Ramparts and Promenade of August 21, 1944

With the ancient ramparts on your left, it’s easy to imagine Mont-de-Marsan’s medieval past. Founded in 1133 by Viscount Pierre de Marsan, the city was the seat of his lordship. As such, it had a major defensive role to play. To fulfill this mission, the city quickly set about building 10-metre-high walls and 5 sturdy gates, each flanked by a tall tower. Most likely dating back to the 12th century, these ruins are what’s left of Mont-de-Marsan’s first shell-stone city walls. These fortifications were listed as historical monuments on November 21, 1942, in recognition of their historical and architectural importance. Strolling through this peaceful patch of greenery, it’s hard to imagine the dramatic events that unfolded here on August 21, 1944. Let’s go back a few chapters, when the Germans forced their way into town over 75 years ago. Local resistance fighters set up a roadblock to defend their land and the enemy eventually retreated. The townspeople were quick to see this as a sign of victory. Yet their joy was short-lived, as the Germans came back with more troops. A battle was fought on the Bats Bridge, claiming several lives of local soldiers. Just when all seemed lost, they fired two automatic weapons at the Luxey Bridge, blowing up the German ammunition truck. The Germans withdrew and Mont-de-Marsan was free once more. This time, it was for real!