Mont-de-Marsan


Mont-de-Marsan is the prefecture of and a commune in the Landes department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Southwestern France.

History

The Hôtel [de Ville, Mont-de-Marsan|Hôtel de Ville] was built as an officers' mess and completed in 1901.

Military installations

The French [Air and Space Force] operates the Constantin Rozanoff Mont-de-Marsan Air Base about 2 kilometres north of the town. The base includes CEAM, an air defense radar command reporting centre and an air defence control training site. Mont-de-Marsan Air Base was formerly home to France's first operational squadron of nuclear bombers, the Dassault Mirage IVA.

Sights

  • The Donjon Lacataye is the keep of a 14th-century castle
  • Despiau-Wlérick Museum
  • Dubalen Museum
  • Maréchal Foch's equestrian statue

Culture

Stade Montois Club Omnisports is the city's main sports club: Stade Montois rugby and Stade Montois football are especially well-known. The city has around 9,000 sports licensees, which represents nearly 30% of its total population.
Two historic punk rock music festivals were held in Mont-de-Marsan's bullring in 1976 and 1977.
The Festival Arte Flamenco international festival was established 1989 in Mont-de-Marsan by the council of the Landes department and is the largest Flamenco festival outside of Spain.

Economy

Overall, three sectors dominate the economic activity of Mont-de-Marsan:
  • The agri-food sector: centered around poultry, and primarily corn, with major companies based here ;
  • The forestry sector: several companies contribute to the activities of the Industries and Future Maritime Pine competitiveness cluster;
  • The Military Aeronautical Experimentation Center: the Mont-de-Marsan Air Base is one of the main operational bases for the French Air Force.

Education

A campus of the University of Pau and the Adour Region is located in the town. It hosts research and teaching facilities of the College of Sciences and Technologies for Energy and the Environment.

Personalities

International relations

Mont-de-Marsan is twinned with: