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Bordères-sur-l'Échez (Municipality, Hautes-Pyrénées, France)

Flag of Bordères-sur-l'Échez - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 3 July 2022

Presentation of Bordères-sur-l'Écheze
Flag of Bordères-sur-l'Échez

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Presentation of Bordères-sur-l'Échez

Bordères-sur-l'Échez (5,407 inhabitants in 2021; 1,595 ha) is a commune of the department of Hautes-Pyrénées, 6 km northwest of Tarbes.

The village was originally established on an old Gallo-Roman villa located near the castle of Urac with, below, the Échez river. About 1,300 years ago, on the edge of the deep forests separating Tarba On the Béarn hillsides of Ger, there were barns and little farms (bordes), hence the name Bordes Hères, given to this place bordering the Échez river. Around the years 800, the local community cleared woods and moors, and built a chapel.

In 1148, in order to reward them, Pierre de Marsan, Count of Bigorre, his wife Béatrix and his son Centulle, placed the people of Bordes Hères under the protection of a new order, the Order of the Temple, which had been created in 1118. The purpose of the Templars was the surveillance of holy places and the physical and financial protection of pilgrims. Under the administration of the Templars, the village built a fortified commandery intended to receive crusaders and pilgrims on the road to the Holy Land. In 1171, Bordes Herès was given its charter of emancipation but under the decision of the Count of Orleix, this right was confiscated. Until the decision of Pope Clement V to abolish the Order, the Templars, dressed in their white coats stamped with the red cross, lived peacefully. The papal decision led to the execution of the last commander of the Templars of Bordes Herès in Auch, in 1313, as well as the distribution of the Order's wealth to King Philippe le Bel and to the Hospitallers of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. All that remains of the commandery today is a section of wall and the wood of the Commander, whose history says that a treasure would be buried there.

Gradually Bordes Hères became Bordères but it was not until January 30, 1897 that the name of Bordères-sur-l'Échez was established.

Olivier Touzeau, 2 July 2022

Flag of Bordères-sur-l'Échez

The flag of Bordères-sur-l'Échez could be observed near the town hall in 2009: it is white with logo (photo, 2009).

Olivier Touzeau, 3 July 2022