Monfort can be discovered on two scales: the grid layout of its bastide and the countryside of the Lomagne gersoise, crisscrossed by marked walking trails. Historic buildings and the line of a former moat shape the town. This gives travellers starting points for considering both local history and the landscape when choosing where to stay.

Bastide and heritage in Monfort

The bastide of Monfort has a distinctive grid layout: its streets intersect at right angles. This street pattern gives the town a clear urban form and makes the bastide a coherent theme to explore, rather than focusing only on individual buildings. Anyone interested in the history and layout of towns will find a tangible starting point here for exploring Monfort.

The Church of Saint-Clément was founded in 1275, at the same time as the bastide. It has been classified as a historic monument since 1964. These two dates represent different aspects of its heritage: the shared founding period of the church and bastide, and its later classification. The church organ is also listed as a historic monument. The building and one individual part of its furnishings thus stand out as distinct protected features.

An unusual wooden market hall adds to the buildings that define Monfort. The town is also connected with the poet Saluste du Bartas through a house that was his birthplace. The market hall and this literary connection each draw attention to a different aspect of the town’s heritage: a distinctive building and a figure associated with the town.

Promenade and walking trails

The Promenade des Remparts follows the route of Monfort’s former moat. In doing so, it brings an earlier line of the fortifications into the present-day picture of the town. Anyone interested in the development of the bastide can consider this route alongside the right-angled streets: one recalls the former boundary, the other the town’s internal layout.

An audio tour of Monfort is narrated by local residents. It offers a different perspective from looking at the town plan or individual buildings: local voices provide the framework for an exploration that is not focused on architecture alone. Those interested in Monfort’s cultural heritage can consider the audio tour alongside the Church of Saint-Clément, the market hall and the connection to Saluste du Bartas.

Marked walking trails cross the countryside around Monfort, taking in the gentle, bright landscapes of the Lomagne gersoise. Depending on whether the bastide’s layout, individual heritage sites or the landscape is your main interest, you can plan your trip around different priorities.

Accommodation and choosing where to stay

Monfort’s campsite is in the heart of the bastide, 200 metres from the village square. This provides a clear point of reference when planning your accommodation: its location can be considered in relation to both the bastide and the village square. If you are considering Monfort as a destination, you can take this into account alongside the cultural and landscape features that interest you during your stay.

Your choice of where to stay here also depends on which side of Monfort you want to focus on. The town layout, the Church of Saint-Clément and the market hall offer different cultural points of interest; the marked trails lead into the countryside around the town. When looking for accommodation, you can therefore first decide whether you are more interested in heritage, walking or a combination of the two.

Discover more destinations: Larressingle, Maupas, Montegut, Montégut-Arros, Lombez, Vergoignan, Montréal, Terraube.

For the broader travel overview: Gers.