Ascarat (; ; )AZKARATE, Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
The inhabitants are known as Azkaratear.Brigitte Jobbé-Duval, Dictionary of place names - Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 2009, Archives and Culture, Euskaltzaindia - Academy of the Basque language (Basque)
Geography
Ascarat is located in the former province of Lower Navarre in the Aldudes Valley immediately north-west of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Access to the commune is by the D918 road from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port which passes through the length of the commune on the eastern side and continues to Louhossoa. The D15 road goes north-west from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port through the southern part of the commune continuing to Irouléguy. Access to the village is by country roads - Garategana from the D15 and Learraa from the D918. There are substantial forests in the commune however about 70% of the land area is farmland.Google Maps
The Nive river forms the eastern border of the commune as it flows north to join the Adour at Bayonne. Three streams flow into the Nive in the commune: the Nive d'Arnéguy, the Nive de Béhérobie, the Berroko erreka, and the Pagolako erreka.
Places and hamlets
Apelchénéa Arbelarréa Arrécharborda Béhérekoetchéa Bentaberria Beskinaénéa Bidartéa Bordia Burugorriénéa Caracotchéa Choko Ona Errékaldéa Fargas (château) Ferrandoénéa Garatégaïna Haranbiako Borda Harguinaénéa Harguinchuria Hirureta Indartéa Iputchaénéa Ithurraldéa Ithurricheta Jauberria Pontoussénéa Puchulua La Solitude Tofinaenea Uhaldéa
Géoportail, IGN
Toponymy The name Ascarat appears in the forms: Ascarat (1106Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy, Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2006, ), Escarat (13th century), Azcarat (1350), Atzcarat (1366), Azquarat (1413), Axcarat (1513,Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011, p. 15 Titles of PamplonaTitles published by don José Yanguas y Miranda ), Axcarate (1621, Martin BiscayDerecho de naturaleza que la merindad de San-Juan-del-pie-del-puerto, una de las seys de Navarra, tiene en Castilla - 1622 petit in-4° ), and Sanctus Julianus d'Ascarat (1763, Collations of the Diocese of BayonneManuscripts from the 17th and 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques ).
Jean-Baptiste Orpustan indicated that the name is composed of aitz ("rock") and garate ("high place"), giving "a height of rocks".
Chubitoa was a hamlet in Ascarat and Anhaux, mentioned in 1863Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 50
Jauréguy was a fief, vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre, cited in the 1863 dictionaryTopographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 85 as was Larragoyen.Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, p. 94
The commune name in basque is Azkarate.
History The parish was mentioned in 1256 and was "ravaged by soldiers" in 1396.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
In 1391 Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry included the modern communes of Anhaux, Ascarat, Irouléguy, and Lasse.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Heraldry
Administration
List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name Party Position 1995 2020 Jean-Michel Galant AB General Councillor 2020 2026 Philippe Etchenique
Inter-communality The commune is part of nine inter-communal structures:Intercommunality of Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Cellule informatique préfecture 64, consulted on 2 March 2012 the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque; the SIVOS of Garazi; the SIVU Hiruen Artean; the AEP association of Anhice; the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; the inter-communal association for sanitation of Ur Garbi; the inter-communal association for the management and development of the abattoir at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; the joint association for the Drainage basin of the Nive; the association to support Basque culture.
Demography
Economy The commune is part of the production zone of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) of Irouléguy and also of the AOC zone of Ossau-iraty.
Economic activity is mainly agricultural.
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage There are several houses and farms in the commune which are registered as historical monuments. These are: Uhaldea House (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Harizpea Farm (1587)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Chateau de Vergues (or Chateau de Fargas) (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée Houses and Farms (17th-19th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Religious heritage The Church of Saint-Julien-d'Antioche is of medieval origin was heavily rebuilt in the 18th and 19th century.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Notable people linked to the commune Pierre Narbaitz, born in 1910 at Ascarat and died in 1984 at Cambo-les-Bains, was a historian, writer, and a basque French academic of the Basque and French languages.
See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
References
External links Ascarat on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Azcarat on the 1750 Cassini Map