Abère


Abère is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Geography

Location

Abère is located some 22 km northeast of Pau and some 9 km northeast of Morlaas. The D7 road heading east from Saint-Jammes passes through the southern portion of the commune and continues to Baleix. Access to the village is by the Chemin de Lapoutge going north from the D7 for about 6 km. The Highway D207 coming south from Simacourbe forms the eastern boundary of the commune. The commune is mostly farmland with forests in the north and east

Hydrography

Located in the watershed of the Adour, the Grand Léez river forms the western border of the commune, with the Arriutort joining it at the northern tip of the commune and forming the northeastern border of the commune.

Localities and hamlets

  • Bartot
  • Berducq
  • Bordenave
  • Briscoulet
  • Courde
  • Crouquet
  • Hourcade
  • Labat
  • Larré
  • Piarrette
  • Salabert
  • La Teulère

Toponymy

The name Abère was mentioned in the tenth century and appeared in the forms:
Michel Grosclaude proposed a Latin etymology of abellana or abella, derived from the Béarnais abera, which means "hazelnut" and by extension "the hazel copse"
The commune's name in Béarnais is Avera.

History

Paul Raymond noted that in 1385, there were 8 fires in Abère and that it depended on the bailiwick of Pau. A barony was created in 1672, a vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn. The commune was part of the Archdiocese of Vic-Bihl, which in turn depended on the Diocese of Lescar of which Lembeye was the capital.
Its Lay Abbey, the house of Bosom d'Abadie is mentioned in 1385.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors of Abère
FromToName
19952008Jean-Pierre Lortet
20082014Claude Conte-Hourticq
2014CurrentMyriam Cuillet

Intercommunality

Abère is a member of three inter-communal organisations:

Culture and Heritage

Civil heritage

Several structures are listed as historical monuments in the commune. These are:
  • Tile factory at la Teulère
  • Former Lay Abbey: the Bosom d'Abadie
  • Town Hall
  • Chateau of Bordenave d'Abère
  • Menyucq House farm
  • Houses and Farms

Religious Heritage