Baleix

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

Baleix
Commune
The road into Baleix
Location of Baleix
Baleix
Baleix
Coordinates: 43°22′45″N 0°07′43″W
CountryFrance
RegionNouvelle-Aquitaine
DepartmentPyrénées-Atlantiques
ArrondissementPau
CantonPays de Morlaàs et du Montanérès
IntercommunalityLuy-Gabas-Souye et Lées
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2020) Vincent Roustaa
Area
1
6.47 km2 (2.50 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
143
 • Density22/km2 (57/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
64089 /64460
Elevation225–354 m (738–1,161 ft)
(avg. 230 m or 750 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Baleichois or Baleichoises.[2]

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.[3]

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.

Places and hamlets
  • Balespouey
  • Baradat
  • Berbouly
  • Capcazaux
  • Capsus (land)
  • Castille[4]
  • La Caussade
  • Clos[5]
  • Dujardin
  • Guilhas
  • Hourpelat
  • Jeandavid[6]
  • Jouanolou
  • La Moulère
  • Noau
  • Pucheu
  • Puyo
  • Sarthou[7]
  • Tisné
  • Trémoulets[8]
  • Vignau

Neighbouring communes and villages
Baleix Village
In Baleix Village
Baleix Landscape

Toponymy

Michel Grosclaude said that etymologically the name comes from the Gascon Balèch meaning "plateau".[9]

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

NameSpellingDateSourcePageOriginDescription
BaleixBales11th centuryRaymond
20
LescarVillage
Balas12th centuryRaymond
20
Marca
Balestoos13th centuryRaymond
20
Fors de Béarn
Baleixs1385Raymond
20
Census
Balesie1402Raymond
20
Census
Baleyxs1538Raymond
20
Reformation
Balechs1538Raymond
20
Reformation
Balex1548Raymond
20
Reformation
Baleix1750Cassini
AbaradesAbarades1863Raymond
1
Place
AbatsAbats1863Raymond
1
Place
Les ArticsLes Articqs1769Raymond
14
TerrierPlace
La BielleLa Bielle1863Raymond
31
Place
La HailleHailhe1769Raymond
74
TerrierPlace
La LanusseLa Lanusse1863Raymond
93
Place
PeyreblanquePeyreblanque1863Raymond
134
Place
Le PimiLou Pimy1769Raymond
135
TerrierHamlet
Les PlagniusPlagniux1769Raymond
136
TerrierPlace
Le Plagniu1769Raymond
136
Terrier
RaguetteRaguet1769Raymond
141
TerrierPlace
TrémouletsLe Trémoulet1863Raymond
168
Place
Le Turocq de NaudyLe Turocq de Naudy1769Raymond
169
TerrierPlace
La TurrecolleLa Turequolle1769Raymond
170
TerrierPlace
La VignasseLa Vignasse1863Raymond
174
Place

Sources:

Origins:

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[15]

FromToNamePartyPosition
19952001Jean Balespouey
20012008Gérard Balespouey
20082020Vincent Roustaa

(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.[Note 1]

Population change (See database)
1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851
301 290 348 358 428 413 451 450 443
1856 1861 1866 1872 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896
432 388 396 372 368 375 328 320 282
1901 1906 1911 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954
280 270 251 202 201 194 176 158 156
1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006 2010 -
152 141 150 126 122 120 126 137 -
Population of Baleix

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

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

  • A Farmhouse at Sarthou (18th century)[7]
  • A House at Jean David (18th century)[6]
  • A House at Castille (1623)[4]
  • The Bourdallé House (18th century)[16]
  • The Coulomé Farmhouse (1789)[17]
  • The Bélengou House (18th century)[18]
  • The Arnautou House at Clos (19th century)[5]
  • Houses and Farms (17th-19th century)[19]

Religious heritage
The Church of Saint-Martin
  • The Parish Church of Saint-Martin (12th century) is registered as an historical monument.[20] 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.

See also

Bibliography
  • Archaeological Map of Gaul, Archaeological pre-inventory published under the responsibility of Michel Provost, Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Notes
  1. At the beginning of the 21st century, the methods of identification have been modified by Law No. 2002-276 of 27 February 2002 Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, the so-called "law of local democracy" and in particular Title V "census operations" allows, after a transitional period running from 2004 to 2008, the annual publication of the legal population of the different French administrative districts. For communes with a population greater than 10,000 inhabitants, a sample survey is conducted annually, the entire territory of these communes is taken into account at the end of the period of five years. The first "legal population" after 1999 under this new law came into force on 1 January 2009 and was based on the census of 2006.

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. Inhabitants of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  3. Google Maps
  4. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027133 House at Castiulle (in French)
  5. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027129 Arnautou House at Clos (in French)
  6. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027134 House at Jean David (in French)
  7. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027135 Farmhouse at Sarthou (in French)
  8. Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011 (in French)
  9. Michel Grosclaude, Toponymic Dictionary of communes, Béarn, Edicions reclams & Édition Cairn - 2006, 416 pages, ISBN 2-35068-005-3(in French)
  10. Cassini Map 1750 – Baleix
  11. Cartulary of the Bishop of Lescar, published in the proofs of the History of Béarn by Pierre de Marca (in French)
  12. Pierre de Marca, Histoire de Bearn, La Veuve Jean Camusat, 1640, 850 pages (in French)
  13. Manuscript from the 14th century - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  14. Manuscript from the 18th century in the Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (in French)
  15. List of Mayors of France (in French)
  16. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027132 Bourdallé House (in French)
  17. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027131 Coulomé Farmhouse (in French)
  18. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027130 Bélengou House (in French)
  19. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027127 Houses and Farms (in French)
  20. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA00027128 Parish Church of Saint-Martin (in French)
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