Aran River
Encyclopedia
The Aran, from Basque
Harana, is a left tributary of the Adour
, in the French Basque Country, in Aquitaine
, Southwest France
.
The river is also known as the Joyeuse, which is also the name of a tributary of the Bidouze
.
in Hélette
. It flows between the Zihorri and Atezain, collects in Mendionde
waters from Macaye
, flows by the former castle of Garro, Bonloc
, La Bastide-Clairence
and the abbey of Belloc before joining the Adour
at Port du Vern, below Urt
. There, boats named galupe, gabarre and couralin, were used for the carriage of stones or cattle, and today still, by fishermen.
The Aran shelters a rich ecosystem where can be found pike
s, carp
s, zander
s, eel
s, plaice
s, shad
s, lamprey
s, mullet
s and seabass
es as well as, in season, salmon
s and elvers.
word haran(a) that means '(the) valley'.
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
Harana, is a left tributary of the Adour
Adour
The Adour is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre , at the Col du Tourmalet, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost as the Adour du Tourmalet. At its final stretch, i.e...
, in the French Basque Country, in Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
, Southwest France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The river is also known as the Joyeuse, which is also the name of a tributary of the Bidouze
Bidouze
The Bidouze, is a left tributary of the Adour, in the French Basque Country , in the Southwest of France.- Geography :The Bidouze rises at the base of Eltzarreko Ordokia in the Arbailles massif....
.
Geography
The Aran rises on the northern side of the BaiguraMount Baigura
Mount Baigura, Baïgura, Baygoura or Baighoura is a mountain of the inner French Basque Country. Transmitters are set up near its summit....
in Hélette
Hélette
Hélette is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-External links:*...
. It flows between the Zihorri and Atezain, collects in Mendionde
Mendionde
Mendionde is a small village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-External links:...
waters from Macaye
Macaye
Macaye is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-Neighboring communes:* Hasparren to the north* Cambo-les-Bains to the north-west* Mendionde to the east* Louhossoa to the west* Bidarray to the south-References:*...
, flows by the former castle of Garro, Bonloc
Bonloc
Bonloc is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. A resident of Bonloc is known as a 'Lekuindar'.-External links:...
, La Bastide-Clairence
La Bastide-Clairence
La Bastide-Clairence is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-People:...
and the abbey of Belloc before joining the Adour
Adour
The Adour is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre , at the Col du Tourmalet, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost as the Adour du Tourmalet. At its final stretch, i.e...
at Port du Vern, below Urt
Urt
Urt is a village in Gascony in the traditional province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-External links:...
. There, boats named galupe, gabarre and couralin, were used for the carriage of stones or cattle, and today still, by fishermen.
The Aran shelters a rich ecosystem where can be found pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
s, carp
Common carp
The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
s, zander
Zander
Zander is a species of fish. The scientific name is Sander lucioperca , and it is closely allied to perch. Zander are often called pike-perch as they resemble the pike with their elongated body and head, and the perch with their spiny dorsal fin. Zander are not, as is commonly believed, a pike and...
s, eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
s, plaice
European plaice
The European plaice, Pleuronectes platessa, is a commercially important flatfish.- Distribution and habitat :The geographical range of the European plaice is off all coasts from the Barents Sea to the Mediterranean, also in the Northeast Atlantic and along Greenland...
s, shad
Shad
The shads or river herrings comprise the genus Alosa, fish related to herring in the family Clupeidae. They are distinct from others in that family by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. The several species frequent different areas on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea....
s, lamprey
Lamprey
Lampreys are a family of jawless fish, whose adults are characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth. Translated from an admixture of Latin and Greek, lamprey means stone lickers...
s, mullet
Mullet (fish)
The mullets or grey mullets are a family and order of ray-finned fish found worldwide in coastal temperate and tropical waters, and in some species in fresh water. Mullets have served as an important source of food in Mediterranean Europe since Roman times...
s and seabass
European seabass
The European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, also known as Morone labrax, is a primarily ocean-going fish that sometimes enters brackish and fresh waters. It is also known as the sea dace...
es as well as, in season, salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
s and elvers.
Départements and towns
- Pyrénées-AtlantiquesPyrénées-AtlantiquesPyrénées-Atlantiques is a department in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.- History :...
: HéletteHéletteHélette is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-External links:*...
, MendiondeMendiondeMendionde is a small village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-External links:...
, BonlocBonlocBonloc is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. A resident of Bonloc is known as a 'Lekuindar'.-External links:...
, AyherreAyherreAyherre is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-External links:* Information available in Spanish...
, La Bastide-ClairenceLa Bastide-ClairenceLa Bastide-Clairence is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-People:...
, UrtUrtUrt is a village in Gascony in the traditional province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-External links:...
.
Main tributaries
- Aphara or Joyeuse from AyherreAyherreAyherre is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre.-External links:* Information available in Spanish...
, - Mendialtzu or Zuhi Handia, from the confluence of:
- Marmareko erreka
- Hazketa.
Name
The name Aran proceeds from the BasqueBasque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
word haran(a) that means '(the) valley'.