Biscarrosse (French pronunciation: [biskaʁɔs]; Occitan: Biscarròssa) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.[3] It is located 65 km (40 mi) southwest of Bordeaux, and 10 km (6.2 mi) inland from the seaside resort of Biscarrosse-Plage on the Atlantic coast.
Biscarrosse | |
|---|---|
 Biscarrosse elm in January; died 2010. | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Biscarrosse  | |
  Biscarrosse  Biscarrosse | |
| Coordinates: 44°23′39″N 1°09′46″W / 44.3942°N 1.1628°W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
| Department | Landes |
| Arrondissement | Mont-de-Marsan |
| Canton | Grands Lacs |
| Intercommunality | Grands Lacs |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Hélène Larrezet[1] |
| Area 1 | 160.48 km2 (61.96 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 14,551 |
| • Density | 91/km2 (230/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 40046 /40600 |
| Elevation | 0–78 m (0–256 ft) (avg. 26 m or 85 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Near Biscarrosse is the CEL (national test centre) from which numerous French military rockets have been launched for test purposes. Likewise, the CEL has facilities for launching civilian rockets to study the upper atmosphere.
Near the town centre, outside the Café de l'orme, there was what is believed to have been the oldest elm tree in Europe. Planted in 1350, this Field Elm Ulmus minor died in 2010 after finally succumbing to Dutch elm disease.[4] Legend has it that girls deemed promiscuous were forced to stand naked upon a barrel beneath the tree for a day. One unfortunate, unjustly accused, died of shame, the tree annually producing a corona of blanched leaves in her memory.
The commune has an airport, called Biscarrosse - Parentis Airport.
Etymology edit
The toponym Biscarrosse derives from the Aquitanian language[5] or directly from the Basque word bizkar, meaning 'low ridge' or 'prominence'[6] followed by the Aquitanian suffix -ossum/-os,[5] that was used to mark presence.[6] Related toponyms are Biscay and Biscarrués.
Climate edit
| Climate data for Biscarrosse (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
26.8 (80.2) |
30.8 (87.4) |
33.5 (92.3) |
39.1 (102.4) |
42.6 (108.7) |
39.3 (102.7) |
35.5 (95.9) |
30.9 (87.6) |
27.7 (81.9) |
24.2 (75.6) |
39.5 (103.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
14.5 (58.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.4 (66.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.7 (76.5) |
23.4 (74.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
14.5 (58.1) |
11.4 (52.5) |
17.8 (64.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.7 (45.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.8 (51.4) |
12.5 (54.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
18.8 (65.8) |
20.9 (69.6) |
20.9 (69.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
11.2 (52.2) |
8.3 (46.9) |
14.2 (57.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.6 (40.3) |
4.8 (40.6) |
7.1 (44.8) |
8.8 (47.8) |
12.0 (53.6) |
15.1 (59.2) |
17.2 (63.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
15.1 (59.2) |
12.2 (54.0) |
7.8 (46.0) |
5.0 (41.0) |
10.6 (51.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.3 (9.9) |
−7.7 (18.1) |
−6 (21) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
4.8 (40.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.0 (50.0) |
11.0 (51.8) |
6.0 (42.8) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 81.6 (3.21) |
60.8 (2.39) |
58.6 (2.31) |
64.8 (2.55) |
56.9 (2.24) |
43.1 (1.70) |
35.6 (1.40) |
41.3 (1.63) |
62.4 (2.46) |
83.1 (3.27) |
93.4 (3.68) |
72.8 (2.87) |
756.6 (29.79) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 12.57 | 9.87 | 11.04 | 10.70 | 9.85 | 7.14 | 6.04 | 5.73 | 6.69 | 10.45 | 12.43 | 10.05 | 112.56 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 111.6 | 109.6 | 156.8 | 146.2 | 219.7 | 277.1 | 262.1 | 168.6 | 208.4 | 134.2 | 107.7 | 89.5 | 1,991.5 |
| Source: Meteo climat[7][8] | |||||||||||||
Population edit
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 7,159 | — |
| 1975 | 8,058 | +1.70% |
| 1982 | 8,065 | +0.01% |
| 1990 | 9,054 | +1.46% |
| 1999 | 9,281 | +0.28% |
| 2007 | 12,209 | +3.49% |
| 2012 | 13,391 | +1.87% |
| 2017 | 14,182 | +1.15% |
| Source: INSEE[9] | ||
Seaplane activity edit
Nearby Hourtiquet once hosted an important seaplane base, serving the builder Latécoère and airlines Aéropostale and its successor Air France. A seaplane museum exists at the shores of the Lac de Biscarrosse et de Parentis.
During World War II the base served German military seaplanes; two Dornier 24 flying boats were recovered from the lake in 1980 and 1981.[10]
Since 1991, the lake has seen bi-annual seaplane fly-ins.[11]
Oil exploration edit
After the demise of seaplanes after World War II, the lake gained new interest at the discovery of petroleum. It has the greatest reserve in France. Petroleum exploitation is situated on the shores of the lake, in the commune of Parentis.
Education edit
References edit
- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ INSEE commune file
- ^ "L'Orme de Biscarrosse".
- ^ a b Dauzat, Albert (1979). Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de lieu en France [Etymological Dictionary of name places in France] (in French). Paris: Librairie Guénégaud. ISBN 2-85023-076-6.
- ^ a b "Website of town of Biscarrosse". Archived from the original on 26 October 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ "Moyennes 1981/2010: Région Aquitaine" (in French). Météoclimat. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ "STATION Biscarosse" (in French). Météoclimat. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
- ^ "Classic Wings Magazine".
- ^ "Plateau aéronautique. Rassemblement International d'Hydravions à Biscarrosse dans les Landes". Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
External links edit
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