Office de Tourisme de l'Albret à Vianne Medieval fortified town and historical heritage

Bordering the Baïse river, Vianne is a magnificent testimony to the medieval past of the Albret, one of the rare bastides that has managed to preserve all of its fortifications from the assaults of time and men.

This new town appeared at the end of the 13th century, a time when Aquitaine was torn between the kings of France and England, since 1154. In that year, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine, married Henry Plantagenet, shortly after being repudiated by Louis VII, King of France. When her new husband was crowned King of England, becoming Henry II Plantagenet, Eleanor had already included Aquitaine in her dowry.

The Bastide of Vianne was founded in 1284 by the alliance of the local lord, Jourdain de l'Isle, and the King of England Edward I.

Its fortifications have withstood the ravages of time and man, standing as one of the most authentic testimonies to Albret 's medieval past. Entering through one of the gate towers, one enters the town to explore the bastide and its secrets, stepping back in time. Here, one will discover what many historians consider a model of medieval town planning.

Open during the summer months of July and August