Saint-Roch Square

The Place Saint-Roch

The Mont-de-Marsan audio-guided tour leads you to the Place Saint-Roch, a vast esplanade whose history mixes popular devotion, eventful memory and great festive traditions of the city.

A square through the centuries

The square bears the name of Saint Roch of Montpellier, invoked against epidemics, whose devotion developed in the seventeenth century, in times marked by the fear of disease. During the French Revolution, the esplanade knew dark hours, when the guillotine was raised there. Later, around 1852, it hosted the first bullfighting events of the city, on dismountable wooden arenas, before the Plumaçon arena was built. Long nicknamed the "red square", it remains a central place of Mont-de-Marsan life.

What there is to see

Vast and lively, the Place Saint-Roch bears the memory of several eras, from popular devotion to the great events of the city. Today, it hosts in particular the covered market and remains a meeting point of Mont-de-Marsan life. It is a place charged with history, to be walked to understand the multiple faces of Mont-de-Marsan.

Practical information

The Place Saint-Roch is in the centre of Mont-de-Marsan. A public esplanade, it can be walked freely at all hours and on the level; it hosts in particular the covered market, whose days and hours are to be checked on site.

Where does the name of the Place Saint-Roch come from?

From Saint Roch of Montpellier, invoked against epidemics, whose devotion developed in Mont-de-Marsan in the seventeenth century.

Why did the square host arenas?

Around 1852, it received the first bullfighting events of the city, on dismountable wooden arenas, before the construction of the Plumaçon arena.