Aydius (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
Geography
Aydius is located some 25 km south by south-east of Oloron-Sainte-Marie just east of Bedous. Access to the commune is by the D237 road from Bedous which goes to the village and terminates there. The commune is alpine in nature with extensive forests, rugged terrain and snow-capped mountains in the east.
The Gabarret river rises in the east of the commune and flows west gathering a large number of tributaries including the Ruisseau d'Arces, the Ruisseau du Saslars, the Gave de Béranfueil, the Gave de Bouren, the Ruisseau d'Ilhiec, the Ruisseau Sarité, the Ruisseau de Traillère, and the Ruisseau de Sahun (which forms part of the western border of the commune) before flowing west to join the Gave d'Aspe at Bedous.
Places and hamlets
Anire
L'Ardoisière
Arès (barn) Arques (forest) Las Arretortes (Cap de) Les Arrouyes Baich (Rangole de) Barca Barrada Bat (barn) Bat (bridge) Bérangueil Bérie (bank) Bérouste (Serrot de) Bésur (cabin) Bouren Cachiquet (cabin) Calhabets (Pas de) Capdarest Capdevielle Capouret Carn de Haut (bank) Casaubon Les Catiasses (forest) Chechit Core de Cam Cot de Picars (alley) La Courade (Col de) Courdé Courrège Longue Cret Arrouy (Cap de) Escarrebirats (Pas d') Escourau (bank) Escut (forest) Guérègne Haut (Rangole de) Hourquet Roes (cabin) Les Ichantes Ichantes (forest) Illes (bank) Le Labay Lacazette Lacazotte Laresse Lartigalot Latoussé (Pènes des) Lespy Luc (barn) Manautton Mariebère (forest) Mirande Mousquaté (forest) Mousté (Col de) Pée Nouqué (ruins) Pouey La Poueye (Hosse de) Salaneuve (ruins) Les Salars Sarrelangue Sartiat (forest) Sézy (barn) Soumaous (Hosse de) Tousset l'Usclat (forest)
Neighbouring communes and villages
Toponymy
The commune name in Gascon is Aidius. Michel Grosclaude said that the name probably comes from the same root as Aydie but its origin and meaning remain obscure.
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
Sources:
Grosclaude: Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, 2006
Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750
Origins: Census: Census of Béarn
History
A rock shelter dating from prehistory called Abri Gandon-Lassus has been discovered in the commune.
Paul Raymond noted on page 18 of his 1863 dictionary that the commune had a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn and that in 1385 there were 30 fires and Aydius depended on the bailiwick of Aspe.
Administration
List of Successive Mayors
Inter-communality
The commune is part of four inter-communal structures: the Communauté de communes du Haut Béarn; the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; the inter-communal association for aid to education in the Vallée d'Aspe; the joint association for Haut-Béarn.
Demography
In 2017 the commune had 114 inhabitants.
Economy
The economy of the commune is mainly focused towards agriculture and livestock. The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty.
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage
The commune has many sites that are registered as historical monuments: The Maison Guiraudé (1891) The Maison Pualet (16th century) The Maison Hontas (18th century) The Abri Gandon-Lassus Prehistoric Cave (Prehistory) The Maison Ichante (1807) The Maison Casaubon (18th century)
Religious heritage
The Parish Church of Saint Martin (14th century) is registered as an historical monument.
Environmental heritage
Aydie contains a number of high mountains: The Sommet de Tachat (1,408 metres), The Sommet de Talabot (1,591 metres), The Sommet de Pétraube (1,606 metres, The Sommet de Houndarete (1,695 metres), The Soum de la Mousquère (1,778 metres, The Turon de la Goaita (1,805 metres, The Lousquette de Barca (1,870 metres, The Pic de Lariou (1,903 metres, and The Mailh Bassibe (1,973 metres.