Montgaillard combines a rich local history with municipal hiking trails through the hilly countryside. Its history includes churches, a former seigneurial mill and a historic washhouse; the trails pass by several restored remains. The town lies on the border between Tursan and Chalosse. The Adour Valley forms the northern side of the foothills, while the Bahus Valley forms the western side.
Churches: two distinct building histories
Several construction phases can be distinguished at Notre Dame de Pitié. It was originally a seigneurial chapel; it became a parish church only after the Concordat of 1802. Notre Dame de Pitié was demolished in 1850 and subsequently rebuilt according to the plans of Monsieur Poydenot of Château de Prous.
The Prieuré de Saint-Gilles offers a different perspective on the town’s history. It was built in the early 14th century and was under the authority of Saint-Gilles Abbey in the Diocese of Nîmes. After being restored, it became the parish church of Saint-Gilles in 1756. Archaeological finds from 1886 showed that the priory had been built on the ruins of a church dating back to antiquity. By comparison, Notre Dame de Pitié’s history centres on a change of function and rebuilding, while the priory’s reflects a long building history with an archaeological past.
Mill and washhouse: former uses
The Moulin de Montgaillard, a former seigneurial mill at the lower end of the village, operated until the end of the 1950s. It is being restored in stages. Its former use and its gradual restoration mark two distinct chapters in its history.
The Lavoir et sa Fontaine highlights its building history and former use. In 1913, the owner of the adjoining meadow allowed the mayor at the time to build a covered washhouse over an existing one. It was used until running water was introduced. The Association des Compagnons du Patrimoine renovated the washhouse. The progression from the existing washhouse to the later covered structure makes the architectural development of the Lavoir et sa Fontaine easy to follow.
Hiking through the hilly countryside
The municipal hiking trails start at the town hall and descend along the Chemin du Castéra. They wind through the hilly countryside and pass several remains restored by the Association des Compagnons du Patrimoine. Starting at the town hall and following the downhill section along the Chemin du Castéra provide clear landmarks for planning a hike. Several restored remains lie along the trails, adding a cultural and historical perspective to the landscape.
A local story about food culture
Another story leads to Château Robert. It was there that the story of the Marie Hot free-range yellow farm chicken with Label Rouge began. On 13 January 1965, the Marie Hot free-range yellow farm chicken received the first Label Rouge in history, numbered 01.65. This adds a dated chapter of local food history to the architectural and hiking perspectives: the focus is on a product and its award, not a building or a route.
Discover more destinations: Baigts, Gastes, Labenne-Océan, Préchacq-Les-Bains, Saint-Sever, Mimizan-Plage, Parentis-En-Born, Hastingues.
See the main travel guide: Landes.
