Arette

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title: "Arette" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communes-of-pyrénées-atlantiques"] topic_path: "general/communes-of-pyrenees-atlantiques" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arette" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox French commune"]

Field	Value
name	Arette
commune status	Commune
image	Mairie d'Arette.jpg
caption	Town hall
image coat of arms	Blason ville fr Arette (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).svg
arrondissement	Oloron-Sainte-Marie
canton	Oloron-Sainte-Marie-1
INSEE	64040
postal code	64570
mayor	Pierre Casabonne
term	2020–2026
intercommunality	Haut Béarn
coordinates
elevation min m	292
elevation max m	2315
area km2	92.23
population
population date
population footnotes
::

Arette (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. It is located in the arrondissement of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and the canton of Oloron-Sainte-Marie-1.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Dans_Arette.jpg" caption="Arette Village."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Monument_aux_morts_d'Arette.jpg" caption="The War Memorial."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Ecole_d'Arette.jpg" caption="The Primary School."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Eglise_d'Arette.jpg" caption="Arette Church."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Fronton_d'Arette.jpg" caption="fronton]]."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Arette_(Pyr-Atl,_Fr)_le_Vert_d'Arette,_2.JPG" caption="Vert d'Arette]]."] ::

Geography

Arrete is located some 15 km south by south-west of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and some 4 km south-east of Aramits. It lies close to both the French Basque region and borders Spain in the south. It is within the borders of Béarn, one of the traditional French provinces.

Access to the commune is by French rail SNCF to Pau, and a short bus ride to Arrete. Less scenic is the automobile route: D918 road from Lanne-en-Barétous in the north-west coming south-east to the village then continuing east to Issor. The D132 goes south from the village down the length of the commune following a tortuous mountain route before exiting the southern border of the commune over the Col de la Pierre St Martin (1,760m), which is also the border with Spain, and becoming the Spanish NA-137 which continues to Isaba. The D341 also goes south-east from the village then south, connecting with the D241 at the Col de Labays (1,351m) going east to join the E7 highway south of Sarrance, then continuing along the south-western border to join the D441 south of the commune. The D133 also goes north from the village to Aramits.

Bus Route 848 of the Intercity Network of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (Transports 64) links Arette to Oloron-Sainte-Marie.

Arette is a very large commune and has a land area of 9223 ha. It is also mountainous (the La Pierre Saint-Martin ski resort is within its borders, for example) and its highest peak is the 2,315 m Soum Couy, which is situated not far from the 2,504 m Pic d'Anie, the highest peak in the western Pyrenees. From Pic d'Anie the mountain range extends downwards for approximately 20 km, forming both sides of the Aspe Valley to the north-west. The Vert d'Arette (a tributary of the Vert) flows through this valley. The ancient village (also named Arette) from which the commune extends is located at an altitude of 316 m in the valley of Barétous, which lies between the aforementioned Aspe valley, to its east, and the Basque province of Soule, to its west.

Hydrography

Located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, the commune is the source of numerous tributaries of the Vert which is itself a tributary of Gave d'Oloron. The largest tributary flowing through the commune is the Vert d'Arrette however many other streams flow north towards the Vert including: the Abat Daurèye and its tributary, the Banu Erreka (accompanied by the Ruisseau de Aurèye); Ibarcis Erreka; the Lancy; the Ruisseau de Gurré and its tributary the Ruisseau de Lagaretche; the Ruisseau de Hournères and its tributary, the Ouettone; the Ruisseau de Légorre and its tributary, the Cassiau de Ber; the streams of Nécore, Soulayets, Talu Gros, and Virgou with the tributary of the latter, the Arrigau (accompanied itself in the commune by the Bachère).

The Gave de Lourdios, a tributary of the Gave d'Aspe, and its tributaries, the Arric and the Moulia (and their tributaries, Casteigt Erreka and the Ruisseau de Poussious) also pass through the commune. The Gave de Sainte-Engrâce, a tributary of the Saison, and its tributary, the Montcholako Erreka also flow in the territory of the commune.

