Benquet

French commune|nomcommune=Benquet
région=Aquitaine
département=Landes
arrondissement=Mont-de-Marsan
canton=Mont-de-Marsan-Sud
insee=40037
cp=40280
maire=Pierre Mallet
mandat=
intercomm=CAM
longitude=-0.500555555556
latitude=43.8308333333
alt moy=60 m
alt mini=46 m
alt maxi=91 m
hectares=2,933
km²=29.33
sans=1,345
date-sans=1999
dens=46
date-dens=1999

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".

Geography

Benquet is situated 5 miles South of the "préfecture" city of Mont-de-Marsan, at the confines of the Landes forest and of the agricultural region of Chalosse. It is 55 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

Neighboring cities are: Saint-Pierre-du-Mont, Bretagne-de-Marsan, Saint-Maurice-sur-Adour, Saint-Sever, Bas-Mauco, Haut-Mauco.

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.

Economy

Mostly corn-growing, breeding (ducks, geese), foie-gras making. Agri-foodstuff research center.

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.

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.

Personalities linked with the village

King Henri IV had an elegant home in Benquet: the Château-Vieux lodge (no longer exists).

Religion & Language

People are mostly Catholic. The official language is French. The Gascon language is still spoken by some elderly people on some occasions.

Recreational activities

Hunting (woodcocks, pheasants...) and fishing are very popular + walking (pilgrims to Santiago are still to be met), cycling, basketball playing.

Events

* Music Festival Atout Choeurs : early May
* Fair of Benquet : early July

Miscellaneous

* Communes of the Landes département

External links

* [http://www.communedebenquet.com Site the village of Benquet (in French)]
* [http://roitelets.benquet.free.fr Site of the Roitelets basketballclub (in French)]