Aydius is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, 30 km southeast of Oloron-Sainte-Marie.
Oscillating from 551 to 2173 m above sea level, its territory of 34 km² is located in the heart of the Aspe valley, in the former province of Béarn, on the west of the Pyrenees.
Near the national road 134 which heads towards the Somport tunnel, crossed by a number of rivers and streams descending from the peaks, the locality has preserved a particularly green environment, covered in forests (49% of its surface area) and herbaceous environments (35%).
Made up of a small town and several hamlets (the main ones are Les Salars to the east, Casaubon to the south, Les Jaupins to the northwest and Les Ichantes to the southwest), Aydius was already occupied by men during prehistory. A rock shelter was unearthed there with rock decorations dating from the Iron and Bronze Ages.
In the Middle Ages, a secular abbey was established there, the seat of a lordship which depends on the viscounty of Béarn.
Focused on pastoralism, the town had more than 800 inhabitants in the 19th century but then paid a heavy price to the rural exodus (there are only around a hundred left today). Tourism and the production of Ossau-Iraty appellation cheese nevertheless allow Aydius to remain active, highlighting its built heritage (with its residences covered with slates extracted from its rich subsoil) and the charm of its tormented relief but bucolic which delights hikers...
The town has preserved and continues to highlight a quality heritage, typical of this mountain region. Very old civilian residences can still be observed there, dating from the 16th, 17th or 19th centuries, such as the Pualet, Casaubon, Hontas and Guiraudé houses. One of them is listed in the Inventory: it is the Ichante house (18th and 19th centuries), a mansion where Joseph Ichante, pastor and engraver, lived from 1777 to 1857, who decorated the exterior walls of engraved slate plaques bearing the genealogy of his family or patriotic inscriptions. The henhouse is covered with panels where moralizing texts are read and the fountain has an engraved decoration from 1807.
In another register, still in terms of civil heritage, we note that the war memorial bears a plaque in the name of a soldier executed in 1917 for participating in a mutiny.
Also worth seeing, the Chichit Baths: this small thermal establishment supplied by a ferruginous spring relieving rheumatism was built in the 19th century and operated until 1944. The highlighted place now serves as a small swimming pool for children of the village, near the Gave d'Aydius.
Wash houses, watering troughs and mission crosses also mark a walk in the village and hamlets.
Finally, as for religious heritage, the Saint-Martin church, listed in the Inventory, is worth a detour. Of Gothic origin, it was remodeled in the 18th century, the period during which the bell tower was raised (1766). The painted decoration of the choir and the two side chapels was created in the 19th century. Rectangular in plan, the church adapted to the mountain climate has a nave with three bays and a flat apse. It is accessed on the west side via a square bell tower attached to the medieval facade. Inside, the nave has a round-arched wooden barrel vault, which is decorated with false masonry decoration. We note that a gallery has been preserved, and that the choir is separated from the nave by a triumphal arch with ornate decorations. The center is decorated with a painted medallion showing Christ in majesty surrounded by angels and saints. On both sides, the arms of a bishop and a pope have been painted. The church houses an altar and pieces of furniture classified as objects (pulpit, confessional, etc.).
In order to better understand the municipal historical heritage, and the surrounding natural resources, since 2018, visitors have been able to follow an interpretation trail. Its name refers to the centuries-old vocation of Aydius: “In the footsteps of the shepherd”. The route punctuated by explanatory panels includes an orientation table created by Dominique Mirassou-Nouqué (painter established in the village). Enough to spot the peaks which overlook the small town.
Definitely eager to explain its rich past, the town has also set up a museum near the town hall whose title is again very evocative: "The House of Memories". We discover some of the works and decorations which adorned the Ichante house, a reproduction of the rock painting from the "Gondon Lassus" shelter (in this case, a human representation in red ocher dating from protohistory) but also the mention of two other personalities of the town. These are on the one hand Étienne Lamazou, who recounted his life as a shepherd from 1913 to 1969 in a book, "The Bear and the Sheep", and Pierre Loustaunau: born in Aydius in 1754, destined to be a shepherd, he preferred to leave France, was a general in India, returned to the wealthy country and set up as an ironmaster before committing himself as a missionary and dying in Lebanon! Open all year. Free admission. Information on +33 5 59 34 70 93.
Finally, all that remains is to enjoy the mountain and forest environment of the town, a true paradise for hikers. No less than 13 trails are available from the village, most of which lead to the peaks of the area, the highest heading towards the Montagnon d'Iseye lake at an altitude of more than 2000 m.
It is prudent to obtain good information and measure the difficulty of certain routes. In addition to a "totem" with map installed at the tourist information point of the town hall, leaflets are available. Contact +33 5 59 34 70 93 and for larger loops including other sites in the Aspe valley, the Haut Béarn tourist office on +33 5 59 39 98 00.