Places and Hamlets

Abat d'Ibarry
Adam
Gouffre d'Ahuzthéguia
Ambielle
Ambile
Cabane d'Ance
Apons
Pont de l'Araille
Gouffre de l'Arbre Sec
Pas d'Arlas
L'Arre de Bas
Arrègle
Arritsens
Aspit
Aurasse
Pont d'Aurèye
Cabane d'Auriste
Ayesten
Barbé
Le Pas des Basques
Bayrès
Bécari
Bélatch Paoussaguia
Bellegarde
Bellocq
Bernardicou
Bersacalongue
Ancien Moulin de Bignau
Col de Bissouritto (995 metres)
Bitailloué
Bonnehe
Bonneu
Bordehore
Col de Boticotch
Bois de Bouchet
Bourdès
Bourdet
Les Bourrugues
Burs
Coume de Cagastié
Cam dét Ragutio
Camgros
Camou
Candau
Capdelabat
Capdeville
Pas de Caque
Casabonne
Casamayou
Casaurang
Casaux
La Cassette
Cassiau
Castagne (Two places)
Cataplous
Cerciat
Château-Forez
Pédaing de Chousse
Plateau de la Chousse
Col de Cissaugue or Nécore
Pont de Cissaugue
Costemale
Costes
Coudure
Couillarsut
Cabane du Coup
Couretcoup
Courétot
Les Courréges
Cousturé
Coutchet de Lacq
Coutchet dets Crapes
L'Arre de Soum Couy
La Croix du Berger
Croix des Contrebandiers
Davancens
Domecq
Fontaine Dorbe
Source de l'Ermite
Cabane d'Escuret de Bas
Cabanes d'Escuret
Esperabens
Pas des Estes
Estournès
Estratte
Cabane de Féas
Pont du Fort
Frinchaboy
Gabarrat
Col de Garbas
Gesta
Goaillardeu
Guilhers (Sheds and fountain)
Guren
Cap de Gurré (ruins)
Handu
Source d'Harrigagna
Hondagneu
Grange Hondagneu
Houillis
Houndane (spring)
Pont du Hourat
Houratate
Hourcate
Hournères
Hum
Borde de Hum
Ibarry - Coigt de Hecore
Granges d'Irasts
Coume d'Issaux
Cabane d'Issort
Jantet
Labarthe
Labatrère
Cabanes de Labays
Col de Labays (1,351m)
Laborde
Laclouque
Lacoume
Laculère
Lagarde
Lagaretche
Lagrave
Lahore
Pas de Lamayou
Lancy
Lapeyre
Coume de Larrayet
Larricq
Croix de Larricq
Le pont Larron
Camp de Larruga
Lassalle
Bois de Lèche
Lèchéko Zingla
Légorre d'Ibarry
Lembeyou
Gouffre Lépineux
Mail de Lerre
Létone
Pas de la Leugue
Libarde
Col de Lie (601m)
Lilles
Longis
Lourdios d'Arette
La Lousère
Lucq
Col de Mahourat
Le Mail blanc
Les Malices
Cayolar de Mantchola or Cabane d'Etchébar
Pas de Massaré
Massaugues
Coume Mayou
Maysou
Mesplou
Bois de Métouret
Mirassou
Mirassou Bas
Mirassou Haut
Moulia
La Mouline
Moura
Nario
Nouqué
Noutary
Noye
Oron
Cabane d'Oumarre
Bois de l'Oumbre-del-Hourcq
Gouffre de l'Ours
Pagnon
Pédaing
Pélou
Les Pernes
Cabane de la Pernotte (ruins)
Pescamou
Borde des Peyres
Peyret
Arette La Pierre Saint-Martin
Col de la Pierre St Martin
L'Arre Planère
Pouey
Poursuca
Le Pourtet
Prat
Granges de Prat
La Puyade
Rachet
Roucam
Pène Rouye
Sainte-Gracie
Saint-Marty
Salanove
Salet
Salies
Sarrelangue
Saudiat
Plateau de Séguitte
Pas de Single
Bois de Soudet
Cabanes de Soudet
Soulaing
Soubies
Soubirou
Soulé
Borde de Soulé
Sous Pène
Superville
Col de Suscousse or Garatéko L'époua
Talou
Talou d'Arnaune
Talou de Bouc
Tamarpouey
Tapie
Col de Taules
Braca de Termy
Le Terrail
Gouffre La Tête Sauvage
Tourette
Tourumy (harnessed spring)
Col de Tremeil
Camp d'Urdette
Zélukobortha (chasm)

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

The commune name in béarnais is Arèta (according to the classical norm of Occitan). The name comes from the Basque ar- meaning "stone" and from the locative suffix -eta meaning "stony place".

The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.

