Origins and Etymology

One has to go back to the 12th century to find the earliest mention of the Parish of Bidart. (in Charter of Bayonne, folio 14, date 1150-1170).

In times past, the parish included the neighbouring port of Guéthary. In 1577, the "Rector of Bidart and Gatari" (the parish priest of Bidart and Guéthary) is listed immediately after the name of the parish priest of Ustaritz in the order of convocation of the clergy to the diocesan synods. Had the two villages always been united ? no irrefutable proof allows us to say.

Bidart's etymology is simple. One observes inconsequential variations in the spelling of "Bidart":
- BIDART in the oldest documents (12th to 16th centuries)
- BIDART (16th and 17th centuries)
- BIDARD (18th century)

These differences, however, are irrelevant. It appears plain that the origin of the name is "BIDE ARTEAN", which means "at the meeting of the ways; at the crossroads". As a matter of fact, various roads from Biarritz, Bayonne, Arbonne, Ahetze and Saint Jean de Luz, as well as old cliff trails, converge in Bidart.

The main road from the Uhabia Plateau dates back only to 1844 (ministerial enactment of 22/09/1843).

The old road that comes down from the Plateau via the church (now Erretegia street) was formerly used by the horse courier service. Bidart was an important relay for this service, which had existed in France since as early as the 13th century : on the heights is a house called "Posta". It is on this road that on May 8 1660 Louis XIV's dazzling cortege passed on its way to Saint Jean de Luz for his wedding with Mary Theresa of Austria, Infanta of Spain, in application of the Treaty of the Pyrenees (signed in 1659 at Faisans Island on the Bidassoa River by Mazarin and Luis of Haro).