Barcus (; eu, Barkoxe) is a commune in the

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atlant ...

department in the

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by ...

region of southwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

in the former province of Soule. The inhabitants of the commune are known in French as ''Barcusiens'' or ''Barcusiennes'' and in

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous c ...

as ''Barkoxtar''.Euskaltzaindia - Academy of the Basque language

Geography

Location

Barcus is located in the ''Massif des Arbailles'' in the former province of Soule some 25 km south by south-east of Sauveterre-de-Béarn and 12 km west of Oloron-Sainte-Marie. The commune covers a complex of valleys formed by the course of the ''Joos'' and its left and right tributaries - the ''Paradis'' district, for example, is located on the ''Ibarra'' and the former hamlet of Guibelhéguiet is on a tributary of the Joos.

Access

Access to the commune is by the D24 road from Chéraute in the west which passes through the centre of the commune and continues east to Esquiule. The D347 branches from the D26 west of the village and goes south to Tardets-Sorholus. The D59 comes from Saint-Goin in the north-east through the village and continues south down the eastern side of the commune to

Montory Montory (; eu, Montori; oc, Mondòri) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military ...

. The D859 branches off the D59 in the north of the commune and goes north to join the D25 north of the commune. The D159 branches off the D59 halfway down the commune and goes east to join the D24 east of Esquiule. The D459 branches off the D59 in the south of the commune and goes south-east to

Lanne-en-Barétous Lanne-en-Barétous (; oc, Lana de Varetons; eu, Landa) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 Communes of ...

Hydrography

The commune is located in the

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

of the Adour. The ''Joos'' river rises west of the commune and flows east across the commune then north, forming the eastern border of the commune, continuing north-east to eventually join the Gave d'Oloron at Préchacq-Josbaig. Many tributaries rise in the commune and flow east into the Joos including the ''Bouhatéko erreka'', the ''arréc of Etchanchu'', the ''Handia'', the ''Oyhanart erreka'', the ''arriou of Soulou'', the ''Sustaris erreka'', and the ''Ibarra'' stream (7 km long) with its tributaries, the ''Ruisseau Ibarra'' (4.4 km, which is joined in the commune by the ''Askontchilo erreka'' and the ''Athaketa'' stream) and the ''Lecheguita'' stream (also with its tributary the ''Ilharra'' stream). Paul Raymond mentioned another tributary of the Joos crossing Barcus called the ''Guibéléguiet'' with its tributary the ''Paradis''. Tributaries of the ''Lausset'', which also flows into the Gave d'Oloron, also pass through the commune such as the ''Ascania'' stream and the ''Ibarle'' stream with its tributary the ''Ambelseko erreka''. Finally the ''Ruisseau de Lacoste'', a sub-tributary of the arréc of Bitole also crosses the commune.

Places and Hamlets

There are a large number of places and hamlets in the commune: * Agaras * Agor (border) * Agorria * Aguerborda * Aguerret * Aistor * Alkkatia * Ahargo * Ainus * Alhorchar * Arambeaux * Aramburu * Aranéder * Arangaray * Arhanchet * Arthaxet * Artheguiet * Artzanüthürry * Askain * Askonobiet * Askoz * Askozborda * Athaket * Athakéta * Ayscar * Bagardikoborda * Baralegne (pass) * Barbieborda * Barbieko Eyhéra * Barcardats * Barcochbide * Barnetche * Barrenkia * Belloya * Beltchun * Beltzantzuburu * Berhaburu * Berho * Bermaillou * Betan * Beteria * Bidau * Bigne (pass) * Biscay * Bohogu * Bordabegoïty * Bordaburia * Bordacharia * Bordagay * Bordagoyhen * Bordetta * Burgia * Cabana * Cachau * Chiloua * Choko * Chourikoborro * Cocutchia * Cotabaren * Cotiart * Coyos * Coyosborda * La Croix Blanche * Curutchiga * Doronda * Duque * Eihartzéta * Elhar * Elhurdoy * Eperrape * Eperregagne * Erguillota * Errande * Errékartéa * Espel * Espelia * Estecondo * Etchahoun * Etchanchu * Etchandy * Etchartéa * Etchebarne * Etcheberriborda * Etcheberry (2 places) * Etchecopaberria * Etchegoren * Eyharche * Eyhartzet * Eyhea * Eyheregaray (2 places) * Eyhéramendy * Fabiania * Gagnéko Borda * Galharetborda * Garay * Garrat * Gastellondo * Gorostordoy * Gorrostibar * Goyheneix * Goyheski * Goyhetsia * Goytolia * Guibelhéguiet * Haritchast * Haritchelhar * Harritchilondo * Haubiga * Hégoburu * Héguiapal * Heguilla * Héguitchoussy * Ibar * Ibarrondo * Idiart * Ihitzaga * Ilharra * Itchal * Jacobia * Jaureguiberry * Lagune * Lapitz * Lapitzia * Larragorry * Larranda * Larrandabuia * Larrasquet * Larrorry * Laxague * Laxagueborda * Lecheguita (pass, 653 m) * Legegaray * Lépazka * Lescarpé * Logeborde * Lohidoy * Lohidoyborda * Lojaborda * Malobra * Maysonnave * Menusketa * Mercaptpide * Mercaptpide Borda * Mignaborda * Miranda * Mocho * Montokoaltéa * Muskogorry * Nissibart * Oholéguy * Oilher * Ondarzuhia * Ordanoulet * Ostallaborda * Oyhanart * Paradis * Pelento * Pellen * Perkain * Petchia * Petillon * Picochet * Pinka * Pordoy * Potho * Princi * Princiborda * Puchulu * Restoy * Sagardoyhégui * Salaber * Salazar * Salazarborda * Salhanka * Sapiula * Sardo * Saruborda * Seceneguiet * Sinto * Sorhotus * Suhatsola * Thias * Topet * Udoy * Uhalt * Uhaltborda * Uhart * Urrustoy * Urruty * Uthuère * Uthurralt * Uthurry * Zatzoury

