Fancescas

A little history...

Thebastide townof Francescas was founded by Edward I, King of England, in 1286, but already existed in 1025. The town adopted its customs in 1285. The village grew up around the church and the market square. The bishop of Condom's share was sold at auction in 1576 and bought back in 1582 by the lord of Lasserre, Jean Paul d'Esparbès de Lussan. The town was enclosed by fortifications, surrounded by moats and had four gates: the Bordeaux Gate, the Puits Gate, the Larqué Gate and the Neuve Gate. From the mid-16th century until 1621, Francescas was constantly at the heart of religious struggles, so its walls were constantly being repaired.

Worth seeing isthe Notre Dame de Francescas church, recently restored by the Gers painter Lacoste, with a door dating from the 16th century. The building has a single nave flanked by side chapels. Major work was carried out at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, financed in part by the Bishop of Condom, Jean Marre, and in part by the sale of oak trees from the communal woods. The nave was panelled in the last quarter of the 17th century, but in 1821 the five main beams gave way and today the framework is exposed.

The bell tower was fortified around 1587, then its defenses were dismantled. It collapsed and was rebuilt in 1624.

Find Francescas atwww.francescas.info

The Tin Can Museum

On the pretty square with corner posts stands the Tin Box Museum, housed in a 20th-century renovated building whose original facades from 1579 have been preserved. This collection of boxes, most of which come from England, traces the history of travelers of the time. This exhibition is "an invitation to travel," presented in the form of a pyramid illustrating European, African, and Asian territories.

As you wander through the narrow streets, discover the old houses, notably the one known as La Hire, Etienne Vignolles (1390-1443), French soldier and comrade-in-arms of Joan of Arc. In 1429, he followed Joan of Arc from Blois (April 22). He fought alongside her at the siege of Orléans, performing feats of valor during major assaults. After Joan's capture, he approached Rouen in 1431 to try to rescue the heroine, but fell into the hands of the English and was taken prisoner. He was a companion of Jean Poton de Xaintrailles, himself a native of Gascony. His nickname,La Hire, is said to come from the fact that he was quite violent and quick-tempered (iremeansangerin Old French), and was given to him by the English. Originally from Préchacq in the Landes region, he died in Montauban, where he had accompanied King Charles VII during a battle.