Ainhice-Mongelos


Ainhice-Mongelos is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ainhiztars or Monjolostars.

Geography

Location

The town is part of the country Basque province of Cize of Lower Navarre. It is located in the Pyrenees mountains some 40 km in a direct line southeast of Bayonne and about 15 km northeast of the Spanish border. The commune is mostly farmland with scattered small forests.

Access

Access to Ainhice-Mongelos is via the Highway D933 which runs northeast from Saint-Jean-le-Vieux which runs from southwest to northeast along the eastern side of the commune through the village of Mongelos continues northeast, ending near Saint Palais. Just south of the commune at Lacarre, the Highway D422 branches from the D933 to the northwest and passes through the western side of the commune, ending at Lopeenia just to the west of the commune. No other highways enter the commune. The village of Anhice-Mongelos can be reached by a country road from the D933 at Mongelos or by any of the many country roads which cover the commune.

Hydrography

In the Drainage basin of the Adour, the commune is traversed by a tributary of the Nive, the Lakako erreka and, a tributary of the Laurhibar, the Arzubiko erreka and by tributaries of the latter, the Bassaguibeléko erreka and the Idiondoa brook. The Artikaitéko erreka which flows into Bidouze also passes through the commune.

Localities and hamlets

The name of the commune in Basque is Ainhize-Monjolose. According to Jean-Baptiste Orpustan the origin of the name Ainhice remains unknown. According to Brigitte Jobbé-Duval Mongelos is a Gascon name meaning Mont Jaloux.
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
NameSpellingDateSourcePageOriginDescription
AngelosAnƒiz1135OrpustanVillage
Aniça1264Mérimée
Aniça1309Orpustan
Anhice1304Mérimée
Anhice1307Orpustan
Aniça1350Mérimée
Anhice1366Mérimée
Anhice1413Orpustan
Ainza1513Raymond
4
Pamplona
Añiza1621Raymond
4
Biscay
Aniça1621Raymond
4
Biscay
Aynice1621Raymond
4
Biscay
Ainhisse1665Raymond
4
Navarre
Ainza1513Raymond
4
Pamplona
MongelosMongelos1249MériméeVillage
Mongelos1264Orpustan
Mongelos1309Orpustan
Mongelos1413Orpustan
Mont gelos1292Mérimée
Montis gelosi1304Mérimée
Mont gelos1307Orpustan
Monjelos1321Raymond
115
Camara
Mont gelos1350Orpustan
Mongelos en Cize1477Raymond
115
Ohix
Saint-Jean de Mongelos1703Raymond
115
Ohix
AchurdéAchurdé1863Raymond
2
A mountain pass between Lantabat and Ainhice-Mongelos
ElizaldeaEliçalde1412MériméeList of fires in the Kingdom of Navarre
ElizetchékobordaÉlissetche1863Raymond
58
Fief, vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre
ErdoïsErdoïs1863Raymond
59
Fief, vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre. Raymond also mentions that there was a Prebendary of the name "founded in the church of Ainhice".
Fleur-de-LysFlor-de-Lis1621Raymond
64
BiscayFief, vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre

Sources:
Origins:
The medieval village of Mongelos was established in 1240 as subject to the King of Navarre. Formerly subject to Ainhice, they were reunited on 16 August 1841.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors of Anhice-Mongelos
FromToNamePartyPosition
19952004Guillaume Eyharts
20042020Jean-Pierre Irigoin

Inter-communality

The commune belongs to seven inter-communal organisations:

Economy

Economic activity is mainly agricultural. The town is part of the zone of appellation of Ossau-iraty.
Euskal Herriko Laborantza Ganbara or the "Chamber of Agriculture for the Basque Country" is an association under the law of 1901 founded on 15 January 2005 and is headquartered in Ainhice-Mongelos.

Culture and heritage

Languages

According to the Map of the Seven Basque Provinces published in 1863 by Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte, the dialect of Basque spoken in Ainhice-Mongelos is eastern low Navarrese.

Civil heritage

Several houses and farms are registered as historical monuments. These are:
The town has a kindergarten.