Arthez-de-Béarn
The Vía Podiensis
Arthez-de-Bearn is an ancient fortified village perched above the plain of the Gave de Pau, and it marks the traditional entry into the historic region of Bearn for pilgrims coming from the north. Gaston Febus -- the legendary 14th-century Count of Foix-Bearn -- transformed it from a simple hamlet into a medieval fortress charged with defending Bearn's northern frontier. In 1385 it had 255 hearths, making it the 5th city of Bearn.
The Wars of Religion hit hard. Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre, embraced Protestantism in 1560 and made it the official religion of Bearn. The churches of Notre-Dame and the Trinity were destroyed. The Eglise Saint-Etienne you see today was built in 1887, though it incorporates a 12th-century bell tower from the vanished castle.
This is a good stage town with services. The Commanderie of Caubin (just outside town) is the major historical site. From here the terrain shifts noticeably -- you're leaving the rolling agricultural hills and entering Bearn proper.
Arthez-de-Bearn's history is inseparable from the religious wars that tore through the region. Jeanne d'Albret (1528-1572), Queen of Navarre, converted to Protestantism and in 1571 banned Catholic worship throughout Bearn. Her forces under Montgomery burned Catholic abbeys and churches across the region in the devastating 1569 campaign. After the 1620 reattachment to France and reinstatement of Catholicism, the pendulum swung back. A Protestant temple was eventually built in Arthez but its vestiges were damaged beyond repair in 1998.
Accommodation in Arthez-de-Béarn.
| Gîte d´étape communal La Maison des Pèlerins 13€ 15 |
| Gîte d´étape Domi 16€ 7 |
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| Gîte d´étape Pingouin Alternatif 15€ 5 |
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| Gîte de la boulangerie Broussé 13€ 18 |
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