view of the Pic du Midi d’Ossau. It is the starting point for numerous hikes, such as those to the Pombie refuge, Pic de Peyreget or Pic de Canaourouye.

The village of Laruns and its hamlets boast a rich architectural heritage: the listed Gabas Chapel (12th century), the 19th-century Saint Pierre Church with its marble holy water font, numerous traditional wash houses, fountains (notably the famous white marble fountain in the Town Hall square, dating from the heyday of the spa industry in the 19th century), old houses with their door lintels, and narrow, historic streets…