Former Flour Mill

From here, you have a wonderful view of the confluence of the Midou and Douze Rivers, which come together to form the Midouze, Mont-de-Marsan’s third iconic river. But did you know that there’s more to see from these banks? Opposite to you, you’ll spot a series of old buildings that have played an important role in the city’s history. You can tell just by looking at their stone structure how far back they go. Makes sense, since you’re standing on a historic site dating back to Mont-de-Marsan’s earliest days. We’re talking way back to the Middle Ages. Back then, this area was home to two fortified watermills, protected by the Château Vieux, meaning the Old Castle. The older of the two, the Midou mill, dates back to somewhere between the 10th and 12th centuries. Its strategic location at the crossroads of land and water routes made it a key player in the local grain trade. Boats brought grain to the mill, where it was ground into flour. And let me tell you, the city’s economy thrived thanks to this industrial activity. The second mill, the Moulin de la Douze, was built later, towards the very end of the 13th century, to meet the increasing demand for flour. Its silhouette with the distinctive wooden chimney has been kept intact for many years. In 1840, the two mills were bought out by a local soldier and politician, and converted into a flour mill. The latter was sold to the industrialist Joseph Lapelle-Lateulère, owner of the Villa Mirasol, and continued to operate until 1963. Twenty years later, the town bought the abandoned site and transformed it into an art gallery under the name “La Minoterie.” Finally, in 2013, the Tourist Office and the Resistance and Deportation Educational Centre moved in. So, as you can see, there’s a lot of history hidden along these riverbanks. Mont-de-Marsan’s historic center is full of surprises!