Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Baleix

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Country
  
France

Department
  
Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Canton
  
Montaner

Population
  
120 (1999)

Region
  
Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Arrondissement
  
Pau

Area
  
6.47 km²

Baleix httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Intercommunality
  
Luy-Gabas-Souye et Lées

Baleix is a French commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

Contents

Map of Baleix, France

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Baleichois or Baleichoises.

Geography

Baleix is located in the Montanérès overlooking the Lées Valley some 26 km north-east of Pau and 10 km south of Lembeye. Access to the commune is by the D7 road from Saint-Jammes in the west which passes through the length of the commune and the village and continues east to Casteide-Doat. The D145 comes from Lespourcy in the south-west and passes through the village to continue north to Anoye. Apart from the village there is also the hamlet of Tisné north-east of the village. The commune is mostly farmland with a few scattered small forests.

The Lées flows through the east of the commune from the south and continues north to join the Adour near Aire-sur-l'Adour. The Petit Lées comes from the south and flows north-east through the commune to join the Lées.

Toponymy

Michel Grosclaude said that etymologically the name comes from the Gascon Balèch meaning "plateau".

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. (French)
  • Grosclaude: Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, 2006 (French)
  • Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750

    • Origins:

  • Lescar: Cartulary of Lescar
  • Marca: Pierre de Marca, History of Béarn.
  • Fors de Béarn
  • Census: Census of Béarn
  • Terrier: The Terrier of Baleix.

    • History

    Paul Raymond noted on page 20 of his 1863 dictionary that in 1385 there were 22 fires and it depended on the bailiwick of Pau. Baleix fief was subject to the Viscounts of Béarn.

    The commune has long been occupied as evidenced by the discovery of a fortified camp surrounded by a moat with visible remains of earthworks.

    During the medieval period the commune was a member of the Commandery of the Order of Malta of Caubin and Morlaàs.

    Administration

    List of Successive Mayors

    (Not all data is known)

    Inter-communality

    The commune is part of four inter-communal structures:

  • the Community of communes of Pays de Morlaàs;
  • the SIVOM of the Canton of Montaner;
  • the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
  • the inter-communal association for the supply of drinking water Luy-Gabas-Lees;

    • Demography

    In 2010 the commune had 137 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known from the population censuses conducted in the commune since 1793. From the 21st century, a census of communes with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is held every five years, unlike larger communes that have a sample survey every year.

    Population Change (See database)

    Sources : Ldh/EHESS/Cassini until 1962, INSEE database from 1968 (population without double counting and municipal population from 2006)

    Civil heritage

    The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

  • A Farmhouse at Sarthou (18th century)
  • A House at Jean David (18th century)
  • A House at Castille (1623)
  • The Bourdallé House (18th century)
  • The Coulomé Farmhouse (1789)
  • The Bélengou House (18th century)
  • The Arnautou House at Clos (19th century)
  • Houses and Farms (17th-19th century)

    • Religious heritage

  • The Parish Church of Saint-Martin (12th century) is registered as an historical monument. The Church contains a very large number of items that are registered as historical objects. For a complete list with links to descriptions (in French) click here.

    • References

    Baleix Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA