Arrien

Arrien (French pronunciation: [aʁjɛ̃]; Occitan: Arrien) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

Geography

Arrien is located some 18 km east by north-east of Pau and 5 km west of Séron. Access to the commune is by road D42 from Sedzère in the north passing through the heart of the commune east of the village and continuing south to Eslourenties-Daban. The D145 also comes from Baleix in the north and joins the D42 in the commune then continues south-west to Lourenties. Access to the village (Town Hall) is by the Chemin de l'Eglise going west from the D42 and by other local roads. Apart from some patches of forest on the western border the commune is entirely farmland.^[3]

The Canne stream forms the southern border of the commune joining the Gabas at the south-western corner which in turn forms most of the western border of the commune flowing north-west then north eventually joining the Adour near Toulouzette. The Poundets stream forms the eastern border of the commune and flows north to join the Petit Lees near Lombia.

Places and Hamlets

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

Its name in béarnais is Arrien.

Michel Grosclaude indicated that the origin of the name is obscure and mentioned the possibility of the name of a former owner Ariee.^[4]

The following table details the origins of the commune name.

Name	Spelling	Date	Source	Page	Origin	Description
Arrien	Arien	1385	Raymond	12	Census	Village
	Rien	1536	Raymond	12	Eslourenties
	Saint-Jean d'Arien	18th century	Raymond	12	Empire
	Arrien	1750	Cassini
	Arricu	1793	Ldh/EHESS/Cassini

Sources:

• Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. (in French)^[5]
• Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750^[6]
• Ldh/EHESS/Cassini: Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Arrien, EHESS (in French).

Origins:

• Census: Census of Béarn^[7]
• Eslourenties: Census of Eslourenties^[8]
• Empire: Archives of the Empire, K 779, No. 12 (in French)

History

Paul Raymond noted that the commune had a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn. In 1385 Arrien had 5 fires and depended on the bailiwick of Pau. The church depended on the Abbey of Saint-Sigismund at Orthez.^[5]

The Saint-Jean fountain is known for its healing powers of varicose ulcers and eye diseases and has attracted many pilgrims since the 12th century.^[9]

The commune was part of the Archdeaconry of Vic-Bilh, which depended on the Bishop of Lescar. Lembeye was the chief town.^[10]

Administration

List of Successive Mayors^[11]

From	To	Name
1923	1929	Dominique Pédedieu
1929	1944	Joseph Canton
1944	1946	Joseph Lahon
1947	1959	Joseph Canton
1959	1983	Pierre Canton
1983	1995	André Cazalis
1995	2001	Jean Canton
2001	2005	Jean Louis Cazalis
2005	2008	Bernard Joan
2008	2020	Martine Loustau
2020	2026	Jean Canton

Inter-communality

The commune is part of four inter-communal structures:

• the Communauté de communes du Nord-Est Béarn;
• the AEP association of Luy and Gabas;
• the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
• the inter-communal association for the construction of the Soumoulou rescue centre;

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 185 inhabitants.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 209 —     1800 201 −0.56% 1806 191 −0.85% 1821 231 +1.28% 1831 252 +0.87% 1836 239 −1.05% 1841 265 +2.09% 1846 269 +0.30% 1851 270 +0.07% 1856 272 +0.15% 1861 308 +2.52% 1866 281 −1.82% 1872 250 −1.93% 1876 241 −0.91% 1881 235 −0.50% 1886 208 −2.41% 1891 190 −1.79% 1896 193 +0.31%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 189 −0.42% 1906 218 +2.90% 1911 187 −3.02% 1921 161 −1.49% 1926 180 +2.26% 1931 163 −1.96% 1936 154 −1.13% 1946 135 −1.31% 1954 135 +0.00% 1962 132 −0.28% 1968 125 −0.90% 1975 112 −1.56% 1982 120 +0.99% 1990 138 +1.76% 1999 135 −0.24% 2007 121 −1.36% 2012 160 +5.75% 2017 185 +2.95%
Source: EHESS[12] and INSEE[13]

Culture and Heritage

Civil Heritage

There are two registrations of historical monuments for Arrien:

• Houses and Farms
  ^[14]
• The former Chateau of Arrien (19th century).
  .^[15] The original chateau was sold in 1730 and converted to a presbytery. The building was sold by the commune in 1975. It is shown on the Cassini Map as a "chateau".

Religious Heritage

The Parish Church of Saint John the Baptist (19th century)

is registered as an historical monument.^[16] The church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:

• The Furniture in the Church
  ^[17]
• A Sunburst Monstrance (19th century)
  ^[18]
• A Processional Cross (17th century)
  ^[19]
• A Processional banner (19th century)
  ^[20]

Church Picture Gallery

• 
  The Church over the fields
• 
  The Church from the road
• 
  The church through the trees
• 
  The church

See also

• Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department

References

External links

• Arrien on the 1750 Cassini Map