::data[format=table]

Name	Spelling	Date	Source	Origin	Description
Arette	Areta	1186	Raymond	Barcelona	Village
	Rete	1383	Raymond	Luntz
	Arete	1385	Raymond	Census
	Erete	1440	Raymond	Barétous
	Aretha	1444	Raymond	Cour Major
	Eretha	1444	Raymond	Cour Major
	Hereta	1538	Raymond	Reformation
	Saint Pierre d'Arette	1674	Raymond	Insinuations
	Arrette	1750	Cassini
	Arete	1801	Ldh/EHESS/Cassini	Bulletin des lois

Arrègle	le molii d'Arregle	1385	Raymond	Census	Farm and a Mill on the Vert d'Arette
	Aregle en Baretous	1433	Raymond	Notaries
	Aregla	1538	Raymond	Reformation
	Réglé	1863	Raymond

Arlas	Arlas	1538	Raymond	Reformation	Mountain on the Spanish border

L'Arrigau	lo ariu aperat la Rigau	1538	Raymond	Reformation	A stream rising in Arette and which joins the Vert at Aramits
	L'Arrigas	1863	Raymond

Aurèye	L'Aureye	1863	Raymond		Stream rising in Arette, tributary of the Vert

Bayrès	Bayres	1538	Raymond	Reformation	Farm
	Bayres	1863	Raymond

Col de Bissourritto	Col de Bissourritte	1863	Raymond		Mountain Pass

Bois de Bouchet	Bouchette	1863	Raymond		Wood

La Chousse	La Chousse	1863	Raymond		Stream rising in Arette, a tributary of the Vert

Costemale	Costemale	1863	Raymond		Mountain

Les Courréges	Les Courréges	1863	Raymond		Mountain

Estratte	Estrate	1385	Raymond	Census	Farm
	Estrata	1538	Raymond	Reformation
	Estrate	1863	Raymond

Col de Garbas	Col de Garbas	1863	Raymond		Pass between the communes of Arette and Lanne-en-Barétous

Guilhers	Le Pas de Guilhers	1863	Raymond		Wood between the communes of Arette and Lées-Athas

Hournères	Le Hourner	1863	Raymond		Stream rising in Arette and joining the Chousse

Lagaretche	Lagarretche	1863	Raymond		Wood

Le Pont Larron	Le Pont Larron	1863	Raymond		Bridge named after the former name of the Vert d'Arette: Larron

Lèche	La singla de Lexe	1589	Raymond	Reformation	Mountain and Wood

Légorre d'Ibarry	Legorre	1863	Raymond		Mountain

Mantchola	Le Manchola	1863	Raymond		Stream delineating the border between Arette and Sainte-Engrâce before joining the Uhaïtxa

Le Nécore	Le Col de Nécore	1863	Raymond		Mountain Pass. A stream of the same name rises at the pass and joins the Vert d'Arette in Arette

Pernalatte	Pernalatte	1863	Raymond		Mountain

La Pernotte	La Pernotte	1863	Raymond		Stream, tributary of the Chousse

Pescamou	Pescamou	1863	Raymond		Mountain and Pass on the Spanish frontier

La Pierre Saint-Martin	La peyre de Sent-Martin, frontière de Navarre	1589	Raymond	Reformation	Assembly place for the inhabitants of the Barétous Valley in France and Roncal in Spain

Le Pourtet	Pourtet	1863	Raymond		Mountain on the Spanish border extending to Arette and Lées-Athas

Le col de Soès	Le col de Soès	1863	Raymond		Mountain Pass

Soulaing	Soulaing	1863	Raymond		Mountain between Arette and Osse-en-Aspe and a stream, tributary of the Lourdios

Soulayets	Le Soulayet	1863	Raymond		Stream that flows through Arette and joins the Vert

Tamarpouey	Tamarpoey	1385	Raymond	Census	Farm
	Tamarpoey	1863	Raymond

Le Termy	Le Termy	1863	Raymond		Stream rising in Arette and joining the Uhaïtxa at Sainte-Engrâce

Trémeil	Torrumie	1703	Raymond	Regulation	Mountain across Arette and Lanne-en-Barétous
	Tremeilh	1863	Raymond
::

Sources:

Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table.
Grosclaude: Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, 2006
Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750
Ldh/EHESS/Cassini:

Origins:

Barcelona: Titles of Barcelona.
Luntz:
Census: Census of Béarn
Barétous: Titles of the Valley of Barétous
Cour Major: Regulations of the Cour Major
Reformation: Reformation of Béarn
Insinuations: Insinuations of the Diocese of Oloron
Notaries: Notaries of Oloron
Regulation: Regulation of Arette

History

In 1385 there were 87 fires in Arette and it depended on the Bailiwick of Oloron.

