Saint-Palais, Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Saint-Palais (Basque: Donapaleutar ) is a commune with 1856 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques in the Aquitaine region. It is the capital of the canton of the same name. Through the village leads an alternative route of the GR 65, which largely follows the historical course of the French Road to Santiago Via Podiensis.
Geography and transport
Saint-Palais is located at the foot of the Pyrenees, in the extreme south-western France, on the river Bidouze, a tributary of the Adour and belongs to the French Basque country. The nearest town is Orthez, which can be reached in a northeasterly direction along the route D933, D23 after about 34 kilometers of road. The next major French cities are Toulouse (202 km ) to the east and Bordeaux ( 171 km) to the north.
The nearest international airport is Aéroport International de Biarritz -Anglet -Bayonne, which is reached in a northwesterly direction by about 62 kilometers of road. The nearest railway station is located in Saint -Jean -Pied -de-Port. The nearest train stations with links to the TGV network of SNCF Bayonne and Dax, where there are bus connections. At the French motorway network via the A64 Saint-Palais Briscous ( on the Atlantic Ocean, near the Spanish border ) is - Toulouse connected. The nearest motorway junction on the A64 is Urt (4).
History
The name Saint-Palais is attributed to San Palay. He should remember the boy Pelayo in Córdoba 926 suffered a martyr's death. The city was probably founded in the early 13th century by the King of Navarre and developed mainly by the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. In 1351 Charles II of Navarre approved the construction of a mint that was up to the year 1672 in operation. In the course of the Civil War in Navarre was 1512, the Spanish part of Navarre, conquered the capital, Pamplona, by the troops of Ferdinand II and 1515 finally annexed by the Kingdom of Castile. The smaller, north of the Pyrenees located part of the country remained officially sovereign until 1589. In it, Saint-Palais fulfilled administrative tasks. 1524 the Supreme Court of Navarre was established in Saint- Palais and in 1639 replaced by the seat of the administrative unit Sénéchaussée of Navarre. The embossed by the pilgrim movement development of Saint-Palais ends finally in November 1784 with the Edict of Louis XVI. , Which ended the work of hospices in Arros Ostabat and Saint-Palais.
During the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790 (French Basse- Navarre Lower Navarre ) was from the old province of Béarn, Labourd, Soule and belonging to France part of the Kingdom of Navarre, the new department of Basses- Pyrénées (the present Pyrénées- Atlantiques ) is formed. It consists of 6 districts: Mauléon, Oloron, Orthez, Pau, Saint-Palais and Ustaritz. In 1795 Saint-Palais capital of the Territory, before it, had to give up this function permanently at Pau in 1796.
Way of St. James ( Via Podiensis )
In the early days of the movement of pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela Saint-Palais did not exist. There was only Garris, about 3 kilometers north-west of the old Roman road Bordeaux - Astorga. Later, there were at least five pilgrims' hostels and hospices in Saint- Palais. Furthermore, there was the chapel of St. Nicholas. In the hamlet Harambeltz, which now belongs to Ostabat - Asme, there was the monastery of St. Nicholas with a hospice.
Today, there are a pilgrim hostel (French: Gîte d' étape ) in the former Franciscan monastery. In addition, there are hotels, private rooms (French: Chambre d' hôtes ), and a campsite and tourist information. The other leads to the hamlet of St. James Hiriburia, at the " Stele of Gibraltar ", back to the main path of the GR 65 The stele marked according to the Jakob research the place where the historic paths of Tours, Via Turonensis from Vézelay, the Via Lemovicensis and the Via Podiensis unite. It has " Gibraltar " nothing in common with the eponymous Mediterranean gateway, but is from the Basque word for meeting place Chibaltarem derived.
Culture and economy
- The end of August, the festival will force basque instead. Here, the participants compete in national sports of the Basques.
- The Museum Basse Navarre is housed in the town hall. It shows objects of medieval pilgrimage, as well as furniture, sculpture and disc-shaped Basque steles.
- Bridge over the Bidouze overlooking the old mill royal de Béhotéguy
- The church of Saint -Paul is of medieval origin. As of 1524, it houses the highest court of Navarre and later it is the seat of the Sénéchaussée de Navarre. Between 1790 and 1955 the building housed various administrative bodies.
- The Church of Sainte -Marie -Madeleine from 1866 was restored in 1986 and is still in use.
Approximately 20 % of the population of the canton is engaged in agriculture and about 60 % in the service of which many in tourism. With the clinic Sokorri Saint-Palais has a regional health center. In agriculture, provide livestock, corn and cheese production priorities dar.
Twinning
- Sangüesa - Spain ( Navarra ), since 1993
Personalities
- Pierre Cazaux ( born 1984 ), French cyclist