Unterwegs

PYRENEES-ATLANTIQUES (64)

Population: 706,564

Prefecture: Pau

Sub-prefectures: Bayonne, Oloron-Sainte-Marie

Area: 7,645 km

Specialities: piperade, wines (Madiran, Pacherenc, Jurançon, Irouléguy, etc.), poule au pot, garbure, axoa, Espelette pepper, Basque chicken, Basque cake, Bayonne ham, etc.

Sports clubs: Elan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez (basketball), Section Paloise, Biarritz Olympique, Aviron Bayonnais (rugby)

Competitions: Canoe-kayak World Cup in Pau, Pau Grand Prix, Pau International Eventing Competition.

Festivals: Bayonne Festival, Hestiv'Òc Festival, Anglet Surf Film Festival, Le Temps d'aimer la danse in Biarritz, Biarritz Piano Festival, Transhumances Musicales, not to mention the many village festivals and Basque traditions throughout the year.

Tourism: Three towns have been awarded the "Towns of Art and History" label: Bayonne, Oloron-Sainte-Marie and Pau, as well as three regions: the Béarn des Gaves region, the Pays d' Pyrénées Béarnaises region and the Pays de Saint-Jean-de-Luz et Ciboure region. Five villages are listed among the Most Beautiful Villages in France: Navarrenx in Béarn and Sare, Ainhoa, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and La Bastide-Clairenc in the Basque Country.

Economy: The department's industries are mainly focused on agri-food: Euralis, Fromagerie des Chaumes, Lur Berri (Labeyrie brand), Lindt and Sprungli AG, Sodiaal group (Candia, 3A cooperative). Other notable companies include Aciéries de l'Atlantique SA - Alliance Agro-Alimentaire - Cancé - Compagnie des chemins de fer du Midi - Dassault Aviation - ELF Aquitaine - Groupe Olano - Mas - Messier-Dowty - SHEM - Total - Safran Helicopter Engines

Websites / FB / Twitter:http://www.le64.fr /https://www.facebook.com/pages/d%c3%a9partement-des-pyr%c3%a9n%c3%a9es-atlantiques/720037604708106 /https://twitter.com/departement64

Idron (Pop. 5,130)

It was in Idron that Philippe Bernat-Salles began playing rugby, earning 41 caps for France as a winger. At club level, he played mainly for Section Paloise and Biarritz Olympique, with whom he won two French championships (2002 and 2005). He then became president of the National Handball League from 2010 to 2018.

Coarraze (Pop. 2,170)

All that remains of the medieval castle of Coarraze is a pentagonal keep built around 1350. Another part dates from the 16th century. It was here that Henri IV spent his childhood. The castle was rebuilt in its current state in 1755. Former Prime Minister and Mayor of Pau, François Bayrou, was born in Bordères, 3 km from Coarraze.

Coarraze Castle

Construction: 16th and 18th centuries.

Style: medieval for the keep, classical for the main building.

History: the seigneury is mentioned as early as the 12th century. At the end of the 15th century, Gaston de Foix, Count of Carmaing, became the owner of the land of Coarraze and engaged in all kinds of abuses, leading Jean d'Albret to raze the castle in 1508. The castle was burned down in 1684 and rebuilt around 1755. Built on vaulted cellars, the building has a slightly protruding central avant-corps topped with a triangular pediment. Inside, on the north side, a monumental staircase leads to the upper rooms. On the south side, a salon decorated with Chinese wallpaper featuring branches and birds forms the central room of the complex. The park features a series of terraces. To the north are the large stables with groined vaults, topped by haylofts. Below, towards the entrance, are the outbuildings. Henri IV spent his early childhood here, as his governess, Suzanne de Bourbon, was Baroness of Miossens and Coarraze.

Trivia: in his book on Henri IV, the future Prime Minister François Bayrou writes of the Château de Coarraze: "Henri de Navarre grew up at the Château de Coarraze, some two kilometres as the crow flies from my birthplace [...]. I have often pondered the motto that still adorns the castle gate today: lo que ha de ser no puedefaltar: what must happen cannot fail to happen."

Listed as: historic monument in 2011.

Lestelle-Bétharram (Pop: 850)

Worth seeing for its old listed bridge over the Gave de Pau river and its important listed religious heritage. Driven out of Spain with his family by the civil war of 1936, writer Jorge Semprun took refuge for a time in Lestelle-Bétharram. The town is home to a religious institution at the centre of a huge scandal involving the mistreatment of its residents.

Bétharram Caves

The neighbouring village of Asson is the starting point for a 2.8 km walk to the Bétharram caves, which have been open to the public since 1903 thanks to the work of Léon Ross, a pioneer of electricity in the town of Lourdes. The caves are still managed by Léon Ross's great-grandson, Albert.

Occitanie region

Departments: Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Gard, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Hérault, Lot, Lozère, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Orientales, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne.

Population: 6.1 million.

Prefecture: Toulouse

Area: 72,724 km²

Specialities: foie gras, cassoulet, aligot (mashed potatoes and cheese), Sète tielle, cod brandade, Tarbes beans, garbure, sweet onions, Céret cherries, wines (Pic Saint-Loup, Corbières, Cahors, Costières de Nîmes, blanquette de Limoux, Minervois, Tavel, Madiran). Perrier spring water.

Sports clubs: Stade Toulousain, Castres Olympique, Montpellier HR, USAP Perpignan (rugby), Montpellier HSC, Nîmes Olympique, Toulouse FC (football), Dragons Catalans (rugby league), Montpellier Handball, Fenix Toulouse, USAM Nîmes-Gard (handball)

Competitions: Tour de France, Open Sud de France (tennis), Route d'Occitanie (cycling).

Economy: aeronautics and space (Airbus, Ariane, Toulouse), defence, IT, nuclear, agri-food, agriculture (wines, cereals), tourism, pharmaceutical industry. Universities (Montpellier, Toulouse).

Festivals: ferias in Nimes and Beziers, Rio Loco (Toulouse), Radio France Montpellier Festival (classical music), Comédie du Livre (Montpellier), Electro Beach (Port Barcarès), Jazz in Marciac, Cinémed (Montpellier), Circa Auch, crime fiction festival in Frontignan.

Tourist attractions: Cité de Carcassonne, Basilica of Lourdes, Toulouse (Capitole, Saint- Sernin, the Pink City), Montpellier (Place de la Comédie, Écusson), beaches, Pont du Gard, Nimes amphtiheatre, Cathar castles, Canal du Midi, cathedrals of Albi, Castres and Rodez. Millau Viaduct, Niaux and Maz d'Azil caves. Pont Valentré bridge in Cahors. Villages of character. Beaches of Aude, Gard and Hérault. Ski resorts in the Pyrenees and Ariège.

Website:www.laregionoccitanie.fr

Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre (Pop. 1,160)

Abbey and church of Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre

Founded: 11th century

Style: predominantly Romanesque

History: the abbey was founded by monks belonging to the Order of Cluny and quickly grew in importance due to its location on the Way of St James. The monastery suffered during the Wars of Religion: it was ransacked in 1569, then seriously damaged by the earthquake of 1661.

Characteristics: All that remains of the Romanesque building are two apsidioles in the eastern part, a section of wall on the southern side aisle, a medieval porch to the west of it, and a few elements of the south transept. Some capitals from the cloister and church, as well as elements of the destroyed eastern portal, are still preserved.

Special feature: purchased in May 2017, it became the "Maronite House of the Mother of Mercy" and was restored to welcome pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Listed as: Historic monument since 1977

Trébons (Pop. 760)

Takes its name from the Roman general Trebonius (one of Caesar's future assassins).

The Trébons onion, known as the "four seasons" onion, is grown in the Bagnères-de-Bigorre and Val d'Adour regions. This long onion has an exceptionally high sugar content, giving it an inimitable sweetness. It is available all year round: fresh from May to July, dried at the end of summer, in cébar during the winter and in confit all year round.

Nickname: "Cebassès", onion growers or eaters.

Bagnères-de-Bigorre (Pop. 8,000)

Although less frequented by the Tour than its namesake in Luchon, the spa town of Bigorre has nevertheless crowned some of cycling's greatest names, such as Raphaël Geminiani, winner of the first stage in town in 1952, and his protégé Jacques Anquetil, eleven years later in 1963. In 1952, "Gem" won the day after a rest day, as he had done in Gap in 1950. The “Great Rifle” never rode on rest days, preferring to spend time with his wife. An effective method... Anquetil's victory was particularly significant for the Norman, as it was his first in a mountain stage and his first in a road stage since 1957!

