10 photos to immerse yourself in the Langon of yesteryear

Par

Gael Arcuset

Published on

September 29, 2024 at 8:02 p.m.

See my news
Follow Le Républicain Sud-

tongue, peaceful town of Girondeon the banks of the Garonne, is rich in a history dating back several centuries.

Over the decades, the town, now populated by some 7,500 inhabitants, has evolved considerably.

Having acquired the status of sub-prefecture in 1926, to the detriment of its neighbor Bazas, Langon has developed. But what was she really like in the past?

Exceptional archives

Alain Miot, president of the South-Gironde Heritage Center, owns the largest collection of archives linked to Langon. Every week, in the columns of Republicanhe reveals exceptional photographsas rare as they are instructive, for enlighten our readers on the history and evolution of the city.

At the dawn of in 600e weekly columnwe invite you to dive into the Langon of yesteryear through ten exceptional photos or postcards.

Videos: currently on Actu

Another look at Langon

A unique journey into the past to learn a little more about the city which saw the birth of illustrious people, such as Louis Ducos du Hauron, inventor of color photography, and which notably served as a setting for François Mauriac for his novel The mother.

Fasten your seat belts… Let’s go!

The Liberation of Langon (Gironde) in August 1944. The population went to the town hall to sing the Marseillaise. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr
The Langon Youth athletics team, with Mr. P. Vidalie. The photograph dates from 1936. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr
Site visit to the future gendarmerie
This 1962 photograph shows a visit to the gendarmerie construction site. On its site, now, the new House of the Department of Solidarity is slowly rising. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr
A new aerial view of Langon
An aerial view of Langon. The photo certainly does not have the quality that one might wish for to clearly see the showers located next to the water tower in the initial architecture, but there is no other known photo. (Alain Miot Archives) ©Alain Miot private collection / document sent to actu.fr
The federal festivals of Catholic patronages attracted a lot of people
The Federal Festivals of Catholic patronages always attracted a lot of people, especially as they were accompanied by major outdoor gymnastics events, with athletes coming in large numbers. These festivals took place at Les Vergers. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr
Trenches. In the past, when trenches were dug, they were the width of the man who made them with a pickaxe or shovel. We can see in the photo the large number of people that were needed, close to each other for a single street. Now the machines have removed the arduousness and can open the trenches wider in a shorter time. Who said it was better before? (Alain Miot archives)
We know about the work at Langon. If the city center has been undergoing major construction for several years, we must not forget the time when the trenches were dug using only the strength of hands. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr
Memories. Who could still remember this area of ​​22.07 hectares to the southwest of Langon which will be intended to create an artisanal zone in 1962 in order to accommodate Langon businesses which no longer had enough space to develop or which constituted a trouble for the city? The Clavers bodywork and the Cabannes painters were the first, it would take no less than 12 years for all the plots to be occupied. Today, 65 companies occupy the site, including a large part of real estate activities and automobile mechanics trade. (Alain Miot archives)
Who could still remember these 22.07 hectares southwest of Langon saw the creation of an artisanal zone in 1962: the Couloumey zone. It took twelve years to fill all the plots. Today, 65 companies occupy the site. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr
Langