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Mont-de-Marsan (Municipality, Landes, France)

Flag of Mont-de-Marsan - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 21 April 2024

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Presentation of Mont-de-Marsan

Mont-de-Marsan (30,674 inhabitants in 2021; 3,688 ha) is a commune and préfecture of the Landes department.

The foundation of Mont-de-Marsan is due to Pierre de Lobanner, Viscount of Marsan, Tursan and Gabardan. Until then, the viscounts were based in Roquefort, further east, at the confluence of two rivers, the Doulouze and the Estampon. Interested in the confluence of the Midouze, Pierre founded a new town in 1133 on land from the parishes of Saint-Pierre-du-Mont and Saint-Genès-des-Vallées. The city had a large fortress built around the town and a castle located on the current site of the Theatre, known as “le Castelnau”. It was in the 14th century that Gaston III de Foix-Béarn (Fébus or Phoebus) decided to enlarge the Castelnau and strengthen the Château de Nolibos, located at the northeast corner of the fortifications. He also reinforced the ramparts on the east side of the city (part of which is still visible).
Mont de Marsan was under English domination until the middle of the 15th century and suffered little from the Hundred years war. On the other hand, it suffered a lot from the wars of religion.
From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, the river port of Mont de Marsan was very active. The city was an important stage for trade, with barges that transported products from Gascony, wine, spirits, wheat from Armagnac, tar, honey, wood, resinous products... In the 18th century, by order of Richelieu, the city lost its castle, its towers and its walls to make way for large squares and wide, verdant thoroughfares.
The city became the Landes prefecture in 1790. On his way to Spain, Napoleon I stopped at Mont de Marsan in 1808 and had a decree signed ordering the construction of administrative buildings (prefecture, court, prison).

After 1860 and the establishment of the Landes forest desired by the Emperor Napoleon III, activities related to wood were added to those of the port.
During the Second World War, the city, occupied by the German army from June 28, 1940, was crossed by the demarcation line. The occupying army requisitions the aerial platform, and makes it the most important base of the Luftwaffe in the South-West of France.

Olivier Touzeau, 10 May 2022

Flag of Mont-de-Marsan

The flag of Mont-de-Marsan is white with the shield of the coat-of-arms. It can be observed in the city hall : photo (2024).

Olivier Touzeau, 21 April 2024

The arms of Mont-de-Marsan are blazoned: Azure two keys affronty argent.
As reported by French Vexillologist Pascal Vagnat [website], a a white flag with the arms is in use in the local golf course: photo (2021), photo (2014).

Olivier Touzeau, 10 May 2022