Alos-Sibas-Abense


Alos-Sibas-Abense is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
It is located in the former province of Soule.
WWW alos-sibas-abense.com

Geography

Alos-Sibas-Abense is located some 90 km south-east of Bayonne and 80m km west of Lourdes. The D918 road runs down the eastern border of the commune, but does not enter. Access to the commune is on road D247 from Alcay-Alcabehety-Sunharette in the southwest which runs through the heart of the commune to the village. It then continues to the southeast linking with the D918 at Tardets-Sorholus. Most of the commune is farmland with some forest and it has a network of country roads covering most of the commune.

Hydrography

Located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, the Saison river passes along and forms the eastern border of the commune parallel with the D918 road. The Aphoura stream, which is fed by the Ardounc, the Batasse, the Laritolle, the Jaga, and the Uthurrotche erreka, flows near the village and to the Saisson.

Places and hamlets

  • Abense
  • Althondo
  • Ansola
  • Barnech
  • Basterrèche
  • Basterreix
  • Belle-Sise
  • Canderats
  • Choy-Cantaguia
  • Curutchet
  • Domec
  • Eskiéta
  • Etchandy
  • Eyhéra
  • Hastoy
  • Mendiondoa
  • Mendisquer
  • Ohix
  • La Papeterie
  • Péko Urupéa
  • Quihillaborda
  • La Salle
  • Samalgagna
  • Sibas
  • Uhalte-Borde

Toponymy

The commune name in Basque is Aloze-Ziboze-Onizegaine.
The Basque form of Sibas can be Ziboz or Ziborotz.
Jean-Baptiste Orpustan suggested that Abense came from a Roman phonetic change to the Basque Oniz > onise > oénse > auénse > abense. The base of the name is the oronym ona, also present in Bayonne and Oneix. The modern Basque form are equivalent to "Upper".
Brigitte Jobbé-Duval suggests that Oniz is the name of a noble Basque family.
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
NameSpellingDateSourcePageOriginDescription
AlosAlos1327Orpustan190Village
Alos1338Orpustan190
Alos1375Raymond5Luntz
Alos in terra de Soule1405Raymond5Gascon roles
Alos in terra de Sole1405Orpustan190
Alos1690Orpustan190
Alos1750Cassini
SibasSivas1178Raymond161DuchesneVillage
Sivas1327Orpustan191
Sent-Martin de Silvez1520Raymond161Soule
Sibas1690Orpustan191
Sivas1690Orpustan191
Sibas1750Cassini
AbenseEvense1337Orpustan189Village
Abense prope Tardetz1385Raymond2Duchesne
Avense pres tardets1520Orpustan189
prop Tardetz Avense1690Orpustan189
Abense de Haut1750Cassini
Abense de Haut1793EHESS
Abeuze1801EHESSBulletin des lois
Abense-de-Haut1863Raymond1
DomecDomec1385Raymond55DuchesneFief, depended on the Viscounts of Soule and its title counted as one of the ten potestats of Soule
MendisquerMenrisqueta1385Raymond111DuchesneFief, vassal of the Viscounts of Soule
La SalleLa Sale de Sibas1455Raymond153DuchesneFief, vassal of the Viscounts of Soule

Sources:
  • Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,
  • Raymond:, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table.
  • Cassini:
  • EHESS:
Origins:
  • Luntz:
  • Soule: Customs of Soule
  • Duchesne: Duchesne collection volume CXIV

History

Sibas merged with Alos on 23 October 1843 to form Alos-Sibas. On 16 April 1859, following the annexation of part of the territory of Abense-de-Haut, the commune took the name of Alos-Sibas-Abense.
On the same day the commune of Abense-de-Haut disappeared, its territory being divided between Alos-Sibas and Tardets.

Administration

'''Lists of Successive Mayors of Alos-Sibas-Abense'''

Until 1843

;Alos
FromToNamePartyPosition
17961798Alexis Carriquert
17981799Pierre Queheille
17991824Jean Bastereche
18241836Jean d'Arthex
18361845Arnaud Sallabert

;Sibas
FromToNamePartyPosition
17951798Jean Carrique
17981808Philippe Etchart
18081813Jean Harritchague
18131825Jean Carrique
18251832Jean-Pierre d'Arthez-Lassalle
18321845Dominique Erbin called Etchecopar

;Abense-de-Haut
FromToNamePartyPosition
17931795André Etchart
17951806Jean Althabegoity called Oliberou
18061810Arnaud Irigonegaray
18101816Jean-Baptiste Detchandy
18161824Casimir Etchebarne
18241848Jean-Baptiste Detchandy

Until 1859

;Alos-Sibas
FromToNamePartyPosition
18451847Arnaud Sallabert
18471859Jules Basterreche

;Abense-de-Haut
FromToNamePartyPosition
18481848André Etchart
18481852Jean Etchecopar dit Etchahoun
18521859Laurent Maytie

After 1859

;Alos-Sibas-Abense
FromToNamePartyPosition
18591871Jules Basterreche
18711875Arnaud André d'Arthez Lassale
18751881Jules Basterreche
18811888Pierre Arainty
18881896Pierre Arrospidegaray
18961900Jean-Pierre Mendicouague
19001904Arnaud Ibar
19041912Arnaud Cocosteguy
19121916Bernard Larragneguy
19161918Bernard Mondot
19181919Bernard Larragneguy
19191929Jean Iriart
19291939Pierre Marmissole
19391940Joseph Etchart
19401951Pierre Marmissole
19511953Bernard Aguer
19531971Général Pierre Montjean
19711983Pierre Luchillo
19832001Pierre-Clémént Iratçabal
20012008Anne-Marie Etcheberry
20082014Jean-Pierre Iriart

Intercommunality

The town is part of six intercommunal structures:

Demography

The population data given in the table and graph below for 1836 and earlier refer to the former commune of Alos, and for 1841-1851 to the former commune of Alos-Sibas. The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aloztar-Ziboztar-Oniztar.

Economy

Economic activity is mainly focused on agriculture. The town is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée zone of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

  • Etchandia House, formerly owned by the Etchandy family.
  • '''La Salle d'Abense'''

Religious heritage

The Church of Abense contains a Processional Cross which is registered as an historical object.

Environmental heritage

The common practices Controlled burns for prevention of forest fires.

Facilities

The town has an early childhood hub and an Ikastola.