VIEW ON THE ADOUR AND BARTHES
Saint-Barthélemy is a village of 500 inhabitants located on the banks of the Adour, a few kilometres upstream from the mouth. The Barth d’Adour represents a remarkable and original wetland composed of wooded areas and floodable meadows that shelter a multitude of birds (cranes, spatulas, storks, herons, gulls, passerines…) as well as many animal species (otters, mink, cistudes, lucanes…) and plants (angelica, marsilea…) protected.
By damming up the river and adding an ingenious system of floodgates (imported from Holland in the 16th century), the water level in the barthes was regulated and a very characteristic habitat was created: large farms generally consisting of a stable on the ground floor (floating floor), living rooms upstairs and an attic under the roof. Although the occupants sometimes have to contend with major flooding, they nevertheless benefit from fertile soil and a river teeming with fish (eels, lampreys, shad, etc.).
You have to leave the banks of the Adour to discover the small village of St Barthélemy. It is made up of a number of Basque-Landesque houses, from which the town hall and the old school stand out. The Gothic church perched on a rocky outcrop offers a panoramic view of the barthes, the Basque country and the Pyrenees. An orientation table is the starting point for a 12 km signposted walking trail, much appreciated by nature-watchers.
