Ayherre

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.^[4]

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

The commune name in basque is Aiherra^[8] or Aiherre.^[3] According to Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,^[7] 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.

• • • 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".^[7]

Sources:

• Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy^[7]
• Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. (in French)^[6]
• Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750^[9]

Origins:

• Camara: Titles of Camara of Comptos^[10]
• Pamplona: Titles of Pamplona^[11])
• Collations: Collations of the Diocese of Bayonne^[12]
• Biscay: Martin Biscay^[13]
• Duchesne: Duchesne collection volume CXIV^[14]

On 18 March 1450,^[15] 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

Adopted in 2001 based on the arms of the lords of Belzunce[16] Blazon: Quarterly, 1 and 4 Gules, 2 cows of Or horned and belled Azure posed in fesse; 2 Argent, an oak eradicated proper; 3 Azure a hydra Argent with 3 heads.

List of successive mayors^[17]

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

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).^[18]

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aihertars.^[19]

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.

Civil heritage

The commune has three sites that are registered as historical monuments:

• The Château de Belzunce (13th century) ^[22]
• Prehistoric fortifications on Mount Abarratia ^[5]
• Prehistoric fortifications (Gaztelu Zahar of three levels) ^[23]

Religious heritage

The Parish Church of Saint Pierre (17th century) is registered as an historical monument.^[24]

The commune has two primary schools: one in the town and one private school of the Immaculate Conception.

• 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.

• Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ayherre.

• Ayherre official website (in French)
• Ayherre on the 1750 Cassini map