Montesquiou...on the Compostelle pilgrim route
Montesquiou...on the Compostelle pilgrim route
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A preserved environment
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The village square
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The sunday morning summer market
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Hiking around Montesquiou
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Ernst Carree, portrait painter of all the locals
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Montesquiou fortified gate

MONTESQUIOU

Built on a rocky spur overlooking River Osse, Montesquiou is a XIIth century « castelnau » deeply steeped in the history of the  de Montesquiou landlords.

From that era, remain parts of fortifications and scenic small streets.

Many traces of the Neolithic and Gallo-Roman occupation  can also be found.

Lords of Montesquiou, issued from the Counts of Fezensac, thus  from the Dukes of Gascony, belonged to one of the main « seigneuries » in Armagnac.  The mother of d’Artagnan, the famous musketeer, belonged to the Montesquiou d’Artagnan family.

From the tower gate (one of the oldest in the Gers) one can enjoy the  fascinating panoramic view towards the Pyrenees. Through it, runs the pilgrims’ route from Arles to Compostela (the Arles route). 

Just below, at Bourdieu, the Seigneurs de Montesquiou founded St Blaise hospice used to welcome the « Jacquets » as early as the XIIIth century.

Saint-Martin church, built on the site of a earlier one (XIIth century) contains a remarkable flamboyant Gothic style choir.

The castle was destroyed following the French Revolution. But today, outside the walls, can be seen the « Tour de Lamothe », remains of a XVth century castle belonging to a younger branch of the de Montesquiou line.

To discover in the village :

The Pilgrim’s route from Arles to Santiago de Compostela.

The « Natura 2000 »  natural area : the Lizet Lake.

In the cemetery, the Chapel and its Flemish style altarpiece.