The Church

The church is dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Virgin. It is oriented towards the east following ancient tradition. According to the departmental architect Mr. Andral, the church dates back to the 16th century. It is surrounded by the parish cemetery where still to be found are some small disc-shaped stones with old and enigmatic motifs used as ornaments on Basque tombs of old. The stele represents a man's head and bust (see the cemeteries of Arcangues and Ostabat). There are ten steles in the more recent part of the cemetery; these are tombs of the "Gudari", Basque soldiers of the Spanish Civil War. 

The cemetery entrance, the porch and the bell tower had a different appearance in the 19th century. The porch, earlier known as the "chapter house" was home to the parish assembly (viz. Parish records, 26/03/1747). School lessons were also dispensed there.

 On the South side, one finds an old bricked-in doorway surmonted by an empty niche (no doubt this is the one observed by Victor Hugo in 1843).

The church walls are between 1 metre and 1.20 metres thick. The vaulting and the balconies were rebuilt following a fire. Nathalie of Serbia, who retired to Bidart after her conversion to Catholicism, donated the baptismal fonts, done in the Byzantine style, and painted by her sister, princess Ghika.

Opposite the pulpit can be seen a wooden crucifix, the work of a fine craftsman, dating back to a transition period (between the 16th and the 17th centuries).

In the choir, at the lower right-hand side of the stair, stands the church's most valuable item : a solid oak statue of St. James in pilgrim's attire, the work of an accomplished artist. Specialists date it back to the 17th century and consider its origin to be possibly Spanish. An altar was dedicated to it. The dazzling altarpieces, strongly influenced by the Spanish architectural style, date from 1750. The patron of the church, Our Lady of the Assumption, dominates the centre. The vestry is home to a very precious ivory crucifix in the Meridional style, dating back to the 16th century. The frame is 17th century.