Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède is Tarbes’ oldest monument, and its history of construction dates back to the 12th century. The Hussar collection at the Musée Massey and the Maison natale du Maréchal Foch also offer different perspectives on the city’s history. The Jardin Massey and the Marché de Marcadieu add garden architecture and a local meeting place to the mix.

Museums with different historical themes

The Musée Massey is located in the Jardin Massey and houses 17,000 objects relating to the history of the Hussars. The Hussar collection spans 400 years of history, from the 16th to the 20th century, and covers thirty different countries. Since November 13, 2002, the museum has held the designation “Musée de France.”

The Musée de la Déportation et de la Résistance focuses on a different period of history. All the objects displayed in its cases are originals brought back by former deportees and resistance fighters. The museum also displays photographs, newspaper clippings, and reproductions of posters and stamps relating to the history of the Second World War. The subject matter and exhibits thus differ from those of the Hussar collection: here, the history of the Hussars over four centuries; there, original objects and visual and printed materials about the Second World War.

Architecture and the history of individual places

Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède is predominantly Romanesque. It was built in the second half of the 12th century on the ruins of an earlier cathedral. Its lantern tower is reminiscent of churches in the Lavedan, a Pyrenean valley. This means the building brings together both a defining architectural style and a specific comparison with churches in a Pyrenean valley.

The Maison natale du Maréchal Foch, now the Musée Foch, focuses on biography. Ferdinand Foch lived there for the first twelve years of his life. The house dates from the 18th century, was built in the Bigourdane style, and bears the “Maison des Illustres” label. It was classified as a historic monument by decree on January 30, 1938.

Garden, market and cycle paths

The Jardin Massey covers 11 hectares. Its features include a cloister with 40 arches and historiated capitals. There is also a children’s playground and a maze. The Musée Massey is also located in the garden. Check the current access conditions before visiting the garden and museum.

The Marché de Marcadieu is located around and beneath the Baltard-style Marcadieu market hall. It is a meeting place for mountain dwellers and farmers from the foothills, as well as for Aragonese and Bigourdans. The hall and the groups for whom the market serves as a meeting place offer two different ways to get to know the area.

Tarbes has a well-developed network of cycle paths, allowing you to explore the city at your own pace. If you plan to include cycling in your itinerary, check local route conditions.

Discover more destinations: Seich, Odos, Aragnouet, Arbéost, Agos-Vidalos, Loures-Barousse, Saint-Laurent-De-Neste, Maubourguet.

For the regional travel overview: Hautes-Pyrénées.