Lavedan Henri-001

The Lavedan (; in Gascon eth/lo Lavedan, /et/lu laβedã/), or occasionally vallées des Gaves, denotes a mountainous natural region of France, located at the heart of the Pyrénées, and forms a group of valleys upstream of Lourdes.

The Lavedan is historically part of the Gascony province and of the county of Bigorre. Today, it is situated in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region.

Etymology

The name "Lavedan" is documented under ancient forms: ''in pago Lavetanense'' (v. 860),Livre vert de Bénac. ''Levitanensis vicecomes'' (v. 980), ''vicecomites Levitanicæ vallis'' (v. 1060), ''Ramundus de Levitania'' (1095), ''homines Baredgie et Levitani'' (v. 1110), ''A. de Laueda'' (1114), ''Aramon Garsie de Lavedan'' (1283), ''terram de Lavedaa'' (1285).

Il is made up of the Latin ''-etan, -itan'' suffix, typically present in names of iberian peoples. Le radical est Lau- / Leu-.

Geography

Topography

The Lavedan is made up of 7 valleys, which in the past formed relatively self-sufficient and autonomous entities (they were named under ''vath'', ''arribèra'' « valley » ou d'''estrem'' « excentred valley ») :

;La Vath Surguèra (prononcé 'Bat surguère') : A small valley on the left bank at the entrance of the Lavedan which groups the towns of Ségus, Aspin-en-Lavedan, Ossen, Omex, Viger.

;L'estrem de Castèth-lobon (pronounced 'Casteth Loubou') or Castelloubon : which corresponds to the Néez basin, located on Cheust and Ourdis-Cotdoussan (the name comes from ''Castellum Lupi'' "''Wolf'' castle", founded by the first count of the Lavedan, ''Mansion Loup'' of the '' Loup dynastyDukes of Gascony
/ref>'' from which dukes of Gascony and counts of Bigorre were born, at the beginning of the 10th century, the viscounts' residence until the beginning of the 11th century, it comprises the towns of Juncalas, Geu, Ger, Lugagnan, Saint-Créac (which today includes Antalos and Justous), Ousté, Berbérust-Lias, Ourdis-Cotdoussan, Germs-sur-l'Oussouet, Cheust, Gazost, Ourdon.

;L'estrem de Sala ou Estrèm de Salles : Argelès (formerly ''Ourout'' and ''Vieuzac'', which became Argelès-Gazost in 1897), Ayzac-Ost, Agos-Vidalos, Ouzous, Salles, Sère-en-Lavedan, Gez.

;The val d'Azun : constituted of the Arren and Estaing valleys as well as the Bergons and the right bank of the high valley of l' Ouzoum, comprises the villages of Arrens, Marsous, Aucun, Gaillagos, Arcizans-Dessus, Arras-en-Lavedan, Sireix, Bun, Estaing, Arbéost, Ferrières (including Hougarou).

;Le Davant-Aiga (pronounces Dabant-Aygues = ''East of the waters'') : It correspond to the eastern bank of the gave du Lavedan and includes the towns of Préchac, Boô-Silhen (including Asmets), Saint-Pastous (including ''Senta-Maria''), Ayros-Arbouix, Vier-Bordes, Artalens-Souin, Beaucens, Villelongue (including Ortiac).

;L'arribèra de Sent Savin ou Rivière de Saint-Savin : Saint-Savin, Lau-Balagnas, Adast, Pierrefitte-Nestalas, Soulom, Uz, Cauterets, Arcizans-Avant.

;The Barèja valley (French 'Barège') named « Pays Toy » : Luz-Saint-Sauveur, Sassis, Sazos, Grust, Saligos