As we are moving in the deep south of France , let me tell you about a town drawn from the middle ages and still almost intact.
The best is the car by here and you will love it ,the scenes are spectacular. We were canvassing the region and came here from reading a tourist brochure , my dear late wife Martine love it. The station at Orthez is about 22 km and Dax is at 45 km. The first mention of the town with the name of Sauveterre was shown in a map of Dax around the year In this map it was explained that by a certain Loup Brasc de Sauveterre was sent by the Viscount of Oloron, to remove the clergy in favor of the bishop of Oloron du Garenx and of Reveset areas.
The mission was accomplished and this Loup Brasc received a war horse as prize and the right to governed the town of Sauveterre. Thereafter ,Sauveterre belongs to the Viscount and the Bishop of Oloron. He ordered built the Viscount castle ,a Hospital for the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela and strenthen the bridge. He died at the castle of Sauveterre in To do this , he raises an army to invade Castile. The fortifications are streghten and improved; the castle, the bridge are renovated.
His body is brought to the castle of Sauveterre ,and buried eventually in the Convent of the jacobins of Orthez. Sauveterre will play a pivotal role in the independence of Navarra during the 16C as a frontier town. France invaded Navarra and takes Pamplona. Under the Spanish army led by the Prince of Orange the kingdom of France is invaded.
The city is attacked and surrended. However, few months later the Baron of Miossens and a group of locals re takes Sauveterre. The town faces the Calvinist Protestants with the Catholic Basques; and Sauveterre is attacked by the Basques in During this time , the Catholic rite is prohibited in the city and the Convent of Carmelites is destroyed; all Catholics are sent to exile.
