Aldudes (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aldulais or Aldudar.
Geography
Location
The village Aldudes is part of Le Pays Quint (Kintoa in Basque or Quinto Real in Spanish). The commune is an area of pasture belonging to Spain but cultivated by French farmers.
It is located in the Aldudes valley on the banks of the Nive des Aldudes in the Basque province of Lower Navarre. It is on the Spanish border some 20 km southwest of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port although it can not be directly accessed from there.
Access
Access is by the D948 road from Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry in the north, which passes through the village then continues south to Urepel. The D58 road goes from the village through the length of the commune before continuing to Spain through Urepel commune. The Spanish border of Navarre forms the southwestern and northeastern borders of the commune.
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 the Autrin, a stream which rises in Aldudes and joins the Nive des Aldudes.
Localities and hamlets
Abanjo
Abrakou
Achtieta
Aguerréa
Ahadilépo
Alachontro
Alamontcho
Alasta
Alastagaraya
Ametzlépo
Antonénéa
Aranbelea
Arrokia
Asketa
Atabala
Aucho
Autrin
Auzkia
Barbachuri
Baztanchuria
Behorsubuztan
Berha
Bidartea
Chabadinénéa
Chalosa
Chekalebeherea
Chekalegaraya
Chiloénéa
Chotro
Chotroenborda
Domingoénéa
Egnauténéa
Elgartéa
Elhocady
Elichaga
Erremedio
Errienta
Esnazu (or Eznazu, or Esnaratsu on the Cassini Map) Etcheberria Etchemendia Ferranjagaraya Hachketa Haritzchilo Harribeltzia Iguxkagerrea (or Iguchkaguerrea) Joanessénéa Joangnakei Koche Koskartéa Koskarteko Borda Koskorziloa Landart Lechaka Lekuederra (or Lekuederrea) Col de Lepeder Luichénéa Mahatcheta Makurea Manechuna Marquitchaénéa Martinénéa Mate Meharroztegui (Pass, 738m)) Menementa Miguelartzaina Miguelénéa Munichta Munichtagaraya Murruoin Nobléa Oliopitchar Otsachar Ohhanburua Otsanhaitz Oyhanzelhaya Paratzelhaï Patchiko Pilaria Pocomotzénéa Poko Le Pont Romain Predotinéa Premundoa Pritchia Sabina Salaria Sallaberria Sarahandia Sarahandiko Ithurria Sarkindéa Semeder Soldadoénéa Ttattola Turrieta Uhaldéa Urrichka Zelhaybeguia
Toponymy
The name of the commune in Basque is Aldude. Aldudes was also the name given to the entire valley bordering the Baigorry Valley and the Spanish border.
Jean-Baptiste Orpustan proposes the construction ald(a)-uhide meaning "the path beside the water". According to Ernest Nègre however, the name Aldudes is a contraction of the basque Aldubide meaning "way to the summits" from the root aldu meaning "heights" and bide meaning "way". 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
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).