Toponymy

The commune name in

is ''Barkoxe''. Jean-Baptiste Orpustan proposes a Basque etymological construction in two parts. The first element ''barr'' meaning "located inside, at the bottom" is joined to the element ''-koiz'' to approximate the Basque ''goiz'' meaning "morning or east". Barcus is located in a low valley to the east which justifies the Orpustan analysis. The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune. Barcus-chapelle

Sources: *

Raymond Raymond is a male given name. It was borrowed into English from French (older French spellings were Reimund and Raimund, whereas the modern English and French spellings are identical). It originated as the Germanic ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᛗᚢᚾᛞ ...

:''
''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 *Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,
''New Basque Toponymy''
ref name="Orpustan">Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,
''New Basque Toponymy''
Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2006, p. 204-205, * Bulletin des Lois: Origins: *Navarrenx: Notaries of NavarrenxNotaries of Navarrenx in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques *Oloron: Notaries of Oloron-Sainte-MarieNotaries of Oloron-Sainte-Marie in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques *Ohix:'' Contracts retained by Ohix, Notary of Soule *Customs: Customs of SouleCustoms of Soule in 1520, printed at Pau in 1760 *Luxe: Titles of Luxe *Guienne: Government General of Guienne and Guascogne and neighbouring country

History

Jean-Baptiste Orpustan noted that the commune was a former "royal town". Paul Raymond on page 21 of his 1863 dictionary noted that the commune had a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Soule. In 1790 Barcus was the capital of a Canton dependent on the District of Mauleon Licharre and made up of the communes of Barcus, L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise, and

Roquiague Roquiague (; eu, Arrokiaga)ARROKIAGA
Cassini Map and the same on the 1790 version.

Administration

List of Successive

Mayors In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

Inter-communality

The commune is part of five inter-communal structures: * the

Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque The communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque ( eu, Euskal Hirigune Elkargoa), is the ''communauté d'agglomération'', an Communes of France#Intercommunality, intercommunal structure, centred on the Communes of France, cities of Bayonne and Bia ...

; * the AEP association of Pays de Soule; * the sanitation association of Pays de Soule; * the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; * the inter-communal association to support Basque culture.

Demography

The ''Journal'' by Pierre Casalivetery, Notary at Mauléon, during 1460-1481 counted 26 fires at Barcus and 210 for the years 1540–1548, indicating a rapidly growing population. In 2017 the commune had 642 inhabitants.

Economy

Economic activity is mainly oriented towards agriculture (mixed farming and sheep farming). The commune is part of the

Appellation d'origine contrôlée An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical bo ...

(AOC) zone designation of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

*The Lamiñen ziloa ("Cave of laminak" in Basque). Laminak are small lutins in Basque mythology. *A treasure trove of Celtiberian currency (400-100 BC.) was discovered in 1879. Composed of 1,750 silver coins from different cities of Navarre and Aragon, the reason for their presence in Barcus remains controversial. *A gaztelu zaharA prehistoric fortified place stands at 440 metres above sea level in the Haitzhandia locality.

Religious heritage

*The Parish Church of the Ascension (

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

) is registered as an historical monument. It was largely rebuilt in the 19th century and restored in the 20th century. It contains a Bronze Bell (1689) that is registered as an historical object.

Cultural events

In 2009 Barcus organised a

Pastoral A pastoral lifestyle is that of shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasture. It lends its name to a genre of literature, art, and music ( pastorale) that de ...

, a Soule traditional show mixing theatre, dancing and singing. There is a Pastoral throughout winter until April on Sundays in other villages of Soule.

Notable people linked to the commune

*Léon Urthuburu, vice-consul for France in

Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

, originally from Barcus, he bequeathed Floreana Island in the

Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands ( es, Islas Galápagos) are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Eastern Pacific, located around the Equator west of the mainland of South America. They form the Galápagos Province of the Republic of Ecuador, with ...

to the commune in 1860. Despite his efforts Barcus never took possession.Philippe Veyrin, ''The Basques'', p. 76, Arthaud, 20 December 1975, *Pierre Topet, alias "Etxahun", born in Barcus (1786-1862), a Basque poet. *Jean Touan, born in 1817 at Barcus, was the founder of the

Café Tortoni The Café Tortoni is a coffeehouse located at 825 Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Inaugurated in 1858 by a French immigrant whose surname was Touan, it was named ''Tortoni'' after the Parisian café of the same name located on ''Boulev ...

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the Capital city, capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata ...

. The café was bequeathed to Célestin Curutchet in 1872, another native of Barcus. *

André Chilo André Chilo (5 July 1898 – 3 November 1982) was a French rugby union player and athlete who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Bordeaux and died in Barcus Barcus (; eu, Barkoxe) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atl ...

, French rugby player, born on 5 July 1898 at

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture ...

and died on 3 November 1982 at Barcus.