SW France - A tour in the Pyrenees : between Béarn and Soule

[Giri]

Béarn is a former Pyrenean viscounty in SW France whose vernacular language is Gascon. Soule is another former viscounty but Basque is spoken. Still, both entities share much as Soule used to belong to the diocese of Oloron (a town in Béarn). Nowadays, both are joined into the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département.




image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Let's begin with Lasseubetat. This little village doesn't appear on my map, it's East of Estialescq (from Gascon La Sauvetat="the refuge") : it's situated in deep Entre-Deux-Gaves (the name of the region between rivers named Gave d'Oloron in the West and Gave de Pau in the East).

image hosted on flickr


On the road to Estialescq are farms in Pyrenean Béarnais style :

image hosted on flickr


Estialescq is a little village before Oloron :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


In the suburbs of Oloron is the castle of Goès : I'll by-pass the town in order to reach the Barétous valley. See here for pics.

image hosted on flickr


The Castle of Boès in Féas (Hiars in Gascon, Inhazi in Basque < plural Latin fenare=hay prairie) welcomes us to Barétous, the first Béarnais valley when coming from the West.

image hosted on flickr


Le Soum d'Ombret in Ance (Ansa in Gascon, Arhantza in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Aramits (Aramits in Gascon, Aramitze in Basque) is the capital of Barétous :

image hosted on flickr


Le Soum de Liorry and the road to Spain : I won't go and instead I make for the Basque valley of Soule (Xiberoa in local Basque).

image hosted on flickr


Le Soum de Berret :

image hosted on flickr


In the distance is the pass to the Aspe Valley. From West to East : Pic de Ségu, Athay and Bizarce.

image hosted on flickr


Lanne is the last Béarnais village before Soule (Lana in Gascon, Landa in Basque).

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Isaac de Portau's Castle aka the musketeer Porthos :

image hosted on flickr


We leave Barétous and Béarn and enter Soule with this house (Cabana) overlooked by the Pic d'Arguibelle :

image hosted on flickr


Montory is a Gascon-speaking village with some Basque-speaking hamlets : it used to be known as Beroritz but was renamed Montory when it was granted the For d'Oloron (fuero) : it's overlooked by the Mount Bégousse (Gascon for oak).

image hosted on flickr


Arguibelle from Montory :

image hosted on flickr


We eventually reach the Basque-speaking area with the main town of High Soule : Tardets (Atharratze in Basque). The Saison river is more than a torrent here.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Let's fork towards the left bank of the Saison with villages bearing great names : Alos-Sibas-Abense, Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette ...

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Alos (Aloze in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Alçay (Altzai in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Contrary to neighbouring Béarn contaminated by meriodionalism and provençalism, new houses in Soule are built in the old vernacular style :

image hosted on flickr


Let's go North towards Mauléon : the valley is getting larger and less mountainous.

Sauguis (Zalgize in Basque) with its trinitarian bell tower.

image hosted on flickr


Saint-Etienne (Doneztebe in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Menditte (Mendikota in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


In the West, as the plain is now very vast and agricultural, one can have a glimpse of the Arbailles mountains between Soule and Lower Navarre :

image hosted on flickr


Let's keep going North :

image hosted on flickr


Behind us, the whole Pyrenees with the infamous Pic d'Anie (situated in Béarn, Auñamendi in Basque).

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Idaux (Idauze in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Garindein (Garindañe in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


We finally reach Mauléon-Licharre, capital of Soule known for its castle named "Galhard" in the Middle-Ages.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Béarn awaits us but before that a succession of tiny Basque villages.

Chéraute (Sohüta in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Abense-de-Bas (Onizepea in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Espès (Ezpeize in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Undurein (Ündüreiñe in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


We finally leave Soule and come back to Béarn. Our last stop will be in the Béarnais hamlet of Usquain (a Basque toponym still < uz+gain).

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Le Pic d'Orhy as seen from Usquain :

image hosted on flickr


The whole panorama from Usquain (notice a little red house ruining the landscape : that's a plague in Béarn. The lack of identity of Gascon-speaking Béarn allows people to commit architectural crimes everywhere ; you'll never get to see that in the Basque Country).

image hosted on flickr

[dancle]

Beautiful pics!

[Benonie]

Great landscapes and nice settings.

[christos-greece]

Really beautiful place

[Giri]

image hosted on flickr


We'll begin around Navarrenx in Béarn then we'll reach Soule around Mauléon-Licharre and we'll end with Low Navarre as I go North trying to reach the highway in Bidache. We won't visit the towns of Navarrenx, Mauléon and Saint-Palais : next time !

