Association

The CGPA is an association created in 1985, founding member of the Federation of Genealogy of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It brings together amateur genealogists, beginners or experienced.

The CGPA has set itself several roles :

• WELCOME and ADVISE people wishing to do research in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques :

You can meet us at receptions or workshops scheduled several times a week all year round (see the News section).
Members of the CGPA are very often present in the reading room, just ask at the reception to be connected with them.
By planning well ahead of time, an appointment can be made by email (see Contact us).
The CGPA can also provide advice on the use of genealogy software.

A random photo...

• SAVE and RELEASE old documents by systematic transcripts or photographs of the deeds or certificates contained in the civil or parish registers of the municipalities of the department, or any other document kept in the departmental or communal archives, or by private individuals. These transcripts are made by volunteers who are or aren’t members of the association.

From these transcripts’ charts are drawn up, deposited in the departmental archives which make them available to the public in paper format.

These surveys are controlled, one by one, and gradually put online on the association's website in a database, part of which is accessible to the public and a part reserved for members.

Photographs of documents or books held by individuals can be made available to all members in a Dropbox account on the internet reserved for CGPA members.

• INFORM, PUT in CONTACT, FAVOUR exchanges between amateur and experienced genealogists: during meetings (Monday afternoon), during the annual general meeting, with the help of electronics reviews regular : "La Lettre du CGPA", from a website and a Yahoo forum for members.

In the magazine, each member can have the articles of his choice published, his discoveries in the registers, the list of surnames he studies in our region, etc. He can ask the questions he wants in the "Questions and Answers" section. All work in progress or carried out is reported.

On the forum, each member can post messages that will be read by all forum subscribers. Thus, he can ask all the genealogical questions that come to him, and, have a better chance of finding someone who can answer them.

• MAKE AVAILABLE a specialized library and genealogical magazines exchanged with nearby departments. The library and these magazines are freely accessible to members of the Pyrenees-Atlantic departmental archives.

• RESPONDING TO RESEARCH REQUESTS : This is not the main purpose of the association. It is only occasional help. It is only done if a volunteer is available, and is function of the time available to do the research.  Don't expect a whole family tree to be made for you.