Saint-Barthélemy is located on the banks of the Adour, a few kilometres upstream from its mouth. The local Barthes form a remarkable, characteristic wetland consisting of wooded areas and flood-prone meadows. They provide a habitat for birds such as cranes, spoonbills, storks, herons, gulls and songbirds.
Nature
The Barthes are home to protected animal and plant species, including otters, mink, European pond turtles, stag beetles, angelica and Marsilea species. The Lesteyras Valley is part of the larger Barthes de l’Adour valley, which belongs to the European Natura 2000 ecological network. In the surrounding area, the birdwatching tower in the Lesgau hunting reserve offers the opportunity to observe numerous birds during walks, including cranes in winter.
Culture and history
Traditional farmhouses in the Barthes often consist of a stable on the ground floor, living quarters on the upper floor and an attic beneath the roof. The Gothic Church of Saint-Barthélemy stands on a rocky promontory. The viewpoint at the Church of Saint-Barthélemy offers panoramic views over the Barthes, the Basque Country and the Pyrenees.
Saint-Barthélemy was formerly a barony of Gosse belonging to the Albret lordship and became an independent commune in 1789 under the name Mont Paludar. The former Church of Saint-Barthélemy was replaced in 1873 by a neo-Gothic church designed by the Biarritz-born architect Soussigné. Until the 19th century, Saint-Barthélemy had a small port on the Adour, which was then an important navigable waterway in the region.
Paths and routes
The “Circuit des Barthes Hautes” circular route in Saint-Barthélemy is 12.7 km long, moderately difficult and suitable for hiking and mountain biking; it focuses on the Adour and the Barthes. Near the Pont de Palle, this circular route reaches a woodland area consisting of willows, alders, elms and ash trees. Before a very steep descent, the “Circuit des Barthes Hautes” offers views of the Adour Valley and the Pyrenees.
“L’Adour à Saint-Barthélemy” is a 12.6 km blue-marked circular route for hiking or mountain biking. It starts at the Church of Saint-Barthélemy and passes through forests, hillsides and flood-prone meadows. The route follows the Adour along a wide, flat cycle path. “Coteaux et barthes de Saint-Barthélemy” is designated as hiking trail number 7.
The “Circuit du Séqué” circular route passes through the marshy woodland of the Lesteyras Valley, which is home to a diverse range of animal and plant life.
An information board marks the starting point of a signposted footpath of approximately 12 km.
Those choosing Saint-Barthélemy as a travel destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment.
Other places: Lacquy, Arjuzanx, Cauna, Saint-Vincent-De-Tyrosse, Sainte-Eulalie-En-Born, Saint-Loubouer, Préchacq-Les-Bains, Onesse-Et-Laharie
