Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan

Location

Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is part of Cize/Garazi country which was a historical province in Lower Navarre. It includes three former parishes, sometimes counted as four groups of houses in the Middle Ages^[5] and with five toponyms: Alciette, Ahaxe, Garatehegi, Ligeta, and Bascassan located at the confluence of the Laurhibar and Esteneko streams.

Alciette is the parish farthest away to the northeast in the combination of the three parishes.

Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is located some 6 km south-east of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and can be accessed by Highway D18 running from close to there through the heart of the commune southeast to Lecumberry. The village is not on the highway and is left onto the country road Vierge-d'Ahaxe off the D18 heading southeast. There is a country road from Aincille in the west to the village of Bascassin in the commune and there are other country roads entering from the north and the southeast.^[6]

Hydrography

The commune is located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, the commune lands are watered by the Laurhibar, a tributary of the Nive, and a tributary of that, the Esteneko stream. The Apatéko stream, a tributary of the Arzubiko stream also crosses the territory of Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan.

Localities and hamlets

^[17]

Inter-communality

The commune belongs to seven inter-communal structures:^[31]

• the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque;
• the AEP union of Ahaxe-Lecumberry-Mendive;
• the energy union of Pyrenees-Atlantiques;
• the RPI (Intercommunal Education) union Hergaray;
• the inter-communal union for the development and management of the abattoir of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port;
• the joint association for the watershed of the Nive;
• the union to support Basque culture.

Languages

According to the Map of the Seven Basque Provinces published in 1863 by Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte, the Basque dialect spoken in Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is eastern low Navarrese.

Civil heritage

There is a gaztelu zahar (a prehistoric fortified complex) at a place called Gaztalepo (Ahaxe), located 550 metres above sea level. There is also a lice or a fence surrounding a fortification running at 313 metres above sea level at a place called Gaztelua or Gastellia. These artifacts represent the ancient past of the commune.

There are several buildings, houses, and farms in the commune that are listed as historical monuments. These are:

• Houses and Farms (17th - 19th centuries)^[34]
• Kapila House^[35]
• Idioinea farm (17th century)^[36]
• Gohonetxea farm (17th century)^[8]
• Château Saint-Julien (12th century)^[11]

Religious Heritage

A number of churches and sites in the commune have been classified as historical monuments. These are:

• Parish Church of Saint Julien of Antioch (16th century)^[37] The cemetery contains a remarkable collection of Hilarri.

• Chapel of Saint-Saveur of Alciette (12th century).^[38] The chapel contains several historical objects:
  • Pulpit (17th century)^[39]
  • 2 Benches (17th & 18th century)^[40]
  • Main Altar, Retable and 4 Candlesticks (17th century)^[41]
  • Secondary Altar. Retable, 2 Candlesticks (17th century)^[42]
  • Baptismal fonts (17th century)^[43]
  • Ceiling (17th century)^[44]
  • Statue: Baby Jesus (18th century)^[45]
  • Processional Cross (18th century)^[46]
  • Cross: Christ on the Cross (17th century)^[47]
• Chapel of Saint-Saveur of Alciette (Interior Decor)^[15]
• Former benoîterie of Bascassan (18th century).^[48]
• Former benoîterie of Bascassan garden.^[49]
• Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan (17th century).^[50] The church contains a number of historical objects. These are:
  • 2 Altars, 2 Retables, 2 Paintings, 4 Candlesticks (17th century)^[51]
  • Baptismal fonts (17th century)^[52]
  • Pulpit (17th century)^[53]
  • Processional Cross (18th century)^[54]
  • Cross: Christ on the Cross (17th century)^[55]
  • Bronze Bell (17th century)^[56]
• Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan (Interior and Cemetery)^[57]
• Cemetery Cross of Ahaxe (1827)^[58]

• 
  Church of Bascassan
• 
  Benoîterie
• 
  Old Tombs
• 
  Cemetery Cross of Ahaxe
• 
  Church of Saint-Sauveur of Alciette