Aressy is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. It is part of the urban area (unité urbaine) of Pau.

Geography

Aressy is located four kilometres south-east of Pau within the urban area of Pau. Access to the commune is by the D937 road from Pau which continues south-east to Meillon. The Idelis bus route P23 stops at Aressy Clinic at Pôle Bosquet. The commune is also served by Route 835 of the Interurban network of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (Transports 64) between Bénéjacq and Pau, and by Route 805 between Lourdes and Pau. Much of the commune is residential with some farmland and a large lake in the south. The Gave de Pau flows north-west through the western part of the commune, and the Lagoin flows through the centre of the commune before joining the Gave de Pau just north-west of the commune.

Places and Hamlets

Neighbouring communes and villages

Toponymy

Its name in Bearnais is Aressi (according to the classical norm of Occitan). Brigitte Jobbé-Duval indicates that the place name could come from the Basque, meaning "place where there are rocks" which would confirm the hypothesis by Michel Grosclaude of ar- ("stone or rock") with the Basque locative suffix -etz transformed into -esse. The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune. Sources: Origins:

History

Paul Raymond noted on page 9 of his dictionary that the commune had a Lay Abbey, vassal of the Viscounts of Béarn. In 1385, Aressy had nine fires and depended on the bailiwick of Pau.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Inter-communality

Aressy is part of nine inter-communal structures:

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arésyiens or Arésyiennes in French.

Economy

The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone designation of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and Heritage

Religious heritage

The Parish Church of Saint Denys (1874) is registered as an historical monument.