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Navarrenx (Municipality, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France)

Flag of Navarrenx - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 14 June 2022

Presentation of Navarrenx
Flag of Navarrenx

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Presentation of Navarrenx

Navarrenx (Béarnese: Navarrencs; 1,050 inhabitants in 2021; 621 ha) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department.

Traces of settlements on the site date back to the first centuries of our era.

Navarrenx is reported in an 11th century cartulary under the name of Sponda-Navarrensis. In 1188, a charter of Gaston VI called the "bridge of Navarrenx" provides for the construction of a stone bridge, the establishment of a market every fortnight as well as a perimeter of "sauveté". The bridge was finally built in 1289. It facilitates access to the Pyrenean passes and Navarre, especially for pilgrims on the way to Compostela. Indeed, the village is an important step on the road to Le Puy at the crossroads of the paths leading to the Somport pass to the east and Ronceveaux to the west. The first fortress defending access was built before this date: it is Casterasse, of which only stones remain outside the current ramparts. In 1316, the village received bastide status from Viscountess Marguerite de Béarn. Anxious to establish his power over Navarre, Henri II d'Albret reinforced the military value of the city in the 16th century. After the destruction of Casterasse by the army of William of Orange in 1523, he had the current ramparts built by an Italian architect, Fabricio Siciliano. They made the city the main fortress of the Viscount. It thus becomes a century before Vauban the first bastioned city of France: it has never been defeated. Its main elements are: 1657 meter long ramparts built between 1538 and 1547 with bastions, fortified gates and watchtowers. The arsenal built later in 1680 could have contained 30,000 balls and all kinds of weapons of the time. During the wars of religion, Baron Bernard d'Arros, lieutenant general of Queen Jeanne d'Albret, endured a 4-month siege in 1569 before being rescued by the Protestant leader Montgomery.

The Saint Germain church was built from 1551, in late Gothic style with interior decorations in stone masks: one wears a pilgrim's hat. Successively a Catholic church then a Protestant temple, Louis XIII came to restore Catholic worship there. Revamped several times, the church suffered the abuse of the Revolution and the Constituent installed the capital of the department of Basses Pyrénées there for a few months before Pau recovered this title. The church was remodeled one last time in 1852 by the addition of its entrance bell tower. The church was visited by Napoleon III who came to see Dr Darralde, one of the Empress' doctors and mayor of the town. You can see at the entrance the paintings offered by the Emperor.

The bridge over the Gave rebuilt in 1583 was repaired several times before seeing its track increased to 5.5 meters wide in 1988. In the 17th century Navarrenx was considered as a river port with rafts transporting tree trunks from the Aspe valley; 300 rafts passed through it every year. At the end of the 19th century, Navarrenx lost its military function. Work on road and rail infrastructure led to the destruction of the old Saint-Germain gate which faced France.

Since 2014, the town has been in the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The most beautiful villages of France")

Olivier Touzeau, 13 June 2022

Flag of Navarrenx

The coat of arms of Navarrenx is blazoned: Azure a fleur-de-lis or a label of three Gules in chief. The motto reads: Si you ti bau (if I go there). It was the name of the largest cannon in the fortified city, confiscated by Louis XIII in 1620, and the motto is a challenge launched by this cannon to enemies.

The flag is white with the coat of arms (photo, city hall, 2012; photo, 2012; photo, city hall, 2017).

Olivier Touzeau, 13 June 2022