Subsequently used mainly as a launch pad for Pyrenean stages, Bagnères-de-Bigorre hosted two new finishes in 2008 and 2013, when Dan Martin won ahead of Jakob Fuglsang, the year he won Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In 2019, Simon Yates won there solo.

Thermal baths

The naturally warm thermal waters of Bagnères are extracted at 50°C. They are naturally rich in calcium, sulphate and magnesium. The history of Bagnères-de-Bigorre is encapsulated in the name Vicus Aquensisgiven by the Romans, who already appreciated the virtues of its hot waters. Over the centuries, Bagnères has been enriched by a history written relentlessly around this true natural resource that is thermal water. Two main thermal baths welcome spa guests: the Grands Thermes, located at in an elegant 19th-century building that showcases noble materials such as Pyrenean marble, and the Thermes de la Reine. The water of Bagnères is used in particular in rheumatology, for psychosomatic conditions such as stress, and for respiratory tract disorders.

Jacobins Tower

Listed as a historic monument, the Jacobins Tower, also known as the Clock Tower, is the only remaining vestige of the Dominican convent founded in 1344. Built in the flamboyant Gothic style, the octagonal tower was purchased by the municipality in 1833 and, thanks to a generous donation in 1836, was raised by one storey and fitted with a clock and then a siren.

Mauvezin (Pop. 240)

Mauvezin Castle

Founded: In the 11th century and rebuilt in the 14th century.

History: In Gallo-Roman times, an oppidum occupied the site. Gaston Fébus, self-proclaimed Prince of Béarn, was recognised and feared throughout Christendom. After recovering Bigorre and the castle in 1379 (which his family had been unjustly dispossessed of in 1292), he transformed it into a veritable fortress, thus granting himself the right to expand his territory. He quickly built a keep 37-metres high and 3-metres thick at the base and raised the ramparts. He crowned the entire fortress with machicolations. This castle became the symbol of the prince's power. Remaining in the hands of the Béarn-Foix family, who ascended to the throne of Navarre a century later, the castle became the property of King Henry IV. In 1607, the region was annexed to the Kingdom of France.

Current use: today, the castle houses a historical and folkloric museum of Béarn and Bigorre (also a venue for musical events) thanks to the tenacity and determination of L'Escole Gaston Febus, an association that has been working on its restoration since the beginning of the century.

Listed as: historic monument in 1941.

Sarrancolin (Pop. 670)

A fortified village, Sarrancolin was renowned for its marble, which was used in the construction of the Petit Trianon at Versailles, then for the Paris Opera House and even the Empire State Building.

Saint-Ébons Church

Founded: 12th and 13th centuries.

Style: pure Romanesque.

Characteristics: Greek cross plan, bell tower, square with slate spire with pinnacles and Romanesque windows with three arches. Remarkable furnishings - relics of the saint after whom it is named, Bishop of Barbastro (Spain), Saint Ébons died in 1104. This church is adjacent to the remains of the Benedictine priory (which depended on Simorre Abbey) around which Sarrancolin developed.

Listed as: Historic Monument since 1903.

Arreau (Pop: 810)

Capital of the Four Valleys of the Aure Valley, its inhabitants are called Arrois. The commune is a hub on the road to Santiago de Compostela and was an important centre for cloth production until the Revolution. The 12th-century Notre-Dame church was built in the Romanesque-Gothic style, with a 16th-century bell tower with twin windows. It was used to defend the village. The tower's guard room also housed an armoury. The village, with its slate roofs and central square, is dominated by its pretty town hall. The square also hosts a market every Thursday under the arcades. The municipal building is relatively recent (1930), but it blends in perfectly with the architectural style of the older houses. As you stroll around, you will also find beautiful half-timbered houses. Château des Nestes

Construction: between the 15th and 18th centuries.

History: built on the enclosure that enclosed the northern part of the Neste du Louron district, it served to protect the nearby sanctuary dedicated to St Exupère and acted as a commandery for the Hospitallers. The north wing was the seat of a court of law. It took the name Château de Camou ("land of water") because of the humidity of the area (17th-18th centuries). The château was renovated in 1989 as part of President François Mitterrand's Grands Travaux programme.

Special features: in addition to the beauty of this former commandery, the museum has a unique attraction in the region, with a section devoted to the "cagots", people who were excluded from society, a kind of untouchables of the medieval era, who were omnipresent in the region and in Béarn.

Listed as: historic monument in 1981. CagotsThey were present throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. The Pyrenees mountains, although a land of refuge, were nevertheless the place where the phenomenon of the Cagots was most pronounced. A wide variety of explanations have been given for the origin of these outcasts. The term Cagots seems to derive from a Béarnese word meaning leper, which appears in texts around the year 1300. In the Middle Ages, leprosy referred to various diseases that inspired fear of contagion. Cursed for life, their condition was mentioned at birth in the baptismal certificate, celebrated at nightfall, without bells. They did not have a surname, but a first name followed by the term Chrestiaa, Cagot, Gézitain, and were confined to a neighbourhood outside the village where they worked with wood. In some churches, they were confined to a section reserved for them or used a special holy water font. This isolation imposed on them had two consequences: inbreeding, which led to degeneration and even cretinism, and an influx of suspicious characters who, braving contagion, were unlikely to be pursued by the police in such places. In some places, they had to wear a red cloth duck or goose foot sewn onto their clothes. Once they died, they were buried apart from "true Christians", just as they had lived. For more than three centuries, there was bullying, lawsuits won (by the Cagots), support from the high clergy and princes, but resistance from local authorities and the people.

Sainte-Marie-de-Campan

It was in this hamlet of Campan that Eugène Christophe, the first Yellow Jersey winner, was forced to repair his fork at the local blacksmith's. A statue in front of the church commemorates this historic moment in the 1919 Tour de France.

La Mongie

The resort has hosted three stages of the men's Tour (1970, 2002, 2004), one of the women's Tour in 1995 and the Ski World Cup in 1985. In 1970, for the first finish in the resort, a young rider named Bernard Thévenet made his mark by winning his first stage in the Tour. Eight more would follow, and two victories in Paris. The cable car that climbs to the Pic du Midi de Bigorre (2,872 m) allows visitors to visit the observatory.

Barèges (Pop. 230)

The highest spa resort in France, it specialises in the after-effects of joint trauma, sprains, fractures and dislocations, and in rheumatology. In 1675, Madame de Maintenon and the young Duke of Maine came to Barèges to treat his claudication. Indeed, ever since peasants noticed that their cattle that went to wade in the water of certain springs healed easily from their wounds, the waters of Barèges were reputed to heal wounds. Despite the uncomfortable facilities, frequent flooding of the Bastan river, landslides, and the harshness of the place and its people, Barèges became a fashionable spa resort. Before 1730, the road from Lourdes to Barèges was built, arousing the admiration of contemporaries. The arduous detour via the Tourmalet became unnecessary in 1744. Soldiers flocked to the area. Barracks and a hospital with austere façades were built for them in 1732, rebuilt by Napoleon III in 1859. And on 6 May 1860, the emperor signed a decree ordering the construction of thermal roads, thus rehabilitating the road from Bagnères-de-Bigorre to Barèges via the Tourmalet. The thermal baths were built between 1861 and 1864. Long a simple thermal hamlet, Les Bains de Barèges became an independent commune in 1946. From 1920 onwards, Barèges turned its attention to winter sports. The Ayré funicular railway was put into service in 1939.

Barèges has seen the Tour de France pass through many times due to its proximity to the Tourmalet and even had the honour of having its name attached to the great mountain pass during a stage finish in 2019, won by Thibaut Pinot.

Esterre (Pop: 190)

Château Sainte-Marie

Construction: 10th century.

Style: fortified castle.

History: it was built in the 10th century by the Counts of Bigorre. In the 14th century, it passed into the hands of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem and later to the Knights of Malta. The English seized it until 1404, when the Count of Clermont, aided by the inhabitants of the valley commanded by Aougé de Coufitte, drove them out. The castle was then abandoned.

Characteristics: perched on top of a rocky outcrop, it served as a fortress for the valley but also as a place of refuge for the population. Now in ruins.

Special feature: restoration work was undertaken in the 1980s, thus preserving one of the most striking vestiges of the valley's history.

Listed as: remains listed as historic monuments since 1930.