After leaving the industrial town of Mourenx are hills on the heights of Vielleségure :

image hosted on flickr


Red roofs in this part of Béarn :

image hosted on flickr


Vielleségure in the distance : no time to go, the Basque Country awaits us.

image hosted on flickr


On the road to Navarrenx :

image hosted on flickr


Susmiou in the outskirts of Navarrenx :

image hosted on flickr


Angous is the last Béarnais village before the Basque Country (it's known as Angoz(e) in Basque).

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The road leading to the first Basque hamlet is small : here's the last house of Béarn named Olive. In the background the triangular summit is Pic d'Arlas in Navarre.

image hosted on flickr


We reach the first Basque hamlet : Larrory (Larrori in Basque). From Larrory, one can say a momentaneous goodbye to Béarn. We've entered Soule (Xiberoa in Souletine Basque) but vernacular architecture still is Pyrenean.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Moncayolle (it's a Gascon name for a village known as Mithikile in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

Full size

From the hamlet of Mendibieu (Mendibil in Basque), the Valley of Soule :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Let's reach Mauléon :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


We bypass Mauléon : Viodos (Bildoze in Basque)

image hosted on flickr


Aroue :

image hosted on flickr


We'll visit Soule another time ...

image hosted on flickr

Full size

We're in Navarre now : the architecture is changing, this is the archetypal Basque Country.

image hosted on flickr


The two summits of Midi d'Ossau can be seen from Sumberraute (Altzumarta in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Masparraute (Martxueta in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Arraute :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The panorama from the heights of Arraute :

image hosted on flickr

Full size

Arraute (Arrueta in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


Masparraute :

image hosted on flickr


Saint-Palais in the distance :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

Full size

Bidache :

image hosted on flickr


I'll soon post another tour on the border between Béarn and the Basque Country.

[brisavoine]

These pics remind me of my old high school trips. "Aquelhas montanhas, que tan nautas son..."

[Aaron W]

Very pretty scenery!

[pwright1]

Your pics are absolutely beautiful. Some look like postcards. The scenery is just breathtaking.

[Giri]

here's an addendum (the weather went bad, I'm sorry, November is never ideal).

image hosted on flickr


We begin in Abos in the middle of industrial Béarn : I'll soon post pics of the many and impressive plants. Abos is one of those famous Basco-Aquitanian placenames ending in -os.

image hosted on flickr


In Monein (another Basque placename : Muneiñe in Basque) : we won't visit the town but admire how the beautiful gothic church is butchered by pavillions. A crime.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The hill in front of us is named Biscarros, another Basque placename :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


On the road to Navarrenx, Ogenne (from Basque Oihana=the forest) :

image hosted on flickr


In Jasses, the weather really went mitigated : we're etering the valley of the Gave d'Oloron.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The Pyrenees are cloudy around Dognen :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Préchacq-Navarrenx :

image hosted on flickr


Lay-Lamidou : Holstein cows should not be part of the landscape !

image hosted on flickr


Saucède on the right bank of the Gave river :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Poey d'Oloron :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Ledeuix :

image hosted on flickr


In the distance is the oppidum of Iluro, now Oloron : we'll visit Oloron next.

image hosted on flickr

[topographic]

I will be visiting the area in June and July, staying in between Cheraute and Barcus. I was last in SW France 3 years ago where we stayed in Turenne, Lectoure and St Etienne de Baigorry. we have decided to stay further east where it is a little more rural.
We hope to visit Jurancon and Madiran vineyards, i love Madiran wines, We will be doing some walking around the Soule valley and any advice would be welcome.

[ShawnOfTheDead]

Such a Van Goghly surrealistic landscape.

[Giri]

Winter is not ideal for beautiful pics. Still, perspectives are cleared as leaves are not everywhere. For a prelude, see : Part I.



image hosted on flickr

The pink line materializes the border between Béarn and the Basque Country.

I left the highway in Bellocq ("beautiful location" in Gascon). In Bellocq, not far from the border with the "Landes", vernacular architecture gets "Vasconic" rather than "Pyrenean".

image hosted on flickr


In the distance is Ramous (Arramós in Gascon) : this the valley of the Gave de Pau river. Spring will soon come.

image hosted on flickr


I'm leaving Béarn for a little while. No time to visit Sorde (I'll post pics later). Still, just an example of new pavillions : this one is a good example of a pavillion inspired by vernacular "Vasconic" architecture. Unfortunately enough, most people don't follow such models.

image hosted on flickr


Coming back to Béarn surround by rocky outcrops and the highway :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


In Carresse (probably from Basque Garreza, gasconized as Carressa), houses are a mix of Pyrenean and Vasconic architecture. Paul-Jean Toulet, a French poet, originated from Carresse.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Auterrive (from Latin alta ripa=high bank).

