Landes
''Landes'', or ''Lanas'' in Gascon, means moorland or heath.
''Landes'' and ''Lanas'' come from the Latin ''plānus'' meaning “‘flat, even, level, plain’”. They are therefore cognate with the English plain (and plane), the Spanish word '' ...
department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
Mont-de-Marsan
Mont-de-Marsan (; Occitan: ''Lo Mont de Marçan'') is a commune and capital of the Landes department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
Population
Military installations
The French Air and Space Force operates the ''Constantin Rozan ...
Bretagne-de-Marsan
Bretagne-de-Marsan (; oc, Bretanha de Marsan) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Landes department
The following is a list of the 327 communes of the La ...
Saint-Sever
Saint-Sever (, Gascon ''Sent Sever'' ) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.
History and geography
Saint-Sever stands on an eminence. It is south of Mont-de-Marsan, on the left bank of the ...
Benquet, belonging to the former royal province of
Gascony
Gascony (; french: Gascogne ; oc, Gasconha ; eu, Gaskoinia) was a province of the southwestern Kingdom of France that succeeded the Duchy of Gascony (602–1453). From the 17th century until the French Revolution (1789–1799), it was part o ...
, was under the rule of the abbey of Saint Sever. Jehan Bernard de Benquet, vassal of the prince of
Navarre
Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
, had the title of Sénéchal of Marsan and of Gabardan. Fights with French Huguenots are reported here.
Population
Its inhabitants are called ''Benquetois''.
Economy
Mostly corn-growing, breeding (ducks, geese), foie-gras making. Agri-foodstuff research center.
Twin cities
Benquet is the twin village of Muespach-le-Haut, on the German border. As a matter of fact, population from Alsace flew their region and found shelter in South-Western France when the Nazi troops arrived in the early stages of World War II.
Sights
Churches St John the Baptist (19th century) and Saint Christau (eleventh century). Benquet is a stopover on the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago Compostela (route of
Vézelay
Vézelay () is a commune in the department of Yonne in the north-central French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is a defensible hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and its 11th-century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdalene are de ...
). Benquet boasts a the privately owned
château de Laurens Castelet
Château de Laurens Castelet is a château in Benquet, Landes
''Landes'', or ''Lanas'' in Gascon, means moorland or heath.
''Landes'' and ''Lanas'' come from the Latin ''plānus'' meaning “‘flat, even, level, plain’”. They are therefor ...
and a "miraculous" spring, close to the church of St Christau.
Benquet château.JPG, Château de Benquet
Benquet St Christau 1.JPG, 11th century church
King Henri IV
Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarch ...
had an elegant home in Benquet: the Château-Vieux lodge (no longer exists).
Religion and language
People are mostly Catholic. The official language is French. The
Gascon language
Gascon (; , ) is the name of the vernacular Romance languages, Romance variety spoken mainly in the region of Gascony, France. It is often considered a variety (linguistics), variety of Occitan language, Occitan, although some authors consider ...
is still spoken by some elderly people on some occasions.
Recreational activities
Hunting (woodcocks, pheasants...) and fishing are very popular + walking (pilgrims to Santiago are still to be met), cycling, basketball playing.
Events
* Music Festival Atout Choeurs : early May
* Fair of Benquet : early July
See also
*
Communes of the Landes département
The following is a list of the 327 communes of the Landes department of France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories i ...