Travel Guide Mirande

This pretty bastide was founded in 1281 on the site of the village of Saint-Jean-de-Lézian. Medieval alleyways lead to the large central square, encircled by arcades and featuring a period bandstand. At the end of rue de l'Évêché, the bell tower-porch of the church of Sainte-Marie spans the street with its two flying buttresses, a unique construction in France. The town also boasts the remains of fortifications, the Rohan, Astarac and Bourreau towers, as well as a beautiful 19th-century steel-framed market hall. Since its foundation, the town has been nicknamed Mirande-la-Jolie for its perfect checkerboard pattern. Today, it's a peaceful yet lively rural town, awarded the "Station Verte" label, and one of the few French cities to have obtained the demanding international "Cittaslow" label, dedicated to the environment and quality of life. It's true that time takes on a special flavor within the beautiful walls of the bastide, or in the unspoilt countryside that surrounds it, which you can discover by taking one of the many hiking trails in the vicinity. Culture is not to be outdone, and the town even boasts its own museum of fine and decorative arts, with a fine collection of old paintings and earthenware. Sadly no longer in existence, it was above all the famous country music festival that Mirande was famous for ("Country in Mirande"): for four days, the south of the Gers took on the accents of the Deep South of the United States...