Banca, Pyrénées-Atlantiques


Banca is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France in the former province of Lower Navarre.
Banca is part of Pays Quint, an area of pasture area which belongs to Spain but is cultivated by French farmers.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Bankars.

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

Climate

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 or two from bancs de pierre.
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
NameSpellingDateSourcePageOriginDescription
BancaLa Fonderie1750CassiniVillage
Lafonderie1793Ldh/EHESS/Cassini
Banca1832Orpustan
Bihuntzeguiko errekaBihuncéguy1863Raymond
31
Stream rising in Banca and joining the Nive at Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
ChuritchaLe Col de Churitcha1863Raymond
50
Mountain Pass on the Spanish border
EhuntzaroyLe Col d’Éhunsaroy1863Raymond
58
Mountain Pass on the Spanish border
ElhoriettaLe Col d'Elhoriéta1863Raymond
58
Mountain Pass on the Spanish border
GathulyGathuly1863Raymond
68
Mountain on the border with Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
Forêt d’HayraHayra1863Raymond
76
Forest shared with Urepel
LindusLindux1863Raymond
102
Mountain on the Spanish border
MeharrozteguiLe Col de Méharoztéguy1863Raymond
111
Mountain pass to Aldudes
MehatzéLe Col de Méhatcé1863Raymond
111
Mountain pass to Spain
MizpiraLe Col de Mizpira1863Raymond
114
Mountain pass to Aldudes
MizpiracharMizpirachar1863Raymond
114
Mountain on the Spanish border

Sources:
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 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
FromToNamePartyPosition
19952001Gratien Arambel
20012008Dominique Etcheverry
20082020Michel Oçafrain

Inter-communality

The commune is part of four inter-communal structures:
In 2010 the commune had 335 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known from the population censuses conducted in the commune since 1793. From the 21st century, a census of communes with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is held every five years, unlike larger communes that have a sample survey every year.

Economy

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 zone of Ossau-iraty.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

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

Facilities

Education

The commune has a primary school.

Sports

There is a Fronton traversed by a road.