Lannepax – Bastide, Church and Armagnac

If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Armagnac, it is worth first considering the character of the destination. Lannepax is a 13th-century bastide. Remnants of its walls and ditches, the Church of Saint-Jacques, the Pont du Diable, and the distillery and ageing cellars of Armagnacs Delord offer different points of interest. You can therefore choose your destination according to whether local history, church architecture, a classified site, or a visit related to Armagnac is your priority.

Bastide history and houses

Remains of the walls and ditches that once surrounded Lannepax have been preserved. Many houses from this period can be recognised by their half-timbering or by their porticoes, known as “embans”. This brings together two aspects of the bastide’s history: remnants of the town’s enclosure and features found on many houses. “Embans” refers to the porticoes, while half-timbering describes a building technique. The half-timbering and porticoes draw attention to the houses themselves, whereas the wall and ditch remains relate to the enclosure of the bastide.

The Church of Saint-Jacques

The Church of Saint-Jacques de Lannepax appears to date from the 14th century and is located southeast of the bastide square. It has three naves, three bays and a flat-ended choir. The naves are the lengthwise sections of the church interior; bays are the sections into which it is divided. The choir’s flat-ended design is another distinct feature of the building. Its location southeast of the bastide square describes its position in the town, while the naves, bays and choir draw attention to the church’s architecture.

By contrast, the half-timbering and “embans” are features found on many houses, while the church’s floor plan brings a single building into focus. If you are interested in local history, you can distinguish between exploring the bastide houses and the architecture of Saint-Jacques.

Pont du Diable and the Rieuze

The Pont du Diable in Lannepax is designated as a classified site. There, the Rieuze has carved a gallery beneath the Ténarèze road for about 200 metres. Unlike the church and houses, the focus here is not on the layout of a building, but on the geological relationship between the river, the gallery and the road. The designation as a classified site and the Rieuze’s gallery offer different points of interest: one identifies the status of the Pont du Diable, the other its geological feature.

Visit Armagnacs Delord

The distillery and ageing cellars of Armagnacs Delord can be visited year-round, Monday to Friday. The visit is therefore not limited to a particular season, but is available only on weekdays. If you plan to visit, check that visits are available before travelling. This way, you can take the visiting days into account when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Castex-d'Armagnac, Pellefigue, Maulichères, Tournecoupe, Ligardes, Cravencères, Mirepoix, Tasque

For the regional travel overview: Gers.