Dax / Chalosse / Tursan / Adour

South of the Adour River which crosses the town of Dax, this hilly and green region offers many panoramas towards Béarn and the Pyrenees mountain range which can be seen to the south. Ideal for hiking or mountain biking, it is a region of good living, like all the Landes. Find star products such as the red label kiwi from Adour, duck foie gras in the north of Chalosse as far as Mugron with a high concentration of farm producers in this area, or even Saint-Sever poultry, raised outdoors.

The wines of the Tursan vineyard are here sheltered in a preserved terroir, between Dax and Mont de Marsan. The Tursan benefits from a privileged climatic situation, just after the great Landes forest and far from the famous ocean beaches. It stretches in the curves of the Adour and on the first folds of the ocean Pyrenees. Here, it is a land of gluttony, where we taste the madeleines of Dax and other local specialties... This region is also and above all the first thermal destination of France with Dax as a highlight, but also Eugénie les Bains, Saubusse, Préchacq les Bains or Saint Paul lès Dax. Immerse yourself between gastronomy, thermalism and history in an authentic territory.

The Dax arenas embody the very strong tradition of Landes races in this town and this territory.

Peyrehorade

Peyrehorade was founded in the Middle Ages between the gaves (the name of the rivers in this region) and the hill of Aspremont. The town is located at the crossroads between Chalosse, the Basque Country and Béarn. It is a pretty, quiet town, where it is good to stroll and especially go for a walk to the market, which has been in place since 1358 every Wednesday! Visit the Maison Barthouil to learn all about salmon, its fishing and its preservation by smoking.

The Château de Montréal dates from the 16th century with its 4 round towers. It houses the City Hall.

Sort the Abbey

Sorde l'Abbaye, located on the edge of the Gave d'Oléron, is home to a remarkable heritage. The village is a recognized stopover on the paths of Santiago de Compostela. The Abbey of Saint-Jean-de-Sorde, classified as a Historic Monument and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the village's main architectural treasure.

The Magnificent Abbey of Saint-Jean-de-Sorde

Hastingues

Hastingues is a fortified town founded in 1289 by John de Hastings on an ancient Roman oppidum. It was built to defend the port of Bayonne. Admire its 14th century fortified gate, its very pretty typical houses, and not far away, the superb Arthous Abbey, founded in 1167 by the Premonstratensians of Case-Dieu, classified as a Historic Monument.

Arthous Abbey hosts numerous cultural and artistic events throughout the year.

Dax

Dax is the first spa town in France. Spa visitors come from all over France. Furthermore, this city is renowned for its healing mud.

You can take some very nice walks in the old Dax where the atmosphere and the buildings alternate from the Gallo-Roman era to Art Deco. There are many fountains in the city, including the hot fountain with water at over 60 degrees (watch your fingers!). Stroll along the banks of the Adour, completely renovated and very pleasant to discover on foot, via the pedestrian bridge that spans the Adour.

The Hot Fountain of Dax (left photo: Ad Vitam CC By SA 3.0)

Bull statue near the Dax arenas, made by Christian Maas in 2000

Places to visit in Dax

• The imposing Notre Dame Cathedral, in Gothic style with beautiful stained glass windows, dates from the 13th century. Discover the park and the pedestrian streets that surround it.
• The remains of the ramparts, the city's former fortified enclosure.
  
• The Borda Museum, in the Carmes chapel, the Archaeological Crypt: a low price for 3 things to discover + a small garden and passionate guides!
  
• Take a trip to the casino and place your bets...
  
• Of course, head to the thermal baths in the town of Dax !
  
• Don't forget to try the delicious Dax madeleines from Maison Cazelle. Slightly lemony flavor for these crunchy and tender madeleines on the inside.
  
• Out of town to the south, visit the Army Light Aviation Museum…

The city center of Dax, flowery and pleasant for strolling

Montfort-en-Chalosse, Mugron, love

Montfort en Chalosse is a beautiful little village of about 1200 souls. It offers a radiant view of the Chalosse and its hills that undulate on the horizon. There are good restaurants and the Chalosse museum which reconstructs daily and domestic life in the 19th century.

Not far from there, Mugron is another small village where there is a park: Le Moulin de Poyaller. It is nestled in the greenery where you can see animals. You can also take boat trips and visit the mill.

