Ascarat () is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants are known as Azkaratear. Geography Ascarat is located in the former province of Lower Navarre in the Aldudes Valley immediately north-west of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Access to the commune is by the D918 road from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port which passes through the length of the commune on the eastern side and continues to Louhossoa. The D15 road goes north-west from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port through the southern part of the commune continuing to Irouléguy. Access to the village is by country roads - Garategana from the D15 and Learraa from the D918. There are substantial forests in the commune however about 70% of the land area is farmland. The Nive river forms the eastern border of the commune as it flows north to join the Adour at Bayonne. Three streams flow into the Nive in the commune: the Nive d'Arnéguy, the Nive de Béhérobie, the Berroko erreka, and the Pagolako erreka. Places and hamlets Apelchénéa Arbelarréa Arrécharborda Béhérekoetchéa Bentaberria Beskinaénéa Bidartéa Bordia Burugorriénéa Caracotchéa Choko Ona Errékaldéa Fargas (château) Ferrandoénéa Garatégaïna Haranbiako Borda Harguinaénéa Harguinchuria Hirureta Indartéa Iputchaénéa Ithurraldéa Ithurricheta Jauberria Pontoussénéa Puchulua La Solitude Tofinaenea Uhaldéa Toponymy The name Ascarat appears in the forms: Ascarat (1106), Escarat (13th century), Azcarat (1350), Atzcarat (1366), Azquarat (1413), Axcarat (1513, Titles of Pamplona), Axcarate (1621, Martin Biscay<ref name="Martin Biscay">Derecho de naturaleza que la merindad de San-Juan-del-pie-del-puerto, una de las seys de Navarra, tiene en Castilla - 1622 petit in-4° </ref>), and Sanctus Julianus d'Ascarat (1763, Collations of the Diocese of Bayonne). Jean-Baptiste Orpustan indicated that the name is composed of aitz ("rock") and garate ("high place"), giving "a height of rocks".Chubitoa was a hamlet in Ascarat and Anhaux, mentioned in 1863Jauréguy was a fief, vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre, cited in the 1863 dictionary as was Larragoyen. The commune name in basque is Azkarate''. History The parish was mentioned in 1256 and was "ravaged by soldiers" in 1396. In 1391 Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry included the modern communes of Anhaux, Ascarat, Irouléguy, and Lasse. Heraldry Administration List of Successive Mayors Inter-communality The commune is part of nine inter-communal structures: the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque; the SIVOS of Garazi; the SIVU Hiruen Artean; the AEP association of Anhice; the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques; the inter-communal association for sanitation of Ur Garbi; the inter-communal association for the management and development of the abattoir at