Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette (; ; )ALTZAI-ALTZABEHETI-ZUNHARRETA, Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
Geography
Location Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette is located in the former province of Soule. It is located some 35 km west by south-west of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and 10 km north of Larrau.
Access The commune can be accessed by the small D247 road from the village to Tardets-Sorholus in the north-east. The D149 branches off this road in the commune and goes north to Camou-Cihigue. There is also the D117 road which goes west from the village to Mendive.Google Maps
Hydrography Located in the drainage basin of the Adour, most of the southern border of the commune is formed by the Alphoura river (18 km long) which also flows through the village and continues northeast to join the Saison near Alos-Sibas-Abense. The Alphoura is fed by many tributaries rising in the commune including the Azaléguy and Ardounc. The Escalérako erreka rises in the south and flows west with its many tributaries.
Paul Raymond mentioned the Arangaïxa, a brook that rises at Alçay and flows into the Alphoura.
Localities and hamlets
Aguer (Barn) Albinzé (cayolar) Alçabéhéty Alçay Ampo Andoche (cayolar) Arangaitz (Pass) Arhansus (cayolar) Arhex Borde Atheis Azaléguy Azaléguiko Karbia (Cave) Bagadoya Bagazaguita (cayolar) Bagothusta Belhy Berrayde Bethalia Bidalunia Bordagagna Borda Iribarneko Bordapia Burdin Olatzé (cayolar) Burgance Çaro Chaldupia Chuburu Croix Garat (la) Elichabeborda Eltzegagnia (cayolar) Erbinia Espoulapia Esquirassy (district) Etcheberri Borda Etcheverry Etchecopar Borda Eyhéraber Ezpalako Larria Goyheneix Borde Gutux Borde Habrague (cayolar) Handia (Borda) Haquits (Mill) Harizmendy Harristolatzia Houretaborda Ibarburia (Pass) Ibarria Illaberria Inharchoury Irriko Borda Kamitchel Kharalda Lapistoy Larramendia Laxunia Laze Lechardoy Lecharria (cayolar) Lekayborda Leziague (fountain) Lomendi Luchiloa Lucu Lutogagne Maraizolatzé Méthola Miranda Néquézaurborda Ourdanberhartia Oxapuria Oxibar (Pass) Pista Uthurria Poyuko Borda Sallaberriko borda Sobieta (Grange) Sunharette Thipinka Ursoy (cayolar) Utzidoy Uztarila (cayolar) Uztubulia
Géoportail, IGN
Toponymy
The commune name in Basque is Altzai-Altzabeheti-Zunharreta.Brigitte Jobbé-Duval, Dictionary of placenames - Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 2009, Archives and Culture,
According to Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, the base (h)altz meaning "aulne" was used for both the toponyms Alcay and Alçabéhéty. beheti means "at the bottom".
The name Sunharette comes from the Basque zunhar (Name from Soule meaning "elm" or "poplar") using the romanized locative suffix ette meaning the "place of elm".
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
Name Spelling Date Source Page Origin Description Alçay Aucet Suson 1337 Orpustan Village Alsay 1385 Raymond Duchesne Ausset-Suson 1479 Raymond Ohix Alçay 1520 Orpustan Aucet Suson 1690 Orpustan Auset Suson 1690 Orpustan Alsai 17th century Raymond Chronicles Alçabéhéty Aucet Juson 1337 Orpustan Village Ausec-Juson 1385 Raymond Duchesne Auset Juzon 1385 Orpustan Auzat Juzon 1385 Orpustan Aucet Juzon 1690 Orpustan Alcabehety 1793 Cassini1 Alçabehety 1801 Cassini1 Bulletin des lois Sunharette Sunarte 1337 Orpustan Village Sunharrete 1475 Raymond Ohix Sunharrette 1690 Orpustan Sunarrette 1690 Orpustan Sonharette 1793 Cassini2 Sunharrette 1801 Cassini2 Bulletin des lois Arangaïxa L'Arangaïxa 1863 Raymond Stream Arhansus Arhansus 1863 Raymond Wood Athaguy Athagui 1520 Raymond Soule Farm Atagui 1520 Raymond Soule Belhy Belhy 1863 Raymond Mountain Burunolatxé Le Col de Burunolatxé 1863 Raymond Pass Couhourre Couhourre 1863 Raymond Wood Esquirassy Esquirassy 1863 Raymond Mountain Etcheverry Etcheberri 17th century Raymond Chronicles Fief, under the Viscounts of Soule Handiague Handiague 1863 Raymond Mountain
Sources: Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque ToponymyJean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy, Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2006, 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 Cassini1: Alçabéhéty on the Ldh/EHESS/Cassini database Cassini2: Sunharette on the Ldh/EHESS/Cassini database
Origins: Duchesne: Duchesne collection volume CXIVDuchesne Collection, volumes 99 to 114, containing the papers of Oihenart, former Imperial Librarian - Bibliothèque nationale de France Ohix: Contracts retained by Ohix, Notary of SouleManuscripts from the 15th century in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Chronicles: Chronicles of Arthez-LassalleTitles of the Arthez-Lassalle family at Tardets Soule: Custom of SouleCustom of Soule in 1520, printed at Pau in 1760
History In 1790 Sunharette was the chief town of a canton which was part of the District of Mauleon. The canton included the communes of Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette, Alos-Sibas-Abense, Camou-Cihigue, Etchebar, Lacarry-Arhan-Charritte-de-Haut, Lichans-Sunhar, and Ossas-Suhare.
In 1833, the three communes of Alçay, Alçabéhéty, and Sunharette merged to form a single joint commune.
Heraldry
Administration
List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name 1983 2001 Arnaud Dascon 2001 2026 Anicet Erreçarret
Inter-communality The town is part of seven intercommunal organisations: the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque the association to support Basque culture; the SIVOM of the canton of Tardets; the intercommunal association of the gaves d'Oloron and Mauléon the SIVU for Tourism in Haute-Soule and Barétous; the AEP association for Soule Country the association for remediation of Soule Country
Population
Economy Activity is mainly focused on agriculture (livestock and pasture). The town is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-Iraty cheese.
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage The commune has two sites that are registered as historical monuments: The Seven Ibarnaba Tumuli in the Esquirassy districtMinistry of Culture, Mérimée The Ten Ibarletta Tumuli in the Esquirassy districtMinistry of Culture, Mérimée
Other sites of interest The Gaztelu zahar (Basque meaning "fortified place") of Maide korralea meaning "the enclosure of Maide" is attributed to Maidé, mythological beings incorporating some of the traits of Jentils and Laminak.
Religious Heritage The Romanesque Parish Church of Saint-Pierre (Middle Ages) is registered as an historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The church contains a Processional Cross (16th century) which is registered as an historical object.Ministry of Culture, Palissy
Environmental heritage The Belhygagne peaks (also called the peak of Vultures) and Gaztelia are the highest points in the commune at, respectively, 1,072 and 1,345 metres high.
See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
References
External links Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Sunharete and Alcabehety on the 1750 Cassini Map