Astis (Astís in Occitan) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

Geography

Astis is located some 20 km north of Pau and some 4 km south of Miossens-Lanusse. Access to the commune is by road D834 (Route de Bordeaux) from Pau entering the commune from the south-west passing through the village and continuing north to Sarron. The D39 road (Route de Morlaas) branches off the D834 in the north of the commune and goes south-east to Anos. The commune has a strip of forest along the length of the commune from north-west to south-east, parallel to the Route de Morlaas with the rest of the commune farmland.Google Maps

The Luy de France forms the eastern border of the commune as it flows north eventually joining the Luy de Béarn and becoming the Luy river on the eastern border of Castel-Sarrazin commune. The Basta river rises in the south of the commune and flows north-west joining the Luy de France north of the commune.

Places and hamlets

Anos Baradat Bernadot La Caserne Château Chinchin Dibet Guichanné Jacoulet Lamazou Nabarrot Pascal Plantié Sarrette Sarthoulet Sébat Tauhuré

Géoportail, IGN

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy The commune name in béarnais is also Astis. Michel Grosclaude proposed a Gascon etymology es (an old definitive article) followed by t(h)in ("Dependence") or tin ("singer").

The following table details the origins of the commune name:

Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description Astis Estis 1385 Raymond Census Village Astis 1750 Cassini Cassini Map

Sources 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 Grosclaude: Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, 2006 Michel Grosclaude, Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, Census: Census of BéarnManuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Cassini Map: Cassini Map from 1750Cassini Map 1750 - Asson

Administration

List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name 1790 1809 Jean Sabat 1809 1815 Jean Larrieu 1815 1828 Joseph Hondagne 1828 1830 Bernard Lamazou 1830 1868 Pierre Lamazou 1868 1871 Jean Larrieu 1871 1872 Félix Binde 1872 1878 Jean Larrieu Chinchin 1878 1919 Jean Lamazou 1919 1929 Jean Sebat 1929 1935 Julien Lamazou 1935 1944 Raymond Guichane 1944 1945 Julien Lamazou 1945 1959 Pierre Larrieu Bourdale 1959 1989 Albert Lafitte 1989 2014 Pierrette Barzu 2014 2026 Alain Caïe

Inter-communality

The commune is part of four inter-communal structures:Intercommunality of Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Cellule informatique préfecture 64, consulted on 2 March 2012 the Communauté de communes des Luys en Béarn; the AEP association of the regions of Luy and Gabas; the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; the scholastic association Argelos-Astis;

Demography The inhabitants of the commune are known as Astisiens or Astisiennes in French.Pyrénées-Atlantiques, habitants.fr

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

A Chateau (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Maison Mouras Farmhouse (1771)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Farmhouse at Lamazou (1646)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Maison Larrieu Farmhouse (17th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Maison Lassus Farmhouse (1894)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Houses and Farms (17th-19th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Fortified Complex (Prehistoric)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

Religious heritage

The Church of Saint John the Baptist (12th century) is registered as a historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

The Church contains many items that are registered as historical objects: A Bronze Bell (1591)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Furniture in the ChurchMinistry of Culture, Palissy Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Bronze Bell in the bell tower (1591)Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Ciborium (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy 2 Altar Candlesticks (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy 2 Altar Candlesticks (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy 2 Altar Candlesticks (torch bodies) (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Painting: Saint John in the desert (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Worship bench (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Baptismal fonts (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy 2 Statues: Saint Peter & Saint John (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Bas-relief: Christ on the cross between Saint Madeleine & Saint John (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Retable (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Altar seating and Tabernacle (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy Main Altar Seating, Tabernacle, and RetableMinistry of Culture, Palissy

Heraldry

Facilities

Astis has a primary school which is shared with Argelos as an inter-communal educational grouping.

See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department

External links Community of communes of Luys en Béarn Astis on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Astis on the 1750 Cassini Map

References