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Labastide-Villefranche is Béarn's westernmost village, neighbouring the Basque Country. It's also some of my paternal ancestors' village. Now I'm going to leave Béarn for the Basque Country through the moors of Lauhire (from Basque laur hiri=the four cities as Béarn, Dax, Navarre and Soule do join in that area).

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Argh ! I'm in Basque lands. The name of the house : Domingoteya. I cannot be elsewhere.

image hosted on flickr


The first Basque village I meet : Camou, the Gascon official name for Gamue.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The weather is misty as I reach the heart of Mixe (Amikuze in Basque), a little medieval Navarrese entity.

image hosted on flickr


Suhast :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


I'm entering Soule near Domezain : not really a natural border here. I'll post pics of this area later. Notice that the architecture gets Pyrenean once more. The Castle of Ithorots :

image hosted on flickr


Then I got lost in Olhaïby : a dead-end. Except if I want to ascend muddy passes that would lead me to Mauléon. Well, not this time.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Etcharry :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


I've eventually reached the Saison valley. One little intrusion in Béarn with a hamlet named Haute (from Basque Hagoeta).

image hosted on flickr


Now it's time to ascend hills.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The village of Arrast in the distance :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


I reach Larrebieu (from Basque Larrabil=rounded field). Only sheeps.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


I'm dominating the whole Saison valley.

image hosted on flickr

Full scale

image hosted on flickr


Goyeneche in Moncayolle : it's the house of the infamous priest, Matalas who led a revolt against royal authority in the XVIIth century and then was beheaded.

image hosted on flickr


Chéraute, in the suburbs of Mauléon.

image hosted on flickr


Laruns :

image hosted on flickr


And then I made a terrible decision ... I did not want to go the mountains that very day. I missed the good road that would have led me to flat roads.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Hopefully enough, the weather is misty : I won't get to see Pic d'Anie. I find that peak frightening. One can guess him though on the left.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Barcus (Barkoxe in Basque) is the last Souletine village.

image hosted on flickr


Home ! I'm in Béarn ! Wait : Esquiule (Eskiula in Basque) is the last Basque-speaking village in Béarn. Still in barbaric lands.

image hosted on flickr


When I finally go down that coast, I'll reach Romance-speaking lands. It'll be Oloron. Next time.

image hosted on flickr

[StoneRose]

What a beautiful area. Thanks for upoading the pics.

Now I yearn for a raod-trip...

[capricorn2000]

stunningly beautiful countryside scenery.

[christos-greece]

Interesting and very nice updates from this area of France

[Giri]

image hosted on flickr


April 2010. 2 months ago. The first hot day of the year. Which means evaporation. I don't really like these days. The light is too bright and white. Only the last moments of the day are worth an afternoon's driving in boring and green rolling hills. This is some sort of addendum to previous tours.

Pyrenean austerity rules in Béarn not far from Cardesse.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


We'll visit Béarnais village in the Jos valley (aka Josbaig : Jos+valley in Gascon). Those villages situated North of Oloron border Basque-speaking Soule, most of them still keep many traces of their Basque past.

Moumour :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Orin (known as Orrin in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Géronce (known as Jeruntze in Basque) still maintains Basque-speking hamlet even though the burg in the plain is Gascon-speaking.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Saint-Goin (Sangoine in Basque). The inhabitants of the village are named "Sangoinars" despite being Gascon-speaking (-ar is a Basque suffix).

