Located 25 km northeast of Mont-de-Marsan in the Landes region, Saint-Justin is a fortified town founded in 1280 by the Viscountess of Marsan and the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem.
Previously, in the 5th century, Saint-Justin, the first Bishop of Bigorre and companion of Saint Sever, had evangelized the region.
Due to its strategic location, this characterful town has experienced a "warlike" history, as evidenced by its three octagonal towers, the patrol path along the remains of the ramparts, and its curious prison.
It was besieged by the English in 1533, pillaged by the Protestants in 1569, and destroyed during the Fronde.
Saint-Justin is a flowery village whose charm, inherited from centuries of history, stems from its arcaded square, its carved timber-framed houses, its residences with mullioned windows, and its romantic manor house.
It was also home to Gaston Phoebus, Jeanne d'Albret, Henri IV, Louis XIII, and his niece, La Grande Mademoiselle. Also passing through was a gentleman bandit, Compère Guillery, a notorious purse snatcher.
During your visit, don't miss the ancient cobbled hill, unique in the Landes region, and neighborhoods that offer their own unique curiosities, such as the churches of Douzevielle, with its Fountain of the Seven Sorrows, which cured skin ailments, the church of Argelouse, near a fountain said to cure headaches, and the church of Saint-Martin-Noët.
Also worth seeing is the Château de Fondat, built in 1607 and remodeled during the Romantic era, with its park planted with rare species.
Saint-Justin Town Hall
1, Place des Tilleuls,
40240 Saint-Justin
Tel. : 05 58 44 82 16
