Aldudes

Location The village Aldudes is part of Le Pays Quint Hydrography Located in the watershed of the Adour, Aldudes is traversed by the Nive d'Aldudes with its many tributaries, such as the Urbeltch Labiaringo erreka, the Aktieltako erreka, and numerous unnamed streams. Paul Raymond mentioned ==Toponymy==

The name of the commune in Basque is Aldude. Aldudes was also the name given to the entire valley bordering the Baïgorry Valley and the Spanish border. The romanisation into Aldudes is actually a plural. The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune. Sources: • Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy • Mérimée: Ministry of Culture Mérimée database: Presentation of the Commune), • Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. Origins: Camara: Titles of Camara de Comptos ==History==

The commune originated in the 16th century when young noblemen of the Baigory family founded the village which, by the ancient Basque succession rule, reserved the legacy of the family house exclusively to the eldest child. The parish was established in 1793. Heraldry ==Administration==

List of Successive Mayors Inter-communality The commune of Aldudes participates in five intercommunal organisations: • the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque • the intercommunal association for the development and management of the slaughterhouse of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port • the joint association of the watershed of the Nive • the association to support Basque culture • the energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques ==Population==

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aldulais in French. ==Economy==

A fish farm is active on the road to Urepel. Basque pig breeding is an activity in full revival in the Aldudes valley, under the leadership of the Technical Institute of Pork (ITP). The commune hosts the Ets Pierre Oteiza company (gourmet pork products) which is one of the fifty top agribusinesses in the department. It is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty. ==Culture and heritage==

Languages According to the Map of the Seven Basque Provinces, published in 1863 by Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte, the dialect of Basque spoken in Aldudes is western Lower Navarrese dialect. Laxoa In 1952 the square in front of the church and the town hall was converted into a playing field for "laxoa". This ancient game of basque pelote is played with leather gloves. At the entrance porch of the church is the target for the game. Civil heritage The commune contains a number of sites that are registered as historical monuments: • Houses and Farms (18th-19th century) • The Menementa Farm (1827) • The Iguxkagerrea Farm (18th century) • The Joalginenborda Farm (19th century) ;Other sites of interest • Cromlechs: There are three Harrespils on the Argibel site. These are great circles of stone or "menhirs" for funerary purposes, dated from the 1st millennium BC. The Harrespil are notable due to their number (over 100 registered) and their witness to knowledge of ancient burial rites. Religious Heritage The commune has two religious sites that are registered as historical monuments: • The 'Chapel of the Assumption (1868) at a place called Eznazu has been listed on the Inventory of cultural heritage since 21 March 2003. It contains a Retable and Statues (17th century) which are registered as historical objects. • The Parish Church of Notre-Dame (17th century) has a rosary which belonged to the Emperor Maximilian. ;Other religious sites of interest • Some Hilarri in the cemetery are from the 19th century - two from 1805. Environmental heritage • Palombière is the property of the association of the Baigorry Valley. This hunt at 500 metres above sea level was created in 1840 by the mayor of the town, Charles Schmarsow. Reorganized in 1880, it then passed into the hands of the Ospital family who still lead the hunt. The five Filetiers use five pantières or special nets and ten beaters to direct the pigeons to the nets. Picture Gallery File:Aldudes1.JPG|Church of Aldudes File:Esnazu.Iglesia.JPG|The Church File:Banca1.JPG|The Bank File:Saint Etienne de Baïgorry Salaisons.jpg|Salting along the Nive File:Saint Etienne de Baïgorry Nive Barrage.jpg|The Weir on the Nive File:Saint Etienne de Baïgorry Pont Romain (3).jpg|The Roman bridge on the Nive File:Saint Etienne de Baïgorry Pont Romain (1).jpg|The Roman Bridge File:Saint Etienne de Baïgorry Pont Romain (4).jpg|The Roman Bridge File:Urepel Nive des Alduldes2.jpg|The Urepel Bridge over the Nive File:Urepel Nive des Alduldes1.jpg|The Urepel Bridge File:Urepel Vallée.jpg|The Urepel Valley File:Porc basque elevage.JPG|A Basque pig farm File:Alduides.JPG|The War Memorial ==Facilities==

Education The commune has a private primary school (Mendi-Alde). ==Notable People linked to the commune==

• Georges Lacombe, born 31 January 1879 in Orthez and died July 1947 in Paris, was a linguist, bascologuue, and Basque French academic. On the eve of the First World War he prepared, with the help of Dr. Jean Etchepare, a doctorate in Letters on the Aldudes dialect. • Bernard Delhom, born in 1885 in Aldudes, was the oldest man in France from 30 December 1995 to 7 February 1996 when he died in Paris aged 110 years and 213 days • Jean-Baptiste Urrutia, born in 1901 at Aldudes and died in Montbeton, was a missionary in Indochina and Bishop of Huế during the Indochina War and the Vietnam War ==See also==