Lestelle-Montaut : Les Bastides

This circular walk between the villages of Lestelle-Bétharram and Montaut in the Pays de Nay showcases various landscapes and exceptional examples of the area’s heritage. Since the Middle Ages, Bétharram has been a strategic crossing point between Bearn and Bigorre, protected by the fortified towns of Montaut and Lestelle. A first bridge made of wood was constructed in the 15th century. On the Piedmont Way towards Santiago de Compostela and after the “miracle” of the “beau rameau” (beautiful branch), a chapel, then a sanctuary and a Calvary were built between the 17th and the 19th centuries. The priests of Bétharram also built a monastery, a seminary and a school. The impressive size of the buildings testifies to the success of these establishments. More recently they have become, respectively, a museum, a retirement home and a secondary school.