Travel Guide Monein

From the Middle Ages to the 16th century, Monein, nicknamed "Little Paris" by King Henri IV, was a prosperous trading town and economic crossroads, thanks in particular to its wine industry. Monein's past as a merchant town can still be seen today, with its arcaded market halls and Gothic church. In the 19thcentury , Monein remained on the sidelines of industrialization, but continued to modernize (with a new market hall, a hospice for the poor, the adoption of new crops - tobacco and potatoes - and the development of local schools). The key moment of the 20th century was the discovery of the Lacq natural gas field in 1951. The exploitation of this manna and the development of an industrial complex pushed the town towards a new economic boom.Its great wealth lies in its vineyards. Indeed, almost 60% of Jurançon wine production is supplied by Moneinchons winegrowers. In addition, the cultivation of the roussane peach, a large peach with yellow, sweet and juicy flesh, queen of the hillsides, beautiful but fragile, also remains a source of wealth, celebrated with jurançon at the beginning of August during much appreciated and recognized festivities.Among the celebrities who have left their mark on the town is the composer Henri Duparc, a pupil of César Franck, who retired until 1896 to the Villa Florence on the hillside. Here, he entertained the poet Francis Jammes and the painter Charles Lacoste. Some called the place "La Petite Florence".