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The valley of the Jos river is a large plain.

image hosted on flickr


A newly-built house respecting vernacular architecture :

image hosted on flickr


Aren :

image hosted on flickr


Geüs-d'Oloron is known as Üztazu in Basque. The village also maintains Basque-speaking hamlets but the plain is Gascon-speaking. Notice the trinitarian bell tower, a Souletine influence.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


The last Béarnaise house : after this house begins the Basque Country with Soule/Xiberoa.

image hosted on flickr


L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise (Ospitalepea in Basque) is the first Basque village that one encounters on the road linking Béarn with Soule.

image hosted on flickr


Hoquy :

image hosted on flickr


Vernacular architecture in Soule is Pyrenean as well.

image hosted on flickr


Let's avoid Mauléon, the capital of Soule : we'll follow the Saison river (Uhaitz Handia in Basque). Gotein :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Menditte (Mendikota in Basque) once more !

image hosted on flickr


The Saison valley is dominated by the snowy Peak of Anie.

image hosted on flickr


Ossas :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


We enter a parallel valley to the main Saison valley.

image hosted on flickr


Cihigue (Zihiga in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Camou (Gamere in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


A little pass allows us to reach the Saison valley that we had left earlier on.

image hosted on flickr


Arhan :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Alçabéhéty :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


It's time to come back to Béarn. Some Souletine villages are to be "bypassed". Abense-de-Haut :

image hosted on flickr


Restoue :

image hosted on flickr


We visited Montory earlier on. Mount Erretzu is somehow a symbolic border : we enter Gascon-speaking areas.

image hosted on flickr


Béarn at least with the village of Lanne. Béarn and Soule struggled in order to rule a little valley named Barlanès (Sarraltzüne in Basque). It cannot be doubted that we Béarnais people are the legitimate owner.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Barlanès' placenames are overwhelmingly Basque though : Cardasse, Argututche, Arguibelle, Iridoy, Huncharie, Col de Lapixe, Col d'Irutiguty, Nécore, Iracourri, Col d'Ordabure, Lissiague, Larranche, Guétteguerre, ...

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


I don't really want to reach Spain through Issarbe and the Pass of Saint-Martin. Half-turn which allows us to see the Peak of Arguibelle.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Arette (Ereta in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Ance (Arhantza in Basque) :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


We reach the suburbs of Oloron : Saint-Pée.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


As we enter Oloron, we leave the Pyrenees.

image hosted on flickr


In order to come back home, I have to ascend rolling-hills and belvederes.

image hosted on flickr


Anie (Auñamendi in Basque) as seen from the heights of Oloron :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[Herbie Fully Loaded]

Oh, wow ...

How could people prefer living in overcrowded places when there's this piece of glory.

[david chanrion]

yes i HAVE BEEEN THERE, so nice )






photos from this blog of photos

[Giri]

image hosted on flickr



So October 2010. Autumn clearly is the best season where I live. During the whole year I'm longing for those beautiful days of october. Unfortunately enough, but it was too late when I left Pau for the surroundings of Salies-de-Béarn, the whole Basque Country was covered with clouds.

image hosted on flickr


Néo-Béarnaise houses used to be the architectural norm in the region before people settling in SW France began to dream of Provence and the Mediterranean.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


On the road to the Basque Country : Burgaronne (a clear Basque placename in Béarn). I did not take pics before reaching deep Lower Navarre. Why ? Because I already have in the previous posts. So we're now South of Saint-Palais in the hamlet of Larribar, in Basque lands.

image hosted on flickr


The road to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is rather straightforward. Not much to see.

image hosted on flickr


Juxue :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Ostabat as seen from Juxue : it used to be the capital of this little subdivision of Lower Navarre : Ostabarès.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Larceveau :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Gamarthe : those Holstein cows destroy the harmony of the landscape ! Where are my betizuak ?

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Ainhice : the landcape frankly gets mountainous. As I had noticed, the weather gets cloudy as we're approaching Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


And then I got lost ... I had to ask a half-laughing Basque peasant the road to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. He answered me that all roads could lead to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I thus precised : I want the shortest one. It happened that the shortest one was not the most convenient.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Saint-Jean-le-Vieux :

image hosted on flickr


I will come back to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port another day : let's go to Soule as the weather appears to be much better in the East, behind the mountains that separate Navarre from Soule.

Iriberry :

image hosted on flickr


The pass leading to the valley of Soule begins in Larceveau that we already crossed some hours ago :

image hosted on flickr


The road gets higher in Cibits :

image hosted on flickr


Here I am : alone on a mountain pass. Not really feelings I love, you never know what could happen.

image hosted on flickr


The pass is not too high : on my left (northwards) the hills of Lower Navarre.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


On my right (southwards) the valley of Soule dominated by the Béarnaise mountains.

image hosted on flickr


Musculdy is the first Souletine village I'll cross : that's frankly another Basque Country, it's much more akin to my home Béarn as roofs - covered with slate - get higher and the landscape clearly is now Pyrenean.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


Ordiarp :

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


I eventually reach the plain of Soule with the hamlet of Idaux.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


More to come.

[Deanb]

incredible!!!