On 13 August 1967 the village of Arette was 80% destroyed by an earthquake that killed one person. The ruined clock tower of the church indicated the exact time of the earthquake: 11:10 p.m. Seismic waves were felt from Pau to Tarbes and Bayonne.

Heraldry

|img1=Blason ville fr Arette (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).svg |legend1=Arms of Arette |text=

Blazon:

Quarterly, 1 and 4 Gules with two cows of Or hooved, collared, belled, and horned in Azure one above the other; 2 and 3 Argent with a boar of Sable.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors |title=Mayors from the French Revolution to 1942 |titlestyle = background:palegreen; ::data[format=table]

From	To	Name
1793	1800	Ignace Camou
1800	1807	Jean Lasalle
1808	1813	Pierre Hum
1813	1831	Jean-Pierre Salet
1831	1835	Jean Carrère
1835	1837	Pierre Camgros
1837	1843	Étienne Superville
1843	1848	Jean-François Sérée
1848	1853	Pierre-Joseph Castéran
1853	1856	Jean-François Sérée
1857	1861	Philippe Salies
1861	1872	Charles-Henri Fischer
1872	1877	Jean Bergé
1877	1884	Charles-Henri Fischer
1884	1890	Emmanuel Salet
1890	1892	François Dabancens
1892	1894	Charles-Henri Fischer
1894	1906	Jean-Baptiste Labourdette
1906	1907	Vincent Lagrave
1907	1916	Bernard Trébucq
1919	1942	Pierre Casabonne
::

;Mayors from 1942 ::data[format=table]

From	To	Name	Party	Position
1942	1952	Michel Lagrave
1952	1989	Jean-Marie Lonne-Peyret
1989	2001	Joseph Arrègle
2001	2026	Pierre Casabonne	DVD	General Councillor
::

Inter-communality

Arette is part of six inter-communal structures:

the Communauté de communes du Haut Béarn;
the SIVU La Verna;
the energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
the inter-communal association for study and management of the Drainage basin of the Vert and its tributaries;
the joint association for la Pierre Saint-Martin;
the joint association for Haut-Béarn.

Twinning

Arette has twinning associations with:

Spain Isaba (Spain) since 1977.
Spain Roncal (Spain) since 1991.

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 1,057 inhabitants.

| align = none | cols = 2 | percentages = pagr | source = EHESS and INSEE | graph-pos = bottom |1793 |1762 |1800 |1561 |1806 |1826 |1821 |2014 |1831 |2139 |1836 |2176 |1841 |2245 |1846 |2245 |1851 |2218 |1856 |2069 |1861 |2113 |1866 |2078 |1872 |2065 |1876 |1982 |1881 |1990 |1886 |2050 |1891 |1905 |1896 |1851 |1901 |1743 |1906 |1734 |1911 |1761 |1921 |1444 |1926 |1452 |1931 |1404 |1936 |1377 |1946 |1309 |1954 |1171 |1962 |1189 |1968 |1055 |1975 |1166 |1982 |1117 |1990 |1137 |1999 |1094 |2007 |1092 |2012 |1068 |2017 |1057

Distribution of Age Groups

The population of the town is relatively old.

Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Arette and Pyrénées-Atlantiques Department in 2017 ::data[format=table]

Arette	Pyrénées-Atlantiques	Age Range	Men	Women
0 to 14 Years	13.7	15.5	16.9	15.0
15 to 29 Years	13.5	11.8	16.4	14.3
30 to 44 Years	13.5	14.2	18.3	17.5
45 to 59 Years	26.3	22.2	21.2	20.6
60 to 74 Years	20.6	20.9	17.8	18.6
75 to 89 Years	11.5	12.3	8.5	11.7
90 Years+	0.7	3.0	0.9	2.4
::

Source: INSEE

Economy

The economy of the commune is primarily oriented toward agriculture and livestock (cattle and sheep) and logging. The town is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone designation of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and Heritage

Civil heritage

The Barétous Museum is located in the commune. It features permanent collections on pastoralism and the Junta Roncal or "Tribute of the Three Cows".

