Accous

Accous is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Geography

Location

Accous is located some 30 km south of Oloron-Sainte-Marie in the Aspe Valley, one of the three valleys of the High-Béarn, the other valleys being the Ossau Valley in the east and Barétous valley in the west. From the Spanish border on its southern edge, it stretches along Le Labadie river to the point where it joins the Gave d'Aspe. From this river junction, the Gave d'Aspe forms the western border of the rest of the commune which extends a further 10 kilometres to the east with the Lac du Montagnon at the northeastern edge.Google Maps
/ref>

Access

The commune is accessed from the north by the E7 motorway. This highway follows the western border of the commune along the Gave d'Aspe then crosses the narrow neck of the commune before continuing to the Spanish border near Candanchu. To access Accous village it is necessary to follow one of a number of country roads - the Daban Athas road probably being the most direct. Apart from country roads within the commune there is no other road access.

Hydrography

The commune is traversed by some tributaries of the Gave d'Oloron, the Besse stream and the Gave d'Aspe, as well as tributaries of the latter such as the Gave Lescun (itself joined in the commune by the Labadie creek) and the Berthe (Accous is fed by the torrent of Araille).

The Cotcharas stream and its tributary, the Congaets stream also flow in the territory of Accous, as tributaries of the Gave d'Aydius, the Gave de Bouren and the Sahun stream.

Relief

Accous is dominated by the Poey, a conical hill covered with ferns, culminating at 652 m.
The Poey is of volcanic origin and is made of ophites.
These green and harsh volcanic rocks from the Triassic belong to dolerites. They have resisted the erosion of glaciers and torrential rivers.
This is the reason why the Poey of Accous markedly emerges from the plain.

Localities and hamlets

* Borde Apiou
* Appatie
* Arapoup (Bois d')
* Aulet north
* Aumet
* Balet
* Castet de Bergout
* Borde Boudrux
* Bouhaben
* Cabane de Cambou
* Campagnet
* Camy
* Camy Lapassatet
* Candarrameigt
* Casala
* Borde de Casteigbou
* Borde Castillou
* Chapelet
* Borde de Couyepetrou
* Cabanes de la Cuarde
* Colonne Despourins
* Embielle
* l’Estanguet
* Fontaine de l’Espugna
* Gouaillard
* Guiraute
* Jouers
* Borde Laborde
* Labourdette
* Lagahe
* Lalheve
* Cabane du Lapassa
* Borde Laplacette
* Borde Larraux
* Borde Larré
* Lauda
* Lhers
* Lourtica (Col de)
* Borde Lousteau
* Borde Maria
* Mariet
* Moulia Jean-Baptiste
* Borde Mirassou
* Nouque
* la Palue
* Pelet
* Cabane de Pourcibo
* Borde de Soudious
* Borde Soule
* Borde Souperbie
* Cabanes de Souperret
* Borde Suza

Géoportail
IGN

Neighbouring communes

Toponymy

The name ''Accous'' appears in the following forms:
*''Aspa Luca'' (appeared in the Antonine Itinerary)''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011, p. 2
*''Achoss'' and ''Achost'' (1154,Michel Grosclaude, ''Toponymical Dictionary of Communes, Béarn'', Ed. Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, , page 36 Jean-Louis Vignau''Archaeological Promenade in the Aspe Valley'' )
*''Acos'' (1247, Fors of Aspe)
*''Aquos d'Aspe'' (1376 Béarnais military inspectionManuscript from 1376 - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques )
*''Aquos'' (1385, Census of BéarnManuscript of the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques )
*''Abadie de Cos'' (1538, Reformation of BéarnManuscript of the 16th to 18th centuries - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques )
*''Sanctus Martinus de Acous'' (1608, Insinuations of the Diocese of OloronManuscripts of the 17th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques )
*''Acous'' (1750 on the Cassini MapCassini Map 1750 - Accous
/ref> and 1801 Bulletin des lois).

The name of the commune in Gascon is ''Acós''.

Brigitte Jobbé-Duval hypothesises that ''Accous'' originated from ''Acca'' or ''Acco'', a woman's name mentioned in the inscriptions of Spain.

The name ''Appatie'' (cf. Basque ''Aphatea'') came from the Lay Abbey of Jouers through corruption of the word ''Abbadie'' (''Abadie'' in standard Gascon). Note that in the Aspe Valley the voiceless consonants of Latin are preserved. This fief was a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 7

''Le Bois d'Arapoup'' is attested in 1863 in the Topographical Dictionary.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 8

''Aület'' is mentioned in the form ''Aulet'' in 1863 by the Topographical Dictionary.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 17

''Lhers'' is also cited in the dictionary.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 101

The name ''La Berthe'', a tributary of the Gave d'Aspe, is cited in the dictionary of 1863.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 29

''Despourrins'' (The Hill of) is also mentioned in 1863 in the Topographical Dictionary as a name taken from the poet Cyprien Despourrins who was buried there.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 55

''Izaure'' was a farm mentioned by Paul Raymond with the spellings:''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 84
*''Usaure'' (1376, Béarnais military inspection F. 76),
*''Ixaure'', ''Isaurs'', and ''Isaure'' (1385, Census of Béarn F. 73).

''Jouers'' /ju''è''rs/ was formerly ''Joertz'' (1345,''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 85 Homages of Béarn), probably a metathesis of a Basque word ''Oïhartz'' a derivative of ''Oihan'' meaning 'forest'. It is found in the spelling ''Joers'' (1345) then ''Jouers'' (in 1712), and again ''Joers'' (1863).

The Col de ''Lourtica'' is the name of a hill between the communes of Accous and Aydius.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 104

''Saint-Christau'' was a chapel, mentioned by the dictionary of 1863.''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 146

''Tillabé'' was a place in Accous reported by the dictionary in 1863 and also mentioned in the 18th century 2 in the form ''Le Tillaber'' (record of the proceedings of Accous). Paul Raymond said that Tillabé "was the place of meeting of the aldermen of the Aspe valley".''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
p. 167

History

Paul Raymond noted that the commune had a Lay Abbey, a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn. In 1385, there were 74 " fires". Accous was the capital of the Aspe valley.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors of Accous

Inter-communality

The town is part of five inter-communal organisations:
*the community of communes of Haut Béarn
*the Energy union in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques
*the Television union of Oloron - Aspe Valley
*the inter-communal union to aid education in the Aspe Valley
*the joint union of Upper-Béarn.

Twinning

Accous has twinning associations with:
* Valle de Hecho (Spain) since 1978.

Population

Economy

The economy of the town is primarily oriented toward agriculture and animal husbandry. The cheese-making farms are also one of the resources of the commune, which is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone designation of Ossau-Iraty cheese.

The Toyal plant (a subsidiary of Toyo Aluminium, which produces aluminum powders and pigments, and anti-corrosive coatings), located at the edge of the commune, provides income to Accous through business tax, making of it the richest communes in the valley. This activity has created hundreds of jobs in the valley.

The median net disposible income per household was €19,610 in 2017, which is lower than the figure for the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department (€21,250).

Sights

Accous has a number of old houses and farms registered as historical monuments. These are:
*House at Rue de Baix (16th century)
*House 1 at Rue de Haut (17th century)
*House 2 at Rue de Haut (17th century)
*House at Rue Madrih (18th century)

The Accous railway station on the Pau to Canfranc line has been closed to traffic since 1970.

The eco-museum of the Aspe valley is located in an old cheese factory. The manufacturing techniques of making mountain cheese and local culinary traditions are highlighted in the displays.

Several churches in the commune have been listed as historical monuments. These are:
*Chapel of Saint-Saturnin (12th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
*Parish Church of Saint-Martin (1358) The church contains two historical objects. These are:
**4 Candlesticks (18th century)
**Retable and Statuettes on the main Altar (18th century)
*Chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste at Lhers (1707)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
*Chapel of Saint-Christophe at Aület was built at the end of the 18th century, rebuilt at the end of the 19th century, then restored in the 20th century.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

Gallery

;Church of Saint Martin

File:Accous (Pyr-Atl, Fr), église vue du cimetière.JPG, View of the Cemetery and Church of Saint-Martin
File:GleisaAcos.jpg, Facade of the Church of Saint-Martin
File:Accous (Pyr-Atl, Fr) vitrail 1.JPG, One of the Windows of the Church of Saint-Martin
File:Accous (Pyr-Atl, Fr) statue Saint Christophe.JPG, St. Cristopher statue at the Church of Saint-Martin

;The chapel of Saint-Saturnin at Jouers

File:Jouers (Accous, Pyr-Atl, Fr) chapelle Saint-Saturnin, vue latérale.JPG, Side View
File:Jouers (Accous, Pyr-Atl, Fr) chapelle Saint-Saturnin coté chevet.JPG, Street view
File:Jouers (Accous, Pyr-Atl, Fr) chapelle Saint-Saturnin, clocher et cadran solaire.JPG, Clock tower and sundial
File:Jouers (Accous, Pyr-Atl, Fr) porte de cimetière avec coquilles St.Jacques.JPG, Cemetery gate with scallop shells

The Chapel of Saint-Christau at Aület was rebuilt in the 17th century near three miraculous fountains. Only the first remains, on the east side, consisting of a medieval stone basin and cover. Bathing there permits the casting away of evil spells and to cure fevers, sciatica and epilepsy. It has been renovated.

There is also an Abbey of the order of Norbertine in Accous.

Accous is on the route of the "via Tolosane": Latin name of one of the four trails in France for pilgrimage to St-Jacques-de-Compostolla. The via Tolosane starts in Arles via Toulouse (hence the name) to the Spanish border at Col du Somport.

Environmental heritage

Some peaks in the commune are:
*Isabe peak 2463 m
*Permayou peak: 2344 m
*Mardas 2188 m
*Montagne de Isaye 2173 m
*Montagne de Liard 2169 m
*Bergon peak: 2148 m
*Montagne de Ponce 2028 m

Facilities

Education

The town has a primary school, the ''école du bourg''.

Sport and sports structures

Accous is a famous spot for paragliding in the Pyrenees. There are two paragliding schools in the commune:
*Ascendance and
*Air attitude

Accommodations

Accous also has communal lodgings.Aspe Valley tourism website

Notable People linked to the common

*Cyprien Despourrins was born and died in Accous (1698-1759). He was a Béarnais poet using the Occitan language and author of famous and iconic songs of Béarn.
*Bernard Lacoarret (early 18th century), a native of Accous, a lawyer at the Parliament of Navarre.
*Henri Lillaz, born in 1881 in Sainte-Colombe-lès-Vienne and died in 1949 in Paris. He was a politician and general counsel for Accous from 1919 to 1937
* Bertrand Lacaste (1897–1994), was born and died in Accous. He was Bishop of Oran from 1946 to 1972.

Other pictures

File:Accous-street-4.JPG, The Pyrenees from Accous town
File:Accous-ObeliscDesporrins.jpg, The Obelisk for Cyprien Despourrins

See also

* Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department

External links

Accous on Géoportail
National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
''Acous'' on the 1750 Cassini Map

References

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Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiques