Saint-Maur-Soulès
Overlooking the Osse valley, Saint Maur, once part of the county of Astarac, stretches across a landscape of hillsides where many of the Baïse's small tributaries rise and through which the road once led from Paris to Barèges.
The heart of the village is built on the site of an ancient castrum, as evidenced by ancient remains.
In 1121, for the dedication of themetropolitan church to Sainte Marie, the head of Saint Maur was brought to Auch along with other relics from the surrounding area.
So, in the 12th century at least, there was a monastery here founded by the Counts of Astarac, which later became part of the Abbey of Saint Pé-de-Bigorre.
It was harassed and perhaps even damaged by the Calvinists around 1570 during the Wars of Religion, to such an extent that it had to hide its holy relics in the monastery of Peyrusse-Grande.
The church and monastery were rebuilt in the 17th century before falling into ruin in the following century.
The monastery and its possessions were finally sold after the French Revolution, when the village temporarily took the name of Montagnarde.
What to see in the village
- The church, built on an 11th-century foundation
- The stele erected in memory of resistance fighters killed in action at Saint Maur in 1944
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