Aressy


Aressy is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. It is part of the urban area of Pau.

Geography

Aressy is located four kilometres south-east of Pau within the urban area of Pau. Access to the commune is by the D937 road from Pau which continues south-east to Meillon.
The Idelis bus route P23 stops at Aressy Clinic at Pôle Bosquet. The commune is also served by Route 835 of the Interurban network of Pyrénées-Atlantiques between Bénéjacq and Pau, and by Route 805 between Lourdes and Pau.
Much of the commune is residential with some farmland and a large lake in the south.
The Gave de Pau flows north-west through the western part of the commune, and the Lagoin flows through the centre of the commune before joining the Gave de Pau just north-west of the commune.

Places and Hamlets

  • Las Costes
  • Labielle
  • Marque
  • Matachot
  • Le Saligat

Toponymy

Its name in Bearnais is Aressi.
Brigitte Jobbé-Duval indicates that the place name could come from the Basque, meaning "place where there are rocks" which would confirm the hypothesis by Michel Grosclaude of ar- with the Basque locative suffix -etz transformed into -esse.
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
NameSpellingDateSourcePageOriginDescription
AressyAressa1010JobbéVillage
Aressa1101Raymond9Lescar
Aresi12th centuryRaymond9Lescar
Arecii1376Raymond9Military
Eressi1385Raymond9Census
Arecii1538Raymond9Reformation
Arressii1546Raymond9Reformation
Aressy1750Cassini
Arressy1793Ldh/EHESS/Cassini
Le JuncaLe Junca1863Raymond86Place
Les PeladesLes Pelades1863Raymond133Place
Le SaligaLe Saliga1863Raymond133Moor
Le TuquetLe Tuquet1863Raymond169Wood

Sources:
Origins:
  • Lescar: Cartulary of Lescar
  • Military: Military Inspection of Béarn
  • Census: Census of Béarn
  • Reformation: Reformation of Béarn

History

Paul Raymond noted on page 9 of his dictionary that the commune had a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn. In 1385, Aressy had nine fires and depended on the bailiwick of Pau.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors
FromToNameParty
19952001Monique Lanusse-Cazalé
20012026Claude FerratoMoDem

Inter-communality

Aressy is part of nine inter-communal structures:
  • the Public agency of local management;
  • the Communauté d'agglomération Pau Béarn Pyrénées;
  • the AEP association for the Jurançon region;
  • the defense against floods association for the Lagoin catchment area;
  • the energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
  • the inter-communal association for the Narcastet leisure centre;
  • the inter-communal association for defense against flooding of the Gave de Pau;
  • the inter-communal association for the construction and operation of the CES of Bizanos;
  • the Joint association for urban transport Pau - Porte des Pyrenees

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arésyiens or Arésyiennes in French.

Economy

The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée zone designation of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and Heritage

Religious heritage

The Parish Church of Saint Denys is registered as an historical monument.