Septfonds: Memorial Sites, Straw Hat History and Dolmens
Accommodation in Septfonds
Septfonds offers several clearly distinct themes to consider when planning your trip: remembrance of Camp de Judes, the history of straw hat making and hatmaking, and the town’s dolmens. If you are looking for a hotel in Septfonds, you can plan your stay around whichever of these aspects matters most to you. Memorial sites, traces of former industries and specific features of the walking routes each offer a different focus.
Memorial Sites and Remembrance
In 2025, the Spanish government recognized the Mémorial du camp de Judes as a site of democratic remembrance. The memorial includes a reconstructed barrack with a permanent exhibition. Information panels cover the camp’s history and the living conditions of the internees.
The Spanish Cemetery in Septfonds is the burial place of Spanish Republicans who died at Camp de Judes. It brings remembrance of these people into focus alongside the history of the camp.
La Mounière and Local History
La Mounière is a museum site in Septfonds and part of the French network of Shoah memorial sites. It presents local stories, including hatmaking. The aviation history of Dieudonné Costes, a pioneer born in Septfonds, is also among the museum’s subjects. This places the history of local craftsmanship alongside that of an aviation pioneer.
Straw Hat Making and Former Factories
The straw hat tradition dates back to 1796, when straw braiding and straw hat making were registered as activities in Septfonds. In the 19th century, the town developed into a major center of straw hat production. This sequence marks two distinct stages: an early activity and the town’s later importance as a production center.
The “Sur les pas des chapelleries” walking route begins at La Mounière and showcases traces of former hat factories. It offers a way to explore the history of hatmaking through the remnants of past production still found in the town. The route adds a distinct perspective focused on the former factories to the history of straw hat making.
Dolmens and Walking Routes
The La Tombe du GĂ©ant dolmen is still partly incorporated into a tumulus 18 meters in diameter and was classified as a historic monument in 1889. Of the approximately fifteen dolmens recorded in Septfonds, four are still visible. Distinguishing between approximately fifteen recorded dolmens and four visible ones helps avoid equating the total with the examples visible today. The Combal dolmen is also located in Septfonds.
The La Tombe du Géant circular walking route carries the FFRandonnée label. Much of the route is shaded and flat. These features apply to much of the route, not explicitly to every section.
The seven namesake wells can also be visited on a walk. Septfonds therefore offers different walking themes: dolmens, traces of hatmaking and the town’s wells.
Discover more destinations: Bouillac, Grisolles, Golfech, Cazes-Mondenard, Saint-Beauzeil, Lavaurette, Mirabel, SĂ©rignac
For the broader travel overview: Tarn-Et-Garonne.