Religious heritage

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Arette_(Pyr-Atl,_Fr)_retable.JPG" caption="The [[Retable]] in the church"] ::

The former Lay Abbey (17th century) is registered as an historical monument.

The Arette Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:

A Chandelier (18th century)
An Altar and Retable (18th century)
An Eagle-Lectern (15th century)
A Statue: Virgin and child (16th century)

Environmental heritage

The Soum de Liorry (1,012m)
The Biscarroules Peak (1,017m)
The Sudou Peak (1,167m)
The Légorre Peak(1,359m)
The Soum de Soudet(1,542m)
The Guilhers Peak(1,597m)
The Soum de Leche (1,839m)
The Arlas Peak (2,044m) on the Spanish border
The Arres d'Anie(2,120m)

There is an arboretum in the east of the commune.

Arette Picture Gallery

File:Col de la Pierre Saint Martin France.jpg|Col de la Pierre Saint Martin File:Col de la Pierre Saint Martin France 2.jpg|Col de la Pierre Saint Martin File:Arlas.JPG|Arlas Peak File:La Pierre St Martin station.JPG|La Pierre Saint Martin Ski resort File:La Pierre St Martin Vue de la station.JPG|La Pierre Saint Martin ski slopes

Facilities

Education

Arette has a public college: the College of Arette Barétous and a primary school.

Sports and sports facilities

The Basque pelota Club trains on the village fronton.

The town is located on the route of the 16th stage of the Tour de France 2007 which took place on 25 July. On Bastille Day 2015 the Tour will pass through the town again. 218 km route linked Orthez to Gourette - Col d'Aubisque.

The Hill-climbing event, organized since 1984, is listed as a championship of France.

Notable people linked to the commune

Jacques I d'Arette de Béarn-Bonasse, baptized around 1600 in Béarn and died in 1666 in Saint-Castin, was a lord of Bonasse and lay abbot of Arette.
Henri Pellisson , Félibrige and member of the Escole Gastoû Febus affiliated to Félibrige (1846-1912), first at the Acadèmia dels Jòcs Florals (Academy of Floral Games) of Toulouse in 1898 for his poem Notre Dame de Sarrance.
Renée Massip, born in 1907 at Arette and died in Paris in 2002, he was a French writer, winner of the Prix Interallié in 1963.
Pierre Aristouy born on 18 October 1920 at Arette and died on 20 April 1974. A former French rugby player who played with the French team and in the Section Paloise in the position of second line or prop.
Paul Ambille, born in 1930 at Béziers and died in 2010 in Arette, was a French painter.
Nelson Paillou, president of the CNOSF (French Olympic Committee) lived in Arette.
Marie Bourdet Well known cheese farmer in Southern France; Sonoma Valley communities

References

(13 September 2022). "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises.
"Arette · France".
"Géoportail".
Raymond, Paul. (1863). "Dictionnaire topographique de la France...". Imprimerie nationale.
[[Michel Grosclaude]], ''Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn'', Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, {{ISBN. 2-35068-005-3 {{in lang. fr
[http://rumsey.geogarage.com/maps/cassinige.html?lat=43.0961&lon=-0.7156&zoom=13 Cassini Map 1750 – Arette]
Cited by [[Pierre de Marca]], ''History of Béarn''
Contracts retained by Luntz, Notary of Béarn in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques {{in lang. fr
Manuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques {{in lang. fr
Cour Majour of Béarn, register manuscripts from the 15th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques {{in lang. fr
Manuscript from the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques {{in lang. fr
Manuscripts from the 17th century in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques {{in lang. fr
Notaries of Oloron in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques {{in lang. fr
Communal Archives {{in lang. fr
fr
fr
[https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/cncdext/dyn/public/atlas/rechercheAtlasFrance.html National Commission for Decentralised cooperation] {{in lang. fr
{{Cassini-Ehess. 1170. Arette
[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-64040 Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Commune d'Arette (64040)]
[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=DEP-64 Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Département des Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64)]
Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. PA00084315. PA00084315 Lay Abbey {{in lang. fr
Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000035. PM64000035 Chandelier {{in lang. fr
Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000034. PM64000034 Altar and Retable {{in lang. fr
Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000033. PM64000033 Eagle-Lectern {{in lang. fr
Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000538. PM64000538 Statue: Virgin and child {{in lang. fr
[http://www.college-baretous.fr/ College of Arette website] {{Webarchive. link. (2011-03-17 {{in lang). fr

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