Amou is an ancient medieval village, located on the banks of the Luy. With its typical alleys and small squares shaded by plane trees, it is a village where remains of very ancient ceramics dating from the first Iron Age have been discovered. Also discover the castle of Amou, classified as a Historic Monument... The river is perfect for fishing enthusiasts, but also canoeing and kayaking.

Amou Castle, private, but open to visitors on request

Pomarez

Pomarez is a high place of the Landes race with magnificent arenas astonishing by their size and color… They are entirely covered and it is possible to visit them and of course to attend a show when they are scheduled.

In Pomarez, there is an educational farm: La Ferme du Grand Castagnet. It can be visited in the summer. You will learn everything about this duck farm as well as the products made in a cannery.

To cool off, head to Lac de Tastoa, not far from the city. You can fish, jog on the fitness trail, observe animals and do a 2.3 km loop with a fitness trail.

The Pomarez Arena, covered!

brassempouy

The village of Brassempouy is famous for its prehistoric shelters where the Lady of Brassempouy was discovered in 1894, a 25,000-year-old mammoth ivory statuette. Discover the Brassempouy Prehistosite museum dedicated to this discovery and to the Pope's cave. The museography is interesting for all ages. Complete the visit with that of the Archéoparc, a place dedicated to archaeology, which can be visited thanks to mediators. Find demonstrations and workshops on flint knapping, prehistoric hunting with a spear thrower...

Take a stroll through the town of this small village in Chalosse, dating back to the Middle Ages and dominated by the Church, listed as a Historic Monument.

The village of Brassempouy, the statuette of the Lady of Brassempouy

Gaujacq

Gaujacq, built on a Gallo-Roman site, has kept some vestiges of its feudal citadel. It is especially famous today for its plantarium which attracts every year, in mid-May, nurserymen and collectors from all over the country.

Visit the Château de Gaujacq, built in the 17th century on a Gallo-Roman and medieval site. To see: four main buildings, splendid apartments from the 17th and 18th centuries, inhabited and furnished...

Saint Sever

The golden age of Saint-Sever, an ancient medieval commune of which traces of fortifications with gates and defensive towers remain, was in the 11th and 12th centuries, when the abbey church was rebuilt. The previous Benedictine monastery had been ruined by invasions in the 9th and 10th centuries.

Take a stroll to discover the magnificent Jacobin convent in the city. Considered one of the oldest bullfighting towns in France, Saint-Sever is visited today for its architectural riches and the breeding of its famous Label Rouge chickens. The Abbey and Church of Saint-Sever are classified as Historic Monuments and listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the routes to Santiago de Compostela.

• Discover the Cap de Gascogne Museum of Art and History (open in summer).
• Discover the Maison du Docteur Sentex, a private family home with splendid Gallo-Roman mosaics on the floor, and a very beautiful collection of earthenware.
  
• Take a walk on the Morlanne hill, a former oppidum, where you can see a beautiful view of the plain and this is where the city's arenas are located.
  

Village of Saint-Sever

Hagetmau

A former spa town, Hagetmau can be discovered through the Saint-Girons crypt flanked by its posts with sculpted capitals. It is the only vestige of an ancient abbey. Located on the Velzelay Way to Santiago de Compostela, it is a place of passage for pilgrims. The town has received the prestigious 4 flowers award for towns and villages in bloom !

Hagetmau, the city center

Eugenie-les-Bains

Eugénie-les-Bains was already known to the Romans. It was Henry IV who set up a system to enhance its sulphated waters and Empress Eugénie de Montijo sponsored it. Today, this spa resort is renowned under the impetus of the Chaine Thermale du Soleil. Chef Michel Guérard has one of our best national restaurants there…

Grenade on the Adour

Grenade sur l'Adour means "land rich in grains". This fortified town was founded in 1322 by the English. As you stroll around, you will see very pretty houses with wooden balconies, a typical example of a traditional fortified town with its quadrangular square.

The Adour Kiwi, a flagship product of Chalosse

Today, it is the flagship product of the Pays d'Orthe et Arrigans. Thirty years after its establishment, kiwi cultivation now brings together more than 350 producers who produce more than 20,000 tonnes per year. It is a product that can be enjoyed from December to May throughout France and is the only one to bear the Label Rouge designation.

Discover the Wines of Tursan

Tursan wines represent 435 hectares of vineyards, an annual production of more than 1,500,000 bottles, including 60% reds, 20% whites and 20% rosés, cabernet francs, sauvignons, tannat, and fer servadou.