Baleix is a Communes of France, commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departments of France, department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Baleichois'' or ''Baleichoises''.

Geography

Baleix is located in the Montanérès overlooking the Lées Valley some 26 km north-east of Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Pau and 10 km south of Lembeye. Access to the commune is by the D7 road from Saint-Jammes in the west which passes through the length of the commune and the village and continues east to Casteide-Doat. The D145 comes from Lespourcy in the south-west and passes through the village to continue north to Anoye. Apart from the village there is also the hamlet of ''Tisné'' north-east of the village. The commune is mostly farmland with a few scattered small forests.Google Maps
/ref> The Lées flows through the east of the commune from the south and continues north to join the Adour near Aire-sur-l'Adour. The ''Petit Lées'' comes from the south and flows north-east through the commune to join the Lées.

Places and hamlets

* Balespouey * Baradat * Berbouly * Capcazaux * Capsus (land) * Castille * La Caussade * Clos * Dujardin * Guilhas * Hourpelat * Jeandavid * Jouanolou * La Moulère * Noau * Pucheu * Puyo * Sarthou * Tisné * Trémoulets * Vignau

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

Michel Grosclaude said that etymologically the name comes from the Gascon language, Gascon ''Balèch'' meaning "plateau". The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune. Sources: *Paul Raymond (archivist), Raymond:''
''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 (archivist), Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011 *Grosclaude: ''Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn'', 2006 Michel Grosclaude, ''Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn'', Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, *Cassini: French cartography#Cassini maps, Cassini Map from 1750Cassini Map 1750 – Baleix
/ref> Origins: *Lescar: Cartulary of LescarCartulary of the Bishop of Lescar, published in the proofs of the ''History of Béarn'' by Pierre de Marca *Marca: Pierre de Marca, ''History of Béarn''.Pierre de Marca,
Histoire de Bearn
', La Veuve Jean Camusat, 1640, 850 pages *Fors de BéarnManuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques *Census: Census of Béarn *Terrier: The Terrier of Baleix.Manuscript from the 18th century in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques

History

Paul Raymond (archivist), Paul Raymond noted on page 20 of his 1863 dictionary that in 1385 there were 22 feu fiscal, fires and it depended on the bailiwick of Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Pau. Baleix fief was subject to the Viscounts of Béarn. The commune has long been occupied as evidenced by the discovery of a fortified camp surrounded by a moat with visible remains of earthworks. During the medieval period the commune was a member of the Commandery of the Order of Malta of Arthez-de-Béarn, Caubin and Morlaàs.

Administration

List of Successive Mayor (France), Mayors

Inter-communality

The commune is part of four inter-communal structures: * the Communauté de communes du Nord-Est Béarn; * the SIVOM of the Canton of Montaner; * the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; * the inter-communal association for the supply of drinking water Luy-Gabas-Lees;

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 143 inhabitants.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments: *A Farmhouse at Sarthou (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée *A House at Jean David (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée *A House at Castille (1623)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée *The Bourdallé House (18th century) *The Coulomé Farmhouse (1789) *The Bélengou House (18th century) *The Arnautou House at Clos (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée *Houses and Farms (17th-19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

Religious heritage

*The Parish Church of Saint-Martin (12th century) is registered as an historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Church contains a very large number of items that are registered as historical objects.

References

External links

''Baleix'' on the 1750 Cassini Map
{{authority control Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiques