Autevielle-Saint-Martin-Bideren is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.

Geography

Autevielle-Saint-Martin-Bideren is located some 20 km south-west of Orthez and 9 km north-east of Saint-Palais. Access to the commune is by road D936 from Abitain in the north which passes through the length of the commune and the village then continues east. The D246 goes west from the village to join the D134 west of the commune. The D140 goes south from the village to Osserain-Rivareyte. The west of the commune is mostly forest while the east is mostly farmland. The Gave d'Oloron forms the north-western border of the commune as it flows north-west to join the Gave de Pau forming the Gaves réunis at Peyrehorade. The Saison flows through the commune from the south-west and joins the Gave d'Oloron on the north-western border.

Places and hamlets

Toponymy

The name Autevielle in béarnais is Autivièla. The name Bideren in béarnais is Vidèren. For the name Autevielle Michel Grosclaude proposed two Latin origins: alta villa ("high town") or Altina villa ("Domain of Altinus"). For the name Bideren Michel Grosclaude proposed a probable origin of the man's name Vital with the gascon suffix -enh. For the name Saint-Martin Michel Grosclaude indicated that it undoubtedly came from the Bishop of Tours - Martin of Tours. The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune. Sources: Origins:

History

Paul Raymond noted that in 1385 Autevielle and Saint-Martin together had 11 fires with 8 fires at Bideren. They depended on the bailiwick of Sauveterre. The communes of Autevielle, Saint-Martin, and Bideren merged on 18 April 1842.

Administration

Inter-communality

The commune is part of six inter-communal structures:

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 205 inhabitants. The population data given in the table and graph below include the former communes of Saint-Martin and Bideren, absorbed in 1842.

Economy

Economic activity is mainly agricultural. The commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and heritage

Religious heritage

The commune has one religious building that is registered as an historical monument: