Victor Hugo Street

As we’ve seen, the past is ever-present along the riverbanks. Yet if we venture a little further, we’ll find that Mont-de-Marsan has a more modern side. Take Victor Hugo Street, for example – you’ve been on it for a few seconds now. Don’t you find it charming, with its elegant bourgeois houses and neoclassical public buildings? Its history began when Mont-de-Marsan officially became the capital of the Landes department in 1790. At the time, there was a bit of rivalry with other towns like Dax and Tartas. They say that the Dax delegation overslept the day they were supposed to travel to Paris to make their case. Meanwhile, the Mont-de-Marsan folks claimed that the Dax representatives were distracted by young women on their journey! Whatever the truth, Napoleon I chose Victor Hugo Street, then known by another name, to build a series of administrative buildings. Between 1807 and 1821, the city saw the construction of its first courthouse, the Landes prefecture, a police station, stables, a prison and a second version of the Madeleine Church, the first having unfortunately collapsed. With this new-found status, Victor Hugo Street became the place to be. Everyone wanted to settle in what was known as “the most beautiful part of town.” Nobles and wealthy families fought tooth and nail to build their homes on this 360-metre-long historic street. So you see, Victor Hugo Street owes its elegance to the city’s rise to power, which truly made it a must-see on any visit to Mont-de-Marsan.