Banca, Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Banca Banka
Commune
A general view of Banca
Location of Banca
Banca Banca
Coordinates: 43°07′39″N 1°22′23″W
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Arrondissement	Bayonne
Canton	Montagne Basque
Intercommunality	CA Pays Basque
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Michel Oçafrain
Area 1	49.60 km2 (19.15 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	351
• Density	7.1/km2 (18/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	64092 /64430
Elevation	231–1,275 m (758–4,183 ft) (avg. 522 m or 1,713 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Banca (French pronunciation: [bɑ̃ka]; Basque: Banka) is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. It is part of the former province of Lower Navarre.

Banca is part of Pays Quint (Kintoa in Basque or Quinto Real in Spanish), an area of pasture area which belongs to Spain but is cultivated by French farmers.

Geography

Banca is located in the Aldudes valley on the banks of the Nive des Aldudes some 15 km south-west of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. The western and eastern borders of the commune are the national frontier between France and Spain. Access to the commune is by the D948 road from Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry in the north which passes through the commune and the village and continues south-west to Aldudes. There are no crossing points in the commune to Spain. The commune is mainly rugged alpine pastures.

Hydrography

The Nive des Aldudes flows from Aldudes in the south-west, gathering tributaries such as the Antchignoko Erreka, the Ruisseau d'Hayra, the Latcharrako Erreka, and the Belechiko Erreka on the northern border, and continues north-east to join the Nive south of Saint-Martin-d'Arrossa. The Ruisseau d'Hayra rises in the south of the commune and flows north gathering tributaries such as the Lehaltzarteko Erreka, the Caminarteko Erreka, and the Legarzuko Erreka to join the Nive des Aldudes near the village.

Places and Hamlets

• Achistoy
• Agnesto
• Amosta
• Antcharteko Borda
• Antcheigno
• Antcholako Etchola
• Antonénéa
• Apialépoa
• Ardaza
• Argaray
• Argaray (wood)
• Arrabit
• Array
• Artéko Borda
• Asundreykoborda
• Atchaurra
• Ausquiénéa
• Barberaénéa
• Barnetchia
• Basoritz
• Beguibelcha
• Behostemetaka
• Berginanto
• Berhain (pass)
• Betripeillonénéa
• Betrizina
• Bichar
• Bidabéheréa
• Bihurrieta
• Bordacharréa
• Bustanénéa
• Cardinalia
• Carminatéko Borda
• Chabukody Lépoa
• Champagne
• Chanchoénéa
• Changala
• Chaochako Kaskoa
• Chasperro
• Chinta
• Chiriatéguia
• Chuhy
• Churritcheguy
• Cocagaïchto
• Colomio
• Curutcheko Kaskoa
• Curutchetako Borda
• Dartépé
• Dominé
• Ehuntzaroy (pass, 971m)
• Elhorrieta (pass, 831m)
• Elichaldia
• Erdizako Borda
• Erreguéréa
• Errekaénéa
• Erremerreka
• Errolako Ithurria
• Esculeguy
• Etcheberria
• Eyhérazaïna
• Eyhérazaïnako Borda>
• Fagaldénéa
• Galant
• Gathuly Béhéréa
• Gathulyko Ithurria
• Gnafarénéa
• Gnimigno
• Golko
• Golomio Ithurria
• Goroldi
• Gorria
• Gosnaisto
• Guichonaenea
• Guildeizar
• Guzmuztiko Borda
• Halzéta
• Harguintoa
• Harrigaitzeko Kaskoa
• Harrigorri
• Harzia
• Hauzay
• Hayra
• Hayra (forest)
• Hayra Sar
• Hortz Zorrotz (rocks)
• Ilharragorria
• Ilharragorrikomalda
• Indiano
• Iramebako Borda
• Iramehaca
• Irausta
• Ithurrialde Béhéréa
• Ithurrialde Garaya
• Jaureguibeheréa
• Joanes Ederra
• Jokutako Lépoa
• Katchaenéa
• Labaquia
• Lechéa
• Legarzuko Borda
• Legaza (mill)
• Lehaltzarte
• Lekayoénéa
• Lepeder
• Lepobelcha
• Lezetako Lépoa
• Lindus
• Manechénéa
• Maneixhandy
• Marieyhéra
• Maristola Ithurria
• Maritcho
• Marmaroa
• Martinbelchénéa
• Matchin Ithurria
• Meharroztegui (pass, 738m)
• Mehatzé (pass, 1133m)
• Menta
• Minchendo
• Mizpira (pass, 832m)
• Mizparachar (pass, 1139m)
• Moroinborda
• Mutikoénéa
• Musquet
• Ohakoa
• Olapideko Etchola
• Olhaberrieta
• Ondarlako Ithurria
• Orkastia
• Otsachar
• Otsahartéa
• Otsarrapeguy
• Otsartéa
• Oyhançaro
• Pago Zelhay (pass, 888m)
• Peilloénéa
• Peilloeneko Borda
• Petanénéa
• Petechaénéa
• Premonio
• Tchipitcho Etchola
• Teylary or Nahala (pass, 932m)
• Tipitto
• Todoria
• Turitchia
• Uhaillen Borda
• Uhaldéa
• Urbaztarréa
• Urlabéhéréa
• Urlagaraya
• Urritzolahandiko Etchola
• Uzkalépoa
• Zaku
• Zakuko Borda
• Zubiarin
• Zubiarinzahar
• Zumazoko

Traditional house in the Aldudes Valley.

Climate

Climate data for Banca, Pyrénées-Atlantiques (1981–2010 averages, extremes 1949–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	22.3 (72.1)	29.0 (84.2)	33.0 (91.4)	35.0 (95.0)	36.5 (97.7)	41.4 (106.5)	40.9 (105.6)	42.6 (108.7)	37.5 (99.5)	35.0 (95.0)	28.0 (82.4)	24.0 (75.2)	42.6 (108.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	11.0 (51.8)	12.3 (54.1)	15.3 (59.5)	16.9 (62.4)	20.8 (69.4)	23.9 (75.0)	25.9 (78.6)	26.1 (79.0)	23.7 (74.7)	19.4 (66.9)	14.1 (57.4)	11.5 (52.7)	18.4 (65.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	6.9 (44.4)	7.6 (45.7)	10.0 (50.0)	11.5 (52.7)	15.1 (59.2)	18.1 (64.6)	20.1 (68.2)	20.3 (68.5)	17.7 (63.9)	14.5 (58.1)	9.9 (49.8)	7.6 (45.7)	13.3 (55.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	2.8 (37.0)	3.0 (37.4)	4.7 (40.5)	6.1 (43.0)	9.3 (48.7)	12.3 (54.1)	14.3 (57.7)	14.5 (58.1)	11.8 (53.2)	9.5 (49.1)	5.7 (42.3)	3.8 (38.8)	8.2 (46.8)
Record low °C (°F)	−12.6 (9.3)	−13.0 (8.6)	−8.5 (16.7)	−2.5 (27.5)	1.0 (33.8)	3.0 (37.4)	6.2 (43.2)	3.5 (38.3)	1.0 (33.8)	−1.5 (29.3)	−7.7 (18.1)	−9.7 (14.5)	−13.0 (8.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	187.6 (7.39)	159.5 (6.28)	158.6 (6.24)	181.2 (7.13)	131.5 (5.18)	84.4 (3.32)	74.9 (2.95)	84.4 (3.32)	115.3 (4.54)	152.9 (6.02)	212.5 (8.37)	201.6 (7.94)	1,744.4 (68.68)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	13.4	11.9	12.7	14.8	13.2	9.8	8.3	9.4	10.0	12.3	13.0	13.3	142.1
Source: Meteo France

Toponymy

The commune name in Basque is Banka.

For John-Baptiste Orpustan, the origin of the name Banca can have two interpretations: one lent from the Spanish banco designating the bench on which money was exchanged (which gave the French word banque which gave the English bank) or two from bancs de pierre (stone benches).

The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.

Name	Spelling	Date	Source	Page	Origin	Description
Banca	La Fonderie	1750	Cassini			Village
	Lafonderie	1793	Ldh/EHESS/Cassini
	Banca	1832	Orpustan
Bihuntzeguiko erreka	Bihuncéguy	1863	Raymond	31		Stream rising in Banca and joining the Nive at Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
Churitcha	Le Col de Churitcha	1863	Raymond	50		Mountain Pass on the Spanish border
Ehuntzaroy	Le Col d'Éhunsaroy	1863	Raymond	58		Mountain Pass on the Spanish border
Elhorietta	Le Col d'Elhoriéta	1863	Raymond	58		Mountain Pass on the Spanish border
Gathuly	Gathuly	1863	Raymond	68		Mountain on the border with Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
Forêt d'Hayra	Hayra	1863	Raymond	76		Forest shared with Urepel
Lindus	Lindux	1863	Raymond	102		Mountain (1220m) on the Spanish border
Meharroztegui	Le Col de Méharoztéguy	1863	Raymond	111		Mountain pass to Aldudes
Mehatzé	Le Col de Méhatcé	1863	Raymond	111		Mountain pass to Spain
Mizpira	Le Col de Mizpira	1863	Raymond	114		Mountain pass to Aldudes
Mizpirachar	Mizpirachar	1863	Raymond	114		Mountain on the Spanish border

Sources:

• Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy
• Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750
• Ldh/EHESS/Cassini: Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Banca, EHESS (in French).
• Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. (in French)

History

Banca owes its origin to the revival in the 18th century of the copper mines which had operated in ancient times. Banca was known as Le Fonderie (The Foundry) until the 19th century" and, under the Ancien Régime, it was a hamlet or district under the parish of Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry. It was not made a commune until 1793 under the same name, then in 1874 it was renamed "Banca". The remains of a large forge, a steel foundry started in 1828 on the site of the former copper smelter, stands at the entrance of the village on the banks of the Nive des Aldudes. The most visible element is a blast furnace in good condition.

The first armed action by Iparretarrak took place in Banca on 11 December 1973.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

From	To	Name
1995	2001	Gratien Arambel
2001	2008	Dominique Etcheverry
2008	2026	Michel Oçafrain

Inter-communality

The commune is part of four inter-communal structures:

• the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque;
• the inter-communal association for the development and management of the slaughterhouse in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port;
• the association to support Basque culture.
• the joint association for the drainage basin of the Nive;

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Bankars.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 803 —     1800 590 −4.31% 1806 999 +9.17% 1821 1,068 +0.45% 1831 1,419 +2.88% 1836 1,280 −2.04% 1841 1,429 +2.23% 1846 1,309 −1.74% 1851 1,327 +0.27% 1856 1,064 −4.32% 1861 1,069 +0.09% 1866 1,020 −0.93% 1872 1,020 +0.00% 1876 1,027 +0.17% 1881 952 −1.51% 1886 944 −0.17% 1891 872 −1.57% 1896 828 −1.03%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 829 +0.02% 1906 833 +0.10% 1911 815 −0.44% 1921 800 −0.19% 1926 770 −0.76% 1931 780 +0.26% 1936 748 −0.83% 1946 735 −0.18% 1954 799 +1.05% 1962 672 −2.14% 1968 634 −0.97% 1975 524 −2.69% 1982 450 −2.15% 1990 426 −0.68% 1999 373 −1.47% 2007 348 −0.86% 2012 332 −0.94% 2017 346 +0.83%
Source: EHESS and INSEE

Economy

The Banca Mine

The copper/silver mines and the associated smelter reached their peak in the middle of the 18th century and the forge, with its blast furnace, was in operation from 1828 to 1861.

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

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

• The Banca Mine on D948 (19th century). These remains are at the northern entrance of the village including a blast furnace. The supply canal is fed by the waters of the Nive captured upstream and turn a wheel of a blower machine which injected air at the base of the blast furnace through two nozzles. The adjacent building, still dominated by the canal, housed the forge fires and hammers to make cast iron and a splitting mill for splitting iron bars.
• Houses and Farms (19th century)
• The Redoubt of Lindus (1813). This redoubt was used during the Franco-Spanish War 1813–1814.
• The Gorria Farmhouse (now a Stable) (18th century)
• The Gixonaenea Farmhouse (1808)
• The Xangala Farmhouse (19th century)

Religious heritage

The Parish Church of Saint Peter.

• The Parish Church of Saint Peter (19th century) is registered as an historical monument.

Environmental heritage

• The Petechanea Gallery (0.1 hectares) is one of the locations of the regional conservatory of natural areas of the Pyrenees.
• Mountain Peaks
  • Mount Harrigorry 806 m
  • Munhogain 853 m
  • Otsamunho 901 m
  • Errola 908 m
  • Abraku 1003 m
  • Ichtauz 1024 m
  • Antchola 1119 m
  • Mehatzé 1209 m
  • Lindus 1220 m
  • Mendimotcha 1224 m
  • Aurigna 1278 m

The Fronton.

Facilities

Education

The commune has a primary school.

Sports

There is a Fronton traversed by a road.

See also

• Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department

Bibliography

• Mines and Metallurgical Establishments of Banca, dir. P. Machot, J&D, Biarritz, Izpegi, Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, 1995, 306 p. (in French)
• Pierre Machot and Gilles Parent, "Mines and Metallurgy in the Valley of Baïgorry", in The Valley of Baïgorry, Éditions Izpegi, reprinted in 2002 (in French)
• Gilles Parent, "The handiwork of the Copper Foundry of Banca in the 18th century" in Revue d'Histoire Industrielle des Pyrénées Occidentales, No. 2, 2007, p. 143–222, Éditions Izpegi (in French)