Maréchal Joffre Street

This is the Grand Street, the town’s main thoroughfare in the Middle Ages, which ran from the castle and extended ever further eastwards. In fact, you couldn’t really go in any other direction. The south was cut off by the Gave River and the north by the Hédas stream, which has been channeled and buried. New town gates were successively installed as the street expanded. In the 17th century, it was possible to cross the Hédas stream and the town expanded northwards. The heart of the street used to beat to the rhythm of the various institutions located there. These included the castle, but also the convents and, later, the parliament. It is lined with private mansions, which were built to house notables. During the French Revolution, the convents and parliament disappeared and the prefecture was created. In the 19th century, following the unprecedented economic development of the city, the street became a shopping thoroughfare, and the beautiful buildings along the way housed shops on their ground floors. As you can imagine, over the course of all these eras, the street didn’t always bear the same name. From Grand Street to Royal Street, it took on many other names, including Marchande Street, National Street, Constitution Street, Law Street, and finally Prefecture Street in 1791. It was only after World War I that it was renamed, once and for all, Maréchal Joffre Street, in honour of the French marshal. Thanks to major works carried out in 2011 and 2012, the street has been restored and entirely pedestrianised as it was in the past. I’ll let you continue, and take Jeanne d’Albret Street on your left. By the way, you should know that this historical figure to whom we pay tribute here is none other than King Henri IV’s mother.