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122-513: Nouvelle-Aquitaine ( French pronunciation: [nuvɛl akitɛn] ) is the largest administrative region in France by area, spanning the west and southwest of Metropolitan France . The region was created in 2014 by the merging of Aquitaine , Limousin , and Poitou-Charentes in a territorial reform. Nouvelle-Aquitaine has an area of 84,035.7 km (32,446.4 sq mi) – more than 1 ⁄ 7 of Metropolitan France – and has

244-466: A French department , and that is made up of a union of ten commonwealths and 157 of the 159 Basque communes, plus one Béarnese community. The oldest human remains that are known of in the territory of the current French Basque Country are approximately 150,000 years old. Some houses have been found on the terraces of the river Adour , in Ilbarritz ( Bidart ), Saint-Pierre-d'Irube and Mouguerre . In

366-461: A bird sanctuary. The interior of the territory is marked by the presence of a rich plain cereal evoking the Beauce by its open relief on the horizon. At the center of this space, the city of Surgères remained a pastureland where dairy farming has retained its importance: the small city is thus a production centers butter, Beurre de Charentes-Poitou. The Angoumois forms a transitional space between

488-601: A constant element during that last decades in elected posts for the main political parties, with representation from the French Socialist Party , The Republicans , and nationalist parties. 64% of Basque-French mayors support such a creation. The Association des Élus is an association that groups political posts such as regional councilors, general councilors and mayors of the French Basque Country, from both political spectrums, whose goal

610-637: A death toll of approx. 1,600 in Labourd . The Basques started to be forcibly recruited for the French army, with large numbers of youths in turn deciding to run away or defect among allegations of mistreatment, so starting a trend of exile and emigration to the Americas that was to last for more than a century. The mutual hostility and lack of trust between the new regime and the European monarchies led to

732-664: A district thriving on whale hunting . In 1579, an important handbook for navigation was published by Martin Oihartzabal , the Navigational Pilot , offering guidance and useful landmarks found in Newfoundland and other Basque traditional fisheries. In 1677, it was translated to Basque by Pierre Etxeberri. However, during the 17 and 18th century, that activity saw a gradual decline as the English took over from

854-403: A formally independent state until 1620–24, when this separation was suppressed. In 1634, Axular , in his literary work Gero , gives a rough description of the extent of Basque at the time: The language comprised all the provinces now known as Basque Country "and [in] so many other places". After Axular's accomplished book, other Basque writing authors followed suit, especially in Labourd ,

976-508: A former vice-president of Aquitaine , proposed the name "Nouvelle Aquitaine". The decision came after the popular favourite, "Aquitaine", faced resistance by regional politicians from Limousin and Poitou-Charentes . The other popular favourite, "Grande Aquitaine", was rejected for its connotation with a feeling of superiority. Alain Rousset , president of the region, concurred with the working group's conclusion, reaffirming that he considered

1098-804: A large open coastline along the Atlantic Ocean , extending from the National Nature Reserve of Aiguillon Bay and the estuary of the Sèvre (near Charron ) to Bidasoa (south of Hendaye ). This coastline includes the islands of the Charentais Archipelago ( Ré , Oléron , Aix , and Madame ) and the inlet of Arcachon. The region is notable for its oyster farming (Marennes-Oléron and the Bassin d’Arcachon), mussel farming (Baie de l’Aiguillon), and tourism. Prominent resorts in

1220-537: A link between Saintonge , Blayais  [ oc ] , Médoc and western Guyenne , is in itself a world apart. Wild largest estuary in Europe, being classified in the marine park with the "Pertuis charentais", it is lined with large marshes ("Petite Camargue" and hillsides which produces most of the great Bordeaux wines from the Côtes-de-Bordeaux and Côtes-de-Bourg on the right bank to the great wines of

1342-525: A matter of concern discussed by Napoleon Bonaparte and Dominique Garat . As of 1814, traditional cross-Pyrenean trade fell conspicuously, starting a period of economic stagnation. Eventually, trade across the Pyrénées border was cut off after the First Carlist War , with large numbers further departing to the Americas in search for a better life. In Soule, the emigration trend was mitigated by

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1464-455: A population of 6,033,952 as of 2020. The new region was established on 1 January 2016, following the regional elections in December 2015 . It is the largest region in France by area (including overseas regions such as French Guiana ), with a territory slightly larger than that of Austria . Its prefecture and largest city, Bordeaux , together with its suburbs and satellite cities, forms

1586-478: A process of municipal meetings, on 2 May 2016, both conditions were met. On 1 January 2017, the Agglomeration Community of Basque Country , was created: an intercommunal cooperation movement (EPCI), which promotes a greater level of autonomy, with the French administrative categorization as an official territorial administrative structure with greater abilities than a pays , but fewer than

1708-495: A relative climatic barrier and regions further south belong to the Aquitaine oceanic climate area. Coastal areas are wetter overall, with moderate rainfall spread throughout the year, except for the summer months, where droughts are not uncommon. Summer, which is relatively warm, is tempered by sea breezes, and winters are cool-mild. Frosts and snow are unusual. Sunshine is quite high, with around 2,000 to 2,200 hours per year, which

1830-792: A road parallel to the Pyrenees, which facilitates access to Toulouse and the Mediterranean regions: the A64 , called "La Pyrénéenne". It starts from Briscous (in the outskirts of Bayonne), continues to Pau before reaching Tarbes in the neighbouring region of Occitania ) and the Toulouse ring road. The eastern region is well served by the A20 north–south axis between Paris and Toulouse and opens up Limousin. It thus goes through La Souterraine , Limoges and Brive-la-Gaillarde . Another important way,

1952-427: A scholar of Basque-Irish origin, Antoine d'Abbadie (Anton Abbadia), followed by several more editions up to 1897. Other political and cultural events in fellow Basque districts to the south of the Pyrenees had an impact in the French Basque Country, especially in church-related circles (periodicals like Eskualduna , 1887), the only institution that still spoke to the people in their language. This could not prevent

2074-831: A small portion of the Paris Basin (the border between the two being located at the " Seuil du Poitou ") and the Limousin plate (part of the Massif Central) and the western part of the Pyrenees . It is part of five watersheds facing the Atlantic Ocean: Loire , Charente , Garonne and Dordogne (and their extension, the Gironde estuary ) and Adour , giving rivers bordering land dedicated mostly to viticulture and to agriculture. Nouvelle-Aquitaine features

2196-626: A spa of international reputation, Dax, also the capital of Chalosse , important breeding ground. The coastline subject to severe erosion, remained very wild. Some resorts have been built in the dunes from Soulac-sur-Mer in the north of the Gironde, via Lacanau , Hourtin , Biscarrosse , Mimizan and Capbreton , without forgetting those bordering the Bay of Arcachon: Arcachon , Andernos-les-Bains , Lège-Cap-Ferret , Pyla-sur-Mer  [ es ] . This vast lagoon, wide open ocean, houses since 2014

2318-472: Is Bordeaux , in the heart of an urban agglomeration of over one million inhabitants. Taking into consideration the urban area, the new region is home to six of the fifty largest metropolitan areas of French territory (population 2011): In addition, the region has a network of medium-sized towns scattered throughout its territory, including: The region covers a large part of the Aquitaine Basin and

2440-470: Is Bordeaux-Merignac , world class, which hosts nearly four and a half million passengers per year and offers flights to many destinations; It is the seventh metropolitan France Airport (fifth if we except the Paris airports). The second airport is Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne , third is Pau Pyrénées Airport , then Limoges-Bellegarde , and Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport . Regions of France France

2562-550: Is divided into eighteen administrative regions ( French : régions , singular région [ʁeʒjɔ̃] ), of which thirteen are located in metropolitan France (in Europe), while the other five are overseas regions (not to be confused with the overseas collectivities , which have a semi-autonomous status). All of the thirteen metropolitan administrative regions (including Corsica as of 2019 ) are further subdivided into two to thirteen administrative departments , with

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2684-571: Is a bird bone with three holes in it in the shape of a txistu . Moving into the Mesolithic era, humans began to live outside of caves, despite the fact that these were still used until a much later date. Also, during this era, the artefacts of ceramics , agriculture , and raising livestock were discovered. During the Neolithic era (4000–3000 B.C.E.), new techniques for the use of metals and agriculture arrived. The present-day territory

2806-488: Is a popular holiday resort. The interior is more rural and retains a strong agricultural tradition, and is a solid wine region, symbolised by the vineyard Irouléguy but also by traditional liquors such as izarra and patxaran , eau-de-vie characteristic of Navarre . Anchored in the heart of the Pyrenees, the Béarn opposes its Gascon traditions. It has a succession of gently accented hills and valleys (that of Pau river, where

2928-764: Is a recent designation, given to the overseas departments that have similar powers to those of the regions of metropolitan France . As integral parts of the French Republic , they are represented in the National Assembly , Senate and Economic and Social Council , elect a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and use the euro as their currency. Although these territories have had these political powers since 1982, when France's decentralisation policy dictated that they be given elected regional councils along with other regional powers,

3050-540: Is a table of former regions and which new region they became part of. (Occitania) Regions lack separate legislative authority and therefore cannot write their own statutory law. They levy their own taxes and, in return, receive a decreasing part of their budget from the central government, which gives them a portion of the taxes it levies. They also have considerable budgets managed by a regional council (conseil régional) made up of representatives voted into office in regional elections. A region's primary responsibility

3172-465: Is comparable to some Mediterranean regions ( Perpignan ). Summer precipitation often take the form of thunderstorms, possibly violent, while winter is sometimes marked by storms, some of which have marked the area with their exceptional: Martin in 1999 (record of 198 km / h in Saint-Denis-d'Oléron ), Klaus in 2009 (172 km / h to Biscarrosse ) and Xynthia in 2010 (160 km / h on

3294-612: Is divided into wet marshes (we speak more readily of "Green Venice") and marshes dried up, converted into mixed farming. Niort , on the Sèvre Niortaise , the main town of the Haut-Poitou outside Poitiers , is like a door of this "Green Venice" much of which belongs to the parc naturel régional du Marais poitevin , established in 1979, classified "Grand site de France". Further south lie the Charentes, which correspond to

3416-548: Is important above 1200 meters. Pau valley has a microclimate, however, marked by strong sunlight (about 1900 hours a year) but high rainfall (1100 mm per year) and a near absence of frost in winter. Rainfall is usually brief there, but regular, and spread throughout the year. Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a region of transit between the Paris Basin (including Île-de-France) and the Iberian Peninsula, but also between

3538-410: Is part of this context, and should significantly shorten travel between the two cities (from just over an hour and a half to 45 minutes), facilitate interregional connections and access to Île-de-France. This project is one of the links of "Transline project" (Transversal Auvergne Atlantic Alpes), still under study. The region benefits from the presence of several airport infrastructure. The main airport

3660-482: Is regulated and receives subventions from the Regional Council of Aquitaine . In 2012, the French government proposed the creation of a single commonwealth for all of the towns in French Basque Country, under two conditions: being approved by at least half of the 158 communes in the historic territory, and that at least half of the nearly 300,000 residents be represented within this historic territory. After

3782-464: Is the "indirect successor" to medieval Aquitaine ; it extends over a large part of the former Duchy of Eleanor of Aquitaine . The region's interim name Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes was a hyphenated placename, known as ALPC, created by hyphenating the merged regions' names – Aquitaine , Limousin and Poitou-Charentes – in alphabetical order. In June 2016, a working group headed by historian Anne-Marie Cocula  [ fr ] ,

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3904-579: Is the one between Paris and Madrid via Poitiers, Bordeaux and Hendaye ; then comes the line Lille - Brive-la-Gaillarde , which serves Limoges , both served by TGV trains. Other lines are served mostly by the TER network of TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine . The largest station in the region is Bordeaux-Saint-Jean , which accommodates 10 million passengers per year; then comes Limoges-Bénédictins station and its 2.5 million passengers. Poitiers has two stations: Poitiers station and Futuroscope station which serves

4026-726: Is to achieve the division of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department into Basque and Béarnese departments respectively (24 of the existing mainland departments have smaller populations than the French Basque Country). The Council of the Development of the French Basque Country was created in 1994, and in 1995 the Council of the Elected of the French Basque Country ( Association des Élus du Pays Basque )

4148-580: Is to build and furnish high schools. In March 2004, the French central government unveiled a controversial plan to transfer regulation of certain categories of non-teaching school staff to the regional authorities. Critics of this plan contended that tax revenue was insufficient to pay for the resulting costs, and that such measures would increase regional inequalities. In addition, regions have considerable discretionary power over infrastructural spending, e.g., education, public transit, universities and research, and assistance to business owners. This has meant that

4270-641: Is traversed by numerous mountain streams, known as gaves . Notable gaves in the area include the Gave de Pau , the Gave de Bious  [ fr ] , the Gave d'Ossau , and the Gaves réunis on the border of Landes and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Ossau Valley , one of the three valleys of Béarn , extends from the suburbs of Pau to Col du Pourtalet at the Spanish border . The region's glacial lakes, along with their diverse fauna and flora, contribute to its inclusion in

4392-601: The Dax ). The three Basque provinces were then shaken by traumatic events after the intervention of the French Convention Army during the War of the Pyrenees (1793–95). Besides prohibiting the native Basque language for public use, with Bertrand Barère even declaring that "fanaticism speaks Basque", an indiscriminate mass-deportation of civilians followed resulting in the expulsion from their homes of thousands and

4514-690: The A83 motorway, the Vendée and Nantes (Pays de la Loire). The N10 is the main road of the Charente and an important road for connecting between Bordeaux and Poitiers including Angoulême . Connecting the east of Bordeaux ( Libourne ) to Greater Lyon , the A89 motorway (called "La transversale") irrigates the eastern part of the region, facilitating travel between the cities of Bordeaux and Périgueux , Brive-la-Gaillarde , Tulle and Ussel . A little further south,

4636-655: The Arrondissement of Oloron-Sainte-Marie , and the Arrondissement of Pau . French Basque Country includes all of Bayonne and Canton of Montagne Basque in Oloron-Sainte-Marie. Additionally, it includes the following territories in Béarn : Esquiule , Aramits , Géronce , and Arette (in the Canton of Oloron-Sainte-Marie-1 ). The French Basque Country included three pre-existing historic territories before

4758-528: The Basque Eurocity Bayonne-San Sebastián Euroregion . It is a popular tourist destination and is somewhat distinct from neighbouring parts of the southern Basque Country, since it was not industrialized as Biscay or Gipuzkoa and remained agricultural and a beach destination. The department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques is divided into three districts or arrondissements : The Arrondissement of Bayonne ,

4880-547: The Basque Y (high-speed line linking the Spanish cities of Bilbao , Vitoria , San Sebastian and Irun ). It is part of the great South West Rail project and should facilitate regional connections between Bordeaux, Mont-de-Marsan, Dax, Bayonne, long-distance connections between the south of the region and Île-de-France, as well as international links to Spain (including Madrid). The LGV Bar project between Poitiers and Limoges

5002-570: The Chabrières forest  [ fr ] encompasses 2,000 hectares. The extreme southern region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine is characterized by the presence of the Pyrenees . The western part, known as the mountains of Labourd, consists mostly of high green hills. Further east, the highest point in the French Basque Country is Pic d'Orhy , which reaches 2,017 meters. The Pau region is notable for its more rugged, mineral landscapes, featuring high peaks often exceeding 2,000 meters. The highest point in

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5124-554: The French Revolution suppressed it radically, as it did elsewhere in France, eventually creating the department of Basses-Pyrénées , half-Basque and half-Gascon ( Béarn , a former sovereign territory). Louis XVI of France summoned the Estates General to discuss problems of state. This assembly united the three estates: nobles, clerics, and the common people (the third estate ). Third estate representatives of

5246-715: The Middle Paleolithic era (700,000–100,000 years BP ), Neanderthals inhabited this area. At the beginning they lived in the open air and later in caves, like the one in Isturits . Cro-magnon people appeared during the Upper Paleolithic (9,000–50,000 years BP). Many artistic objects from the Magdalenian era (9,000–14,000 years BP) have been found in Isturits. The most well-known object found

5368-633: The Pyrénées National Park . Belonging to the Massif Central , Limousin features a varied landscape with high plateaus and some eroded peaks that dominate green valleys and forests of oak and chestnut trees. The Limousin plateau, intersected by the valleys of the Vienne (which flows through its capital, Limoges ), Isle , Vézère , and the picturesque Corrèze with its deep reliefs, seldom exceeds 500 meters in elevation. It forms

5490-416: The prefect of each region's administrative centre's department also acting as the regional prefect. The overseas regions administratively consist of only one department each and hence also have the status of overseas departments. Most administrative regions also have the status of regional territorial collectivities , which comes with a local government , with departmental and communal collectivities below

5612-458: The Île de Ré ). The climate in Angoumois and Limousin is wetter and cooler, remains temperate with warm spring and has relatively warm summers, with variations due to altitude. The annual sunshine averages at 1850 hours. The climate of the Basque country and southern Landes is marked by its warm summers, mild winters but especially by its high rainfall, with Atlantic depressions that hit

5734-457: The 3rd century, when use of the name Aquitania was extended to cover the region up to the river Loire , as Novempopulania ( Aquitania Tertia ). Its name in Latin means the nine peoples , as a reference to the nine tribes that inhabited it: The region reached a high level of Romanization , as many of the toponyms with Latin or Celtic suffixes, such as -acum or -anum , demonstrate. In

5856-704: The Basque Municipal Community amounts to 309,723 inhabitants distributed in 158 municipalities. It is delimited in the north by the department of Landes , in the west by the Bay of Biscay , in the south by the Southern Basque Country and in the east by Béarn (although in the Béarnese village of Esquiule , Basque is spoken), which is the eastern part of the department. Bayonne and Biarritz (BAB) are its chief towns, included in

5978-623: The Basque language from further receding, it becoming confined to local and domestic circles. In 1914, Basque ceased to be the trading language used by the local middle- and higher-class customers at the Mauleon marketplace (Soule). Basque young men could not avoid becoming entangled in World War I when they were drafted to the front. While across the border Gipuzkoa and Biscay thrived on their shipbuilding and steel processing industry supplying

6100-526: The Basque provinces attending the Estates-General of 1789 and the following national assemblies in Paris rejected the imposition of an alien political-administrative design, regarding the events with a blend of disbelief and indignation. The brothers Garat, representatives of Labourd, defended against a hostile audience the specificity of their province and that of the Basques, putting forward instead

6222-512: The Basques. The 16th century was probably the most tragic for the inhabitants of the French Basque Country in its history. The recurring French-Spanish conflict between 1512 and 1659 and the French Wars of Religion that lasted 30 years sowed terror and misery. On the other hand, the accusations made in the Parliament of Bordeaux motivated Labourd in sending the councilor Pierre de Lancre . He burned around 200 women, children and priests by forcing them to confess through torture. Pierre de Lancre

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6344-484: The Béarn area. In 2008, the region Aquitaine made a survey on the languages in the region, and gave the following results. The climate of Nouvelle-Aquitaine is classified as an oceanic climate under the Köppen climate classification scheme. The climates within the region can be sub-classified as follows: In the north of the region, the Paris oceanic climate is marked by moderate rainfall, warm summers and cool winters, but moderately so. The Seuil du Poitou acts as

6466-426: The Côtes du marmandais the buzet or Côte de Brulhois, that relate to the broad vineyard of the Southwest. But the real glory of this land is Armagnac , a famous brandy, exported around the world. Its vineyards cover some of the departments of Lot-et-Garonne, Landes but also the Gers (in the neighbouring region of Occitania ). It also produces the floc de Gascogne , with delicate floral accents. The extreme south of

6588-426: The D936, which roughly follows the course of the Dordogne, is grafted on the Bordeaux ring road via an interchange at the municipalities of Cenon and Floirac . It gives access to the towns of Branne , Castillon-la-Bataille and Sainte-Foy-la-Grande (Gironde) and Bergerac (Dordogne). Southwest of Bordeaux, the A63 is a major focus of the regional motorway network. Forming a large artery almost straight through

6710-430: The Duchy was created, the Frankish kings Theuderic II and Theudebert II exercised better military control over the area, including better tax collection and judicial administration, placing Duke Genial at the forefront. Later, between 635 and 638, King Dagobert I set out on a campaign to repress the Vascon inhabitants that eventually led to their submission. In the 8th century, a second autonomous Duchy of Gascony

6832-469: The European route E603 connects Limoges to Angoulême and Saintes . It represents one of the key elements of the road Central Europe Atlantic important channel of communication between the Rhône Valley and the Atlantic coast, which is divided into multiple plots at Angoulême and Saintes (Bordeaux, Royan and La Rochelle). The regional rail network is organised around the main towns: Bordeaux , Limoges , Poitiers , La Rochelle and Bayonne . The main line

6954-432: The European war effort, continental Basques under the age of 49 were required to travel to the front in north-east France. From the beginning and as the slaughter of the trenches wore on, thousands of Basques objected to military service, defected and fled to the south or the Americas. However, war took a heavy toll; 6,000 died at the front, equivalent to 3% of the French Basque population. It also produced strengthened

7076-420: The Haut-Poitou history, is organised around a tray agricultural and viticultural (vineyard of Haut-Poitou) irrigated by the Vienne , Clain or the Gartempe , which form so little valleys, often lined with oak forests. Further south, the Niortais this open landscapes (openfields) in grain-dominant, but also rich wetland areas such as the Marais Poitevin , a legacy of an old marine gulf filled with alluvium, which

7198-422: The Pyrenean foothills. This Microclimate explains the presence of lush vegetation and the green aspect of the region. Fogs are not rare, but usually dissipate very quickly. As for the Pyrenean climate, suboceanic trend Béarn , it is subject to frequent "cap effect" when the north-west of disturbances abut against the Pyrenean mountains. Valley bottoms, true "funnels clouds" are particularly watered. The winter snow

7320-398: The Pyrénées. Since 963, the town Saint-Sever has been referred to as caput vasconiae , interpreted as meaning "the limit of Vasconia" or "prominence of Vasconia" (on account of its location on a hill overlooking the plains of Vasconia). The evangelization of the territory that today comprises French Basque Country was slow and precarious. Beginning in the 9th century, and in part due to

7442-589: The Rhône Valley and the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions (noon Toulouse). This situation implies several years developing roads and major highways, especially in the context of the road Estuaries, but also the high-speed Paris-Bordeaux-Toulouse-Spain, which should help significantly shorten rail journeys. Many roads and highways in the region radiate from Bordeaux and just attach to its peripheral belt (Bordeaux ring road or A630 ). The main lines used for reinforcing roads and highways are in addition some terminal bonds designed to streamline access to two major resorts in

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7564-446: The Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Dunes et Marais d'Hourtin), all situated above vast pine forests planted in the 19th century. The Landes forest , the most extensive in the region, covers nearly one million hectares (approximately 950,000 hectares of maritime pines), making it the largest artificial forest in Western Europe. This forest forms a vast triangle extending from the Pointe de Grave , north of Soulac-sur-Mer , to Hossegor in

7686-423: The Voynet Law (LOADDT) from 25 June 1999. These are based on the notion of a country in the traditional sense, as a society belonging to a place, culture, etc., promoting the organization and development of the territory in a global manner. The creation of an institution of greater substance than what was represented by the geographical organization of pays and more specifically of a Basque department, has been

7808-410: The Wise and Richard Lionheart agreed to divide the country, Labourd remaining under Angevin sovereignty and Lower Navarre under Navarrese control. All vacant land, forests, and waters under this Viscounty belonged to the King and everyone had the right to use them, whether they were nobles or not. Nobles did not have any feudal rights and justice rested solely in the hands of the King. The Biltzar,

7930-410: The acronym "ALPC" no choice at all. For those deploring the loss of "Limousin" and "Poitou-Charentes", he noted that the predecessor region of Aquitaine subsumed the identities of the Périgord or the Pays Basque , which did not disappear during its 40 years of operation. On 27 June 2016, just a few days ahead of 1 July deadline, the Regional Council almost unanimously adopted Nouvelle-Aquitaine as

8052-446: The area include Arcachon (Côte d’Argent), Biarritz (Côte Basque), and Royan (Côte de Beauté). From the Arvert Peninsula  [ fr ] to the coast of Labourd , the coastline is predominantly straight and characterized by high dunes, including Dune du Pilat , large lakes (such as Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans , Étang de Lacanau , Étang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet , and Lac de Biscarrosse et de Parentis ), and wetlands (including

8174-419: The area was eventually incorporated as part of the independent Duchy of Vasconia in 602, a mixed ethnic polity stretching south of the river Garonne that broke up during the 8th to 9th centuries, following the Carolingian expansion, the pressure of Norman raids, and introduction of feudalism. At this time, the County of Vasconia was created, extending around the river Adour . According to Iñaki Bazán, after

8296-451: The area was made an official pays of France named Pays Basque , i.e., a representative body promoting several activities, but without its own budget. Neither Basque nor any of the other regional languages in France, such as Catalan, Breton or Occitan, have official recognition in France. According to the second article of the French Constitution, "the language of the Republic is French", and, despite several attempts to add "with respect to

8418-480: The area, Arcachon (via Highway A660) and Royan (by via the N150, partly making 2X2 routes). The A10 autoroute (the "Aquitaine") is the major artery between Bordeaux and Paris , commissioned in 1981. It is part of the network of "autoroutes du Sud de la France" and provides access to several cities: Saintes , Niort or Poitiers . From Saintes, highway A837 allows drivers to reach the town of Rochefort . Further north, in Niort, an interchange provides access to

8540-565: The capital is located, Pau , and others named Orthez and Navarrenx , being the most populated), it comprises the Aspe , the Barétous  [ fr ] and Ossau valleys along with the Col du Soulor . Agriculture will always be prominent, as viticulture (jurançon, Madiran) even if the aeronautical and petrochemical sectors are also represented. The main ski resorts in the area, such as Artouste , Gourette , Issarbe  [ fr ] , La Pierre Saint-Martin  [ fr ] and Le Somport  [ fr ] are concentrated in

8662-434: The capital of Soule . A slow but continuous French institutional evolution has been produced as a response to the historical claims of the French Basque Country. By an order from 29 January 1997 from the prefect of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques , a "Basque Country" was recognized as a pays , according to the French administrative category, in accordance with the laws called: the Pasqua Law (LOADT) from 4 February 1995, and

8784-540: The coast, with Biarritz the most noteworthy case, in a colonie de peuplement type of settlement (Manex Goihenetxe, Eneko Bidegain). Upper-class tourism gained momentum from 1854 onwards ( Kanbo , Saint-Jean-de-Luz , Biarritz , Hendaye, etc.), as the high nobility (e.g., Eugénie de Montijo ) chose to take healing baths at spa resorts and sought to be closer to nature. In 1851, the first Lore Jokoak took place in Urruña (restored floral games tradition) organized by

8906-500: The coastal plains of Aunis, large "champagne" of Saintonge and Limousin plateau. Dotted with small hills, he seems to live to the rhythm of the Charente, real artery watering its major cities, Angoulême , Cognac and Jarnac . Great wine region, internationally renowned alcohol is produced there, cognac , and a water spirits called Pineau des Charentes . The western quarter of Charentes consists of Saintonge, organised territory around

9028-620: The creation of the First Coalition against revolutionary France. At first, French Basque Country stayed at the margins of the conflict, since Spain stayed neutral, but in 1793, France declared war on Spain . The political situation after the mass-deportation of civilians improved when General Moncey led the French to a counterattack in June 1794, expelling the Spanish, and even entering Gipuzkoa . Jacques Pinet and Jean-Baptiste Cavaignac went to Spain to manage conquered territory, courting

9150-538: The departmental division of France in 1789, with a few modifications: The most important city in the territory is Bayonne (French: Bayonne , in Gascon and Basque: Baiona ). The ancient Roman Lapurdum , from which the toponyms Labourd and Lapurdi originate, is a part of the Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne agglomeration community (BAB) alongside Biarritz and Anglet (Basque: Angelu ),

9272-427: The designation overseas regions dates only to the 2003 constitutional change; indeed, the new wording of the constitution aims to give no precedence to either appellation overseas department or overseas region , although the second is still virtually unused by French media. The following have overseas region status: General: French Basque Country It includes three former historic French provinces in

9394-750: The end of the Hundred Years' War , Labourd and Soule passed to the Crown of France as autonomous provinces ( pays d'état ). After the conquest of Upper Navarre by Castile in 1512–21, the still independent north Pyrenean part of Navarre took the lead of the Huguenot party in the French Wars of Religion . In this time, the Bible was first translated into the Basque language . Eventually, Henry III of Navarre became King of France but kept Navarre as

9516-488: The establishment circa 1864 of a flourishing espadrille industry in Mauleon that attracted workers from Roncal and Aragon too. Others took to smuggling, a rising source of revenue. The mid-1800s were years of decay and yearning for the time before the French Revolution . The Basques were divided into Republicans, laicist Jacobins (but for a nuanced position held by Xaho ), and Royalists (traditional Catholics), with

9638-611: The establishment of a Basque department. However, eventually the brothers Garat from Labourd voted for the new design out of hopes to get a say in future political decisions. In 1790, the Lower Pyrenees department project arrived, uniting the ancient Basque countries with Béarn . The reorganization favored the Bayonne bishopric that included the entire department (up to the Lescar and Oloron coasts that disappeared, and part of

9760-645: The fall of the Roman Empire, the ancient province began to be referred to as Wasconia according to texts by Frankish chroniclers, mainly Gregory of Tours and the Chronicle of Fredegar from the 6th century, and was differentiated from the trans-Pyrenean territories that later chroniclers in the Ravenna Cosmography called Spanoguasconia . In the year 418, the Visigoths moved to

9882-439: The fifth. In 2014, the French parliament passed a law reducing the number of metropolitan regions from 22 to 13 effective 1 January 2016. The law gave interim names for most of the new regions by combining the names of the former regions, e.g. the region composed of Aquitaine , Poitou-Charentes and Limousin was temporarily called Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes . However, the combined region of Upper and Lower Normandy

10004-571: The first printed text in Basque. With the conquest of the castles of Mauléon and Bayonne in 1449 and 1451 respectively, Labourd and Soule were under the domain of the French crown. When Henry III of Navarre took the French throne at the end of the 16th century (as Henry IV ), Lower Navarre was incorporated into the French Royal patrimony (becoming the King of France and Navarre). The three Basque provinces still enjoyed considerable autonomy until

10126-429: The former provinces of Aunis , Angoumois and Saintonge . Aunis is not unlike the landscape of Niortais, with large marshes that extend from either side of La Rochelle and Rochefort (Baie d'Yves, marais de Rochefort, Broue and Brouage ) but also the islands of Ré and Aix , with varied landscapes where pine forests mingle, sandy beaches or the curious lagoon of Fier d'Ars, the sands in constant motion, which houses

10248-666: The four historic resorts on the French Atlantic coast: Arcachon , Biarritz and Royan , as well as several ski resorts (most notably Gourette ). Its economy is based on agriculture and viticulture ( vineyards of Bordeaux and Cognac ), tourism , a powerful aerospace industry , digital economy and design, parachemical and pharmaceutical industries, financial sector ( Niort ) and industrial ceramics ( Limoges ). The new region includes major parts of Southern France (" Midi de la France "), marked by Basque , Occitan , Poitevin and Saintongeais cultures. Historically, it

10370-450: The heads of wealthy regions such as Île-de-France or Rhône-Alpes can be high-profile positions. Proposals to give regions limited legislative autonomy have met with considerable resistance; others propose transferring certain powers from the departments to their respective regions, leaving the former with limited authority. Number of regions controlled by each coalition since 1986 . Overseas region ( French : Région d'outre-mer )

10492-573: The independent commander of Vasconia, but got involved in the Carolingian dynastic wars over succession after taking over Bordeaux (844), supporting the young Pepin II to the throne of Aquitaine. He became Duke of Vasconia after submitting to Charles the Bald (851). At this point, the Basque language was losing ground to Vulgar Latin and written Latin and was increasingly confined to the lands around

10614-468: The last third of the 6th century. Venantius Fortunatus ' chronicles cite the clashes with the Frankish king Chilperic I and the comes from Bordeaux , Galactorio, up until 580, while Gregory of Tours wrote about the incursions Duke Austrobald faced in 587 after the defeat of Duke Bladastes in 574 at Soule . After the Basque rebellions against Roman feudalism in the late 4th and 5th centuries,

10736-633: The later territory around the Nive (Errobi) and the coast. In 1020, Gascony ceded its jurisdiction over Labourd , then also including Lower Navarre , to Sancho the Great of Pamplona . This monarch made it a Viscounty in 1023 with its capital in Bayonne, which gave vassals to the King and Queen of Navarre until 1193. The area became disputed by the Angevin Dukes of Aquitaine until 1191 when Sancho

10858-498: The latter eventually prevailing in the area. Shepherding and small-scale mining and agriculture were the main economic activities, and were accompanied by the increased presence of customs officials, both locals and non-Basques. The railway arrived at Hendaye in 1864 (Mauleon in 1880), increasing the flow of freight and people from outside the Basque Country, resulting in the growth of the non-Basque population especially on

10980-553: The left bank Médoc (Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien. The vineyards of Bordeaux, with international reputation, has done for centuries the reputation of the region. His productions are exported worldwide. Farther south lies the vast plain Landes (south of Gironde and Landes), which begins near Bordeaux and go to the Pyrénées. Largely occupied by the Landes forest , it is also a major agricultural area (maize farming) and hosts

11102-614: The marine natural park of Arcachon basin. Eastern Guyenne corresponds in part to the department of Lot-et-Garonne . Rich agricultural and farming area watered by both the Lot and the Garonne , it is famous for its " pruneaux ", who took the name of its capital, Agen (nearly 8000 hectares of land are dedicated to Ente plum orchards) while Marmande is famous for its tomatoes. The mild climate explains that also cultivated tobacco , as well as strawberries ("gariguettes") and vines, used to produce

11224-484: The most populated urban space in the territory. It is the political capital of its subprefecture and economic capital of the largest region, which includes the French Basque country and the south of Landes. Other important places are Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Basque: Donibane Lohizune ), Hendaye ( Hendaia ), Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port ( Donibane Garazi ), the capital of Lower Navarre, and Mauleón ( Maule ),

11346-588: The mountains of Marche, which are divided into mountains of Monts de Guéret, mont d'Ambazac and Monts de Blond, are more like high wooded hills dotted with pastures, as real peaks. They culminate in Signal de Sauvagnac (701 m), in Haute-Vienne. Southwest of Limousin and Périgord northwest since 1998 are integrated into the Parc naturel régional Périgord Limousin . The northern part of the region, which corresponds to

11468-487: The north of what is now French Basque Country, these (toponyms) become more frequent: e.g., Loupiac and Gaillan. However, in the southeast of the territory, the less Romanized area, toponyms with Basque suffixes are abundant: -ousse , -ous -ost , and -oz , such as Biscarrosse and Almandoz, for example; some inscriptions have words similar to those in Basque on them. After the Germanic invasions that caused

11590-420: The north-east of the traditional Basque Country totalling 2,967 km (1,146 sq mi): Lower Navarre (French: Basse-Navarre ; Basque: Nafarroa Beherea ), until 1789 nominally Kingdom of Navarre , with 1,284 km (496 sq mi); Labourd ( Lapurdi ), with 800 km (310 sq mi); Soule ( Zuberoa ), with 785 km (303 sq mi). The population included in

11712-798: The north-west, Centre-Val de Loire to the northeast, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes to the east, and Occitania to the south-east), three autonomous communities in Spain to the south (from east to west, Aragon , Navarre , and Basque Country ), and the North Atlantic Ocean (the eastern part of Bay of Biscay , Golfe de Gascogne in French) to the west. Nouvelle-Aquitaine comprises twelve departments : Charente , Charente-Maritime , Corrèze , Creuse , Dordogne , Gironde , Landes , Lot-et-Garonne , Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Deux-Sèvres , Vienne and Haute-Vienne . Its largest city and only metropolis

11834-806: The notion in the Basque psyche that it is an integral part of the French nation, fostered by the above weekly Eskualduna on the grounds that "God champions France." During World War II , the French Basque Country was part of Occupied France and the coast was fortified as part of the Atlantic Wall . Over the last 200 years, the territory has shown a slow demographic rise: 126,493 (in 1801); 162,365 (1851); 226,749 (1979) (79% in Labourd, 13% in Lower Navarre, 8% in Soule); 259,850 (1990) (81%; 13%; 6% respectively); 262,000 (1999 census). On 29 January 1997

11956-406: The only existing assembly, was in charge of distributing taxes and charges, and its delegates were chosen by the etxeko-jaun of the parishes. Furthermore, parish assemblies that administered the collective goods of each parish existed. In 1215, Bayonne separated from Labourd, ruling from that moment on through its council. From the end of the 12th century until the French Revolution , Ustaritz

12078-464: The peregrination to Santiago de Compostela , a stable and long-lasting ecclesiastic organization was established in the region. The most important trails leading to Santiago pass through the region, and this greatly influenced the development of the trails and the villas in the territory up to the present day. The lands to the south of the Adour became Labourd, encompassing initially a bigger region than

12200-540: The possibility of annexing it to France. After the fall of Robespierre , General Moncey forced the removal of Pinet and Cavaignac, who had managed to have a falling out with the Gipuzkoans. Due to this, they threw themselves into a desperate guerilla war, an antecedent to that of 1808. On July 22, the Treaty of Basel was signed and the conflict ended, giving rise to a period of relative peace and prosperity. It became

12322-629: The region consists of two territories in strong identity, the Basque Country (Northern Basque Country or "Iparralde") and Béarn . The first, which is organised around Bayonne , Biarritz , Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Labourd) Mauléon-Licharre (Soule) and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Lower Navarre) has its warm and humid climate its green side, the Atlantic rains from butter against the Pyrenean barrier. The coast, with both high-end and family resorts,

12444-463: The region in accordance with a federation pact or foedus made with Rome, but they were forced to leave in 507 as a consequence of their defeat against the Merovingians led by King Clovis I at the battle of Vouillé . After Clovis I's death in 511, the heirs to his throne consolidated their northern possessions centered on Neustria and Austrasia , placing them under the direct control of

12566-627: The region include the Irati Forest in the Basque Country , which spans over 17,000 hectares, and the Forest of the Double, located at the borders of Charente, Charente-Maritime, and Dordogne, which covers about 50,000 hectares and is dotted with nearly 500 lakes. Additionally, near Poitiers, the Moulière forest  [ fr ] extends over nearly 6,800 hectares, and to the east, near Guéret,

12688-812: The region level. The exceptions are Corsica, French Guiana , Mayotte and Martinique , where region and department functions are managed by single local governments having consolidated jurisdiction and which are known as single territorial collectivities . The term région was officially created by the Law of Decentralisation (2 March 1982), which also gave regions their legal status. The first direct elections for regional representatives took place on 16 March 1986. Between 1982 and 2015, there were 22 regions in Metropolitan France. Before 2011, there were four overseas regions ( French Guiana , Guadeloupe , Martinique , and Réunion ); in 2011 Mayotte became

12810-405: The region's permanent name. France's Conseil d'État approved Nouvelle-Aquitaine as the new name of the region on 28 September 2016, effective two days later. At 84,061 square kilometres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is larger than French Guiana , which makes it the largest region of metropolitan and overseas France . Nouvelle-Aquitaine is delimited by four other French regions ( Pays de la Loire to

12932-516: The region, Pic Palas  [ simple ] , stands at 2,974 meters. Other significant Pyrenean peaks in the region include Pic du Midi d'Ossau (2,884 m), Pic d'Arriel  [ fr ] (2,824 m), Pic de Ger (2,613 m) near the winter resort Gourette , Pic d'Anie (2,504 m), Latte de Bazen  [ fr ] (2,472 m), Pic d'Ansabère  [ fr ] (2,377 m), Pic de l'Arraille  [ fr ] (2,147 m), and Pic d'Arlas  [ fr ] (2,044 m). This hilly region

13054-532: The regional languages that are part of our heritage" by 44 deputies in 2006, the proposal was rejected by 57 votes against and 44 in favor. Basques continue to practice many Basque cultural traditions. The town of Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle (Senpere, in Basque) is well known for its Herri Urrats celebration. According to a 2006 survey, 22.5% were bilinguals (French-Basque), 8.6% were French speakers who understand Basque, and 68.9% were not Basque speakers. But

13176-417: The results were very different in the three zones. In the inner land (Lower Navarre and Soule), 66.2% speak or understand Basque. In the coast (Labourd), the figure stands at 36.9%. And in the B.A.B. urban zone (Bayonne- Anglet-Biarritz), only 14.2% speak or understand Basque (20% of B.A.B. can speak or understand Gascon ). The proportion of French-Basque bilinguals fell from 26.4% in 1996 to 22.5% in 2006. On

13298-461: The seventh-largest metropolitan area of France, with 850,000 inhabitants. The region has 25 major urban areas, among which the most important after Bordeaux are Bayonne (288,000 inhabitants), Limoges (283,000), Poitiers (255,000), Pau (241,000) and La Rochelle (206,000), as well as eleven major clusters. New Aquitaine has five universities ( Bordeaux , La Rochelle , Limoges , Poitiers and Pau ) and several Grandes Écoles . It has three of

13420-454: The south and Nérac in the east, replacing the sandy and marshy moorland that characterized the region for centuries. The Landes forest is partially included in the Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park , which begins south of Bordeaux. Further north, adjacent to the Landes forest, the forest of la Coubre on the right bank of the Gironde estuary shares similar characteristics, covering nearly 8,000 hectares. Other significant forests in

13542-578: The sovereign, while the rest of their territories were organized into autonomous entities led by powerful officials of the kingdom: counts, dukes, patricians, and vice chancellors, in accordance with the Merovingian tradition of decentralizing power. In Wasconia and the Pyrenean periphery in Vasconum saltus , armed incursions and confrontations with Merovingian potentates were frequent during

13664-696: The technology park Futuroscope . Angoulême station sees around 1.45 million passengers per year; Agen station links the Occitania region; Pau station , Dax station . The implementation of the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique , which is part of a priority program initiated by the state. Another important project for the region, the LGV Bordeaux–Spain extends of the South Europe Atlantic TGV line to connect with

13786-554: The third most wooded department France. The great forests of oak and chestnut trees of green Périgord, organised around Nontron , meet the great grain fields of the White Périgord, nicknamed "the breadbasket of the Périgord", the oak, walnut and black Périgord truffle, around Sarlat-la-Caneda and vineyards of Bergerac or purple Périgord, which produces Bergerac, monbazillac or pécharmant. The Gironde estuary , which acts as

13908-624: The towns of Saintes , the first capital of Aquitaine in Roman times, and Royan . In continuation of the Angoumois, the Dordogne approximately corresponds to the former province of Périgord . Taking its name from the river of the same name, which flows Bergerac but not its prefecture, Périgueux (the edge of the Isle ), the area with varied landscapes has a large afforestation rate (45%) making it

14030-472: The vast expanses of flat Landes de Gascogne , it crosses the south of Gironde and Landes (passes near Dax but avoids the prefecture, Mont-de-Marsan) before joining Bayonne and the Basque Country, to Irun , on the Spanish border, the main border crossing. The other border crossings, less frequented but less direct, are the Somport tunnel and Col du Pourtalet. The Basque Country and Béarn are also served by

14152-708: The watershed between the Loire basin to the north (including the sources of the Briance , Aixette  [ fr ] , Grêne  [ fr ] , and Gorre ), the Dordogne basin to the south (including the sources of the Dronne , Isle, and Auvézère ), and the maritime watershed of the Charente to the west. The mountains of Limousin, which include a series of small mountains (Mont Fayat, Monedières Hills, Mont de Châlus) peak at Mont Bessou (976 m), in Corrèze. Further north,

14274-577: Was created. On 15 January 2005, the Euskal Herriko Laborantza Ganbara (Chamber of Agriculture for the Basque Country), was created as a house for the representation and promotion of the interests of livestock farmers and agriculturists of the French Basque Country, promoted by the agrarian union, Laborarien Batasuna . Initially, this institution wasn't recognised, and its function was illegal. Now, its function

14396-514: Was created. By the end of the 9th century, Guillermo Sanchez was named the duke of all Vascons. Some years later, Guy Geoffroy united the duchies of Vasconia and Aquitania (with the Poitiers county). During this period, northern Basques very likely participated in the successive battles of Roncevaux against the Franks, in 778, 812 and 824. Count Sans Sancion detached from the Franks and became

14518-686: Was inhabited by the Tarbelli and the Sibulates , tribal divisions of the Aquitani. When Caesar conquered Gaul , he found all the region south and west of the Garonne inhabited by a people known as the Aquitani , who were not Celtic and are nowadays assumed to have been early Basques (see Aquitanian language ). In early Roman times, the region was initially known as Aquitania , but by the end of

14640-462: Was responsible for the witch hunt in Labourd . He believed women had a sinful nature, and that they were so dangerous that one judge alone could not judge a woman because men are weak. He said that a tribunal made up of several men was necessary to do so. However, after overcoming the disasters suffered, a sort of renaissance was lived during the 17th century. Among other things, Rabelais published his Gargantua and Pantagruel , and Etxepare wrote

14762-580: Was simply called "Normandy" ( Normandie ). Permanent names were proposed by the new regional councils by 1 July 2016 and new names confirmed by the Conseil d'État by 30 September 2016. The legislation defining the new regions also allowed the Centre region to officially change its name to " Centre-Val de Loire " with effect from January 2015. Two regions, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté , opted to retain their interim names. Given below

14884-588: Was the capital of Labourd. Bayonne continued to be the economic hub of the area until the 19th century. However, above all, it was the port of Navarre that connected it to the North of Europe. Meanwhile, Soule ( Zuberoa ) was constituted as an independent viscounty, generally supported by Navarre against the pretensions of the Counts of Béarn , though at times also it admitted a certain Angevin overlordship. With

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