Benquet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Commune of Benquet | |
| Location | |
| Longitude | 0° 30' 02" W |
| Latitude | 43° 49' 51" N |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Région | Aquitaine |
| Département | Landes |
| Arrondissement | Mont-de-Marsan |
| Canton | Mont-de-Marsan-Sud |
| Intercommunality | CAM |
| Mayor | Pierre Mallet |
| Statistics | |
| Altitude | 46 m–91 m (avg. 60 m) |
| Land area¹ | 29.33 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
1,345 |
| - Density (1999) | 46/km² |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 40037/ 40280 |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
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Benquet is a commune of France, located in the département of Landes (40), in the région of Aquitaine, in France. Its inhabitants are called Benquetois.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Benquet is 5 miles South of the préfecture city of Mont-de-Marsan, at the confines of the Landes pine-tree forest (the biggest in Europe) and of the agricultural region of Chalosse. It is 55 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.
Its neighbor towns are: Saint-Pierre-du-Mont, Bretagne-de-Marsan, Saint-Maurice-sur-Adour, Saint-Sever, Bas-Mauco, Haut-Mauco.
[edit] History
Benquet, belonging to the former royal province of Gascony, was under the rule of the abbey of Saint Sever. Jehan Bernard de Benquet, vassal of the prince of Navarre, had the title of Sénéchal of Marsan and of Gabardan. Fights with French Huguenots are reported here.
[edit] Economy
Mostly corn-growing, breeding (ducks, geese), foie-gras making. Agri-foodstuff research center.
[edit] Twin cities
Benquet is the twin village of Muespach-le-Haut, on the German border. As a matter of fact, population from Alsace flew their region and found shelter in South-Western France when the Nazi troops came in in the early stages of World War II.
[edit] Places and monuments
Churches St John the Baptist (19th century) and Saint Christau (11th century). Benquet is a stopover on the midieval pilgrimage route to Santiago Compostela (route of Vézelay). Benquet boasts a beautiful privately-owned château and a "miraculous" spring, close to the church of St Christau.
[edit] Personalities linked with the village
King Henri IV had an elegant home in Benquet: the Château-Vieux lodge (no longer exists).
[edit] Religion & Language
People are mostly Catholic. The official language is French. The Gascon language is still spoken by some elderly people on some occasions.
[edit] Recreational activities
Hunting (woodcocks, pheasants...) and fishing are very popular + walking (pilgrims to Santiago are still to be met), cycling, basketball playing.
[edit] Events
Music Festival Atout Choeurs : early may
Fair of Benquet : early July
[edit] Miscellaneous
[edit] External links
| Previous stop Saint Pierre-du-Mont |
Santiago Compostela pilgrimage Via Lemovicensis |
Next stop Saint-Sever |
