Last modified: 2024-10-19 by olivier touzeau
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![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-64-sb.gif)
Flag of Salies-de-Béarn - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 26 June 2022
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Salies-de-Béarn (Basque: Hendaia; 4,545 inhabitants in 2021; 5,208 ha) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department.
The name comes from its naturally occurring saline water. According to legend, a wild boar was the origin of the city in the 17th century: wounded by hunters, he went to die in the marshes in the middle of the forests that covered the region. The hunters having found it several days later in a good state of conservation discovered on this occasion that the marsh contained salt. In reality, the place is named Salinae from the tenth century in the cartulary of Bigorre.
The origins of Salies-de-Béarn date back to the Bronze Age, around 1500 years BC. At that time, Salies-de-Béarn salt was already extracted by evaporation of salt water in ceramic pots discovered during archaeological excavations. The habitat is then probably centered around the Salt Fountain from which salt water springs naturally.
Salies-de-Béarn reached its peak in the 19th century and during the first half of the 20th century, the thermal baths were renowned and large luxury hotels welcomed a European clientele (Hotel du Parc, Hotel de France et d'Angleterre). Doctor Brice de Coustalé de Larroque (1812-1882), a native of Salies-de-Béarn, district doctor to the Emperor Napoleon III and the imperial family, attracted a wealthy clientele thus contributing to the notoriety of the spa Under the occupation, during the Second World War, the demarcation line passed through the territory of the municipality of Salies-de-Béarn. Since the end of the 20th century, spa and tourist attendance seems to be on the rise again thanks to the balneotherapy area, golf and the development of hotels, lodges and bed and breakfasts.
Olivier Touzeau, 26 June 2022
The coat of arms is blazoned:
Quarterly, 1. Gules a sameau Argent hanging from a stick Or, the chief
Azure three mullets Or, 2. Azure a ring Argent, 3. Argent three
fleur-de-lis Sable fesswise, 4.Or two cows Gules horned gorged and
belled azure (= Béarn).
The sameau is a wooden container with a capacity of more than 100
liters which was used to draw and transport salt water.
Olivier Touzeau, 26 June 2022
The arms are shown in the Armorial Général.
The Salt Festival, organized in September in Salles for more than 40 years, hosts the Sameau Bearers' World Championship. A sameau contains 92 liters of salted water, for a total weight of 130 kilograms.
Women did not bear sameaux but herrades, smaller containers placed on the head. The Salt Festival includes the Herrade Bearers' World Championship, and even the herradinettes series for younger girls (pictures)
Ivan Sache, 27 June 2022
The flag, observed in 2014, is white with the coat of arms (photo from here).
Olivier Touzeau, 24 June 2022
Banner
![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-64-s1.gif)
Banner of Salies-de-Béarn - Image by Ivan Sache, 27 June 2022
A forked, vertically divided red-yellow banner charged with the arms of Salies was used during the Salt Festival 2015 (source: Sud-Ouest newspaper).
Ivan Sache, 27 June 2022