Bordes: Camin'Arros, Arros and local history

Bordes offers several concrete starting points for planning a trip: a named route, local history and a village festival. If you are looking for a hotel in Bordes, these topics can help you consider your travel dates alongside your interests. The focus is on the Camin'Arros, the churches’ architectural history and the earthwork of the Oppidum of Hourquet.

The Arros and the Camin'Arros

The Arros River runs through Bordes from south to north. The Camin'Arros is distinct from the river: it connects Tournay with the centre of Bordes. The route is 2.7 kilometres long and takes approximately 30 minutes. The river and the route therefore provide different points of reference: one runs through the village, while the other connects two named destinations. The distance indicates the route length; the approximate half-hour gives you an initial idea of the time required. You can take both into account separately when planning your day.

The Camin'Arros can be reached via Rue du Gabastou, near the campsite on the banks of the Arros. The street name and the campsite’s proximity provide concrete reference points to help you identify the access point. Before setting off, check the route conditions and signage on site.

Local history: church and oppidum

Bordes’ present-day church was built between 1864 and 1881. The earlier church stood in what is now the cemetery; it was demolished in 1876 after it was deemed at risk of collapse. The demolition took place while the present-day church was being built. The dates therefore describe two separate events that overlapped in time: the construction of the present-day church and the demolition of the earlier one.

The rectangular earthwork of the Oppidum of Hourquet is 57 metres long and 40 metres wide. It is enclosed by an earth wall two metres high and a ditch three metres deep. The length and width describe its ground plan; the wall’s height and the ditch’s depth give the dimensions of its boundaries. This makes the earthwork’s horizontal extent and vertical features clear as separate measurements. Multiplying the length by the width gives a calculated ground area of 2,280 square metres, quantifying its extent as an area.

Traces of the Roman road Césarée between Lanespède and Capvern have led to the hypothesis that the Oppidum of Hourquet served as a Roman garrison post. This possible function remains a hypothesis and is not a confirmed attribution. The local history thus pairs specific information about the site’s form with a cautiously worded historical interpretation.

Village festival and trip planning

The Bordes village festival takes place on the last weekend of July. Check the date for the relevant year for your specific travel dates before finalising your trip.

Discover more destinations: Castelnau-Magnoac, Maubourguet, Vielle-Adour, La Barthe-De-Neste, Nistos, Hourc, Hibarette, Puydarrieux

For the broader travel overview: Hautes-Pyrénées.