Visit of the Medieval City of Bazas

Let's go for a visit to the pretty medieval city of Bazas! It is located in Sud-Gironde, south of Saint-Macaire. Positioned on a rocky outcrop, browsing it allows you to travel through no less than 2500 years of history! Bazas was a prosperous commercial city, of great religious influence (due to its powerful diocese), as evidenced by the remains, the beautiful mansions and quite simply the architecture of the city protected by its ramparts, which you will discover. We suggest you follow the free visit, presented by the Tourist Office, which also offers visits to Bazas in season with tour guides. This is by far the best way to immerse yourself in Bazas and its history, but in any season you still have the option of visiting at your own pace!

Photos © Guide Bordeaux Gironde

Visit of Bazas, between history and heritage

Bazas is a very pretty little town, it is good to walk around and stop for tea or lunch / dinner in one of its restaurants under the arcades. The Bazas market takes place on Saturday morning, on the Place de la Cathédrale. It is a large market, one of the most beautiful in the region, which does honor to this city with a merchant past.

Just next to it on the right is the Halle de Bazas, which echoes the first markets in the Cité in this location, which date from 1485. It is ingeniously placed to highlight the facade of the old town hall. This is where the Municipal Museum of Bazas is located, interesting to visit to retrace the 2500 years of history of the city, it is an exciting place for history buffs. Continue to the ramparts to have a beautiful view of the Sultan's Garden where you can discover a magnificent rose garden (you can go down there and then walk along the 6th century ramparts on the Brèche promenade).

Back on the place des arcades, you will appreciate a slightly elevated view of this imposing, sloping space of just under 5000m². It is distributed between the 16th century arcades, which served to protect the merchants displaying their goods at the foot of the houses, and the square in front of the cathedral (more recent). Several remarkable bourgeois houses are there and you will learn more from the explanation panels, as you walk around the square: The Palace of the Presidial (the Court of Justice), the House of the Astronomer, the Hotel Andrault...

The highlight of the town's central square is the sumptuous Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral. It is classified by Unesco as part of the Ways of Santiago de Compostela, because Bazas is a city located on the Way of Vézelay. It owes its name to a relic , that of the blood of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, collected in Palestine by a lady from the city of Bazas and installed at the very place where in the 13th century, this ornate Gothic style cathedral was built. 3 superb portals with sculpted eardrums adorned with 290 statues. The scene of the central tympanum represents the Last Judgment and the life of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Behind the Cathedral is the Jardin du Chapitre with another lovely view overlooking the ramparts. We will also see the remains of a fortified camp and an ancient rampart.

Continue the visit of Bazas by following the map or the panels according to your desires, lose yourself in the small medieval streets to let yourself be surprised by very beautiful medieval buildings and mansions such as the Laboyrie hotel. You will come across an old city gate that looks like a fortified castle with its cap adorned with battlements: La porte du Gisquet.

In the Saint-Martin quarter (a former parish of the city) is a street from which pilgrims left for Santiago de Compostela. We will see half-timbered houses in this district, some with beautiful corbels to add surface area to the floors, a technique from the Middle Ages to divert the payment of property tax, calculated on the floor area!

What to do in Bazas?

• Visit the Apothecary of the Saint-Antoine de Bazas Hospital to discover a very fine collection of earthenware which is the pride of the city, long known and recognized for its know-how in this field.
  
  
• Get on a bike to explore the cycle path that starts from Bazas and can take you to the Landes. It's a good opportunity to play sports and explore beautiful landscapes. You can also go as far as the Château de Roquetaillade in the town of Mazères, of which it is possible to take guided tours.
  
  
• Lovers of ornithology and observation or photography will be delighted to go to Lac de la Prade, to fish, have a picnic or climb to the top of the observation tower.
  
  
• Read our article on the most beautiful hikes in Gironde, there are several in the area!
  
  
• Bazas, does this name ring a bell? But yes ! The Bazadaise breed is a cattle breed prized for its meat. Moreover, the Thursday before Mardi Gras, every year a big party takes place to celebrate this breed of cattle, with an ox competition, parades and a dinner dance.

We hope to have made you want to discover the city of Bazas, have a good holiday in Gironde!

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