Ainharp

Ainharp (Ainharbe) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Location
Ainharp is located some 50 km west by southwest of Pau, 15 km southeast of Saint-Palais, and 10 km north-west of Mauleon-Licharre. It is part of the former province of Soule.

Access
The commune can be accessed by road D242 from Lohitzun-Oyhercq in the west passing through the village and continuing southeast to Mauleon-Licharre. The D344 road also goes to the north from the village through the commune then east to Espes-Undurein. The commune terrain is undulating of mixed farmland and forest.

Hydrography
Located in the drainage basin of the Adour, the commune is the source of numerous streams including the Lagardoye which forms part of the south-eastern border, the Quihilleri which forms much of the western border, and the Lafaure which forms much of the northern border.

Localities and hamlets

 * Agueberria
 * Agueberriborda
 * Aisaguerpia
 * Aranco
 * Armagnague
 * Arranchiaga
 * Barrechia
 * Bente
 * Bidartia
 * Bidegainia
 * Bolondo
 * Bordagaya
 * Bordalecu
 * Cabanna
 * Cacoa
 * Carricaburu
 * Carricabuya
 * Carricart
 * Chorho
 * Elhorria
 * Elhorriberry
 * Erreguenia
 * Estecachoury
 * Etchebarnia
 * Etchebestemborda
 * Etchecopar
 * Garay
 * Habiague
 * Intsauspia
 * Jaigüberria
 * Larria
 * Leiciagueçahar
 * Lohitzun
 * Mercapidia
 * Oyhemburia
 * Oyhenart
 * Palasiona
 * Pekeix
 * Sallaberria
 * Urruty
 * Uthuriet

Toponymy
The commune name in Basque is Ainharbe. Jean-Baptiste Orpustan proposed two etymological interpretations:
 * a meaning of "low heather" from ilharr meaning "heather" and -be (from behere meaning "low") or
 * "height of the low rocks" from gain meaning "high" and har meaning "rock" that indicates the high position of the village on the left bank of the Saison.

The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.

Sources:
 * Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table.
 * Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,  New Basque Toponymy

Origins:
 * Notaries: Notaries of Labastide-Villefranche
 * Ohix:Contracts retained by Ohix, Notary of Soule
 * Insinuations: Insinuations of the Diocese of Oloron
 * Reformation: Reformation of Béarn

History
Paul Raymond noted on page 4 of his 1863 dictionary that the commune was a former priory in the diocese of Oloron and that there was a hospital for pilgrims.

Administration
List of Successive Mayors of Ainharp


 * Mayors from 1929

Inter-communality
Ainharp is a member of seven intercommunal structures:
 * the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque
 * the association to support Basque culture
 * the intercommunal association of the Valley
 * the intercommunal association for the construction and operation of the CES of Mauleon
 * the AEP association for Soule Country
 * the remediation association for Soule Country
 * the energy association of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Population
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ainharbars or Ainharbear.

Economy
The activity is mainly agricultural (maize and livestock). The town is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty.

Religious Heritage
The commune has a church which dates back to the 11th century and a Calvary-Bell Tower from the 17th century. Its cemetery features Hilarri dating from the time of the bell tower. The village is located on a secondary road of the pilgrimage to Saint Jacques de Compostela which passes on the highway to Ports de Cize, the priory of Saint-Palais to Saint-Michel-le-Vieux which had a hospice for pilgrims called Benta then to L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise, Osserain, Pagolle, Roquiague, Haux, Larrau, and Ordiarp.

Facilities
The commune has a primary school.