Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette

Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette (Altzai-Altzabeheti-Zunharreta) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Location
Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette is located in the former province of Soule. It is located some 35 km west by south-west of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and 10 km north of Larrau.

Access
The commune can be accessed by the small D247 road from the village to Tardets-Sorholus in the north-east. The D149 branches off this road in the commune and goes north to Camou-Cihigue. There is also the D117 road which goes west from the village to Mendive.

Hydrography
Located in the drainage basin of the Adour, most of the southern border of the commune is formed by the Alphoura river (18 km long) which also flows through the village and continues northeast to join the Saison near Alos-Sibas-Abense. The Alphoura is fed by many tributaries rising in the commune including the Azaléguy and Ardounc. The Escalérako erreka rises in the south and flows west with its many tributaries.

Paul Raymond mentioned the Arangaïxa, a brook that rises at Alçay and flows into the Alphoura.

Localities and hamlets

 * Aguer (Barn)
 * Albinzé (cayolar)
 * Alçabéhéty
 * Alçay
 * Ampo
 * Andoche (cayolar)
 * Arangaitz (Pass)
 * Arhansus (cayolar)
 * Arhex Borde
 * Atheis
 * Azaléguy
 * Azaléguiko Karbia (Cave)
 * Bagadoya
 * Bagazaguita (cayolar)
 * Bagothusta
 * Belhy
 * Berrayde
 * Bethalia
 * Bidalunia
 * Bordagagna
 * Borda Iribarneko
 * Bordapia
 * Burdin Olatzé (cayolar)
 * Burgance
 * Çaro
 * Chaldupia
 * Chuburu
 * Croix Garat (la)
 * Elichabeborda
 * Eltzegagnia (cayolar)
 * Erbinia
 * Espoulapia
 * Esquirassy (district)
 * Etcheberri Borda
 * Etcheverry
 * Etchecopar Borda
 * Eyhéraber
 * Ezpalako Larria
 * Goyheneix Borde
 * Gutux Borde
 * Habrague (cayolar)
 * Handia (Borda)
 * Haquits (Mill)
 * Harizmendy
 * Harristolatzia
 * Houretaborda
 * Ibarburia (Pass)
 * Ibarria
 * Illaberria
 * Inharchoury
 * Irriko Borda
 * Kamitchel
 * Kharalda
 * Lapistoy
 * Larramendia
 * Laxunia
 * Laze
 * Lechardoy
 * Lecharria (cayolar)
 * Lekayborda
 * Leziague (fountain)
 * Lomendi
 * Luchiloa
 * Lucu
 * Lutogagne
 * Maraizolatzé
 * Méthola
 * Miranda
 * Néquézaurborda
 * Ourdanberhartia
 * Oxapuria
 * Oxibar (Pass)
 * Pista Uthurria
 * Poyuko Borda
 * Sallaberriko borda
 * Sobieta (Grange)
 * Sunharette
 * Thipinka
 * Ursoy (cayolar)
 * Utzidoy
 * Uztarila (cayolar)
 * Uztubulia

Toponymy


The commune name in Basque is Altzai-Altzabeheti-Zunharreta.

According to Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, the base (h)altz meaning "aulne" was used for both the toponyms Alcay and Alçabéhéty. beheti means "at the bottom".

The name Sunharette comes from the Basque zunhar (Name from Soule meaning "elm" or "poplar") using the romanized locative suffix ette meaning the "place of elm".

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

Sources:
 * Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,  New Basque Toponymy
 * Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table.
 * Cassini1: Alçabéhéty on the Ldh/EHESS/Cassini database
 * Cassini2: Sunharette on the Ldh/EHESS/Cassini database

Origins:
 * Duchesne: Duchesne collection volume CXIV
 * Ohix: Contracts retained by Ohix, Notary of Soule
 * Chronicles: Chronicles of Arthez-Lassalle
 * Soule: Custom of Soule

History
In 1790 Sunharette was the chief town of a canton which was part of the District of Mauleon. The canton included the communes of Alçay-Alçabéhéty-Sunharette, Alos-Sibas-Abense, Camou-Cihigue, Etchebar, Lacarry-Arhan-Charritte-de-Haut, Lichans-Sunhar, and Ossas-Suhare.

In 1833, the three communes of Alçay, Alçabéhéty, and Sunharette merged to form a single joint commune.

Administration
List of Successive Mayors

Inter-communality
The town is part of seven intercommunal organisations:
 * the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque
 * the association to support Basque culture;
 * the SIVOM of the canton of Tardets;
 * the intercommunal association of the gaves d'Oloron and Mauléon
 * the SIVU for Tourism in Haute-Soule and Barétous;
 * the AEP association for Soule Country
 * the association for remediation of Soule Country

Economy
Activity is mainly focused on agriculture (livestock and pasture). The town is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-Iraty cheese.

Civil heritage
The commune has two sites that are registered as historical monuments:
 * The Seven Ibarnaba Tumuli in the Esquirassy district
 * The Ten Ibarletta Tumuli in the Esquirassy district


 * Other sites of interest
 * The Gaztelu zahar (Basque meaning "fortified place") of Maide korralea meaning "the enclosure of Maide" is attributed to Maidé, mythological beings incorporating some of the traits of Jentils and Laminak.

Religious Heritage

 * The Romanesque Parish Church of Saint-Pierre (Middle Ages) is registered as an historical monument. The church contains a Processional Cross (16th century) which is registered as an historical object.

Environmental heritage

 * The Belhygagne peaks (also called the peak of Vultures) and Gaztelia are the highest points in the commune at, respectively, 1,072 and 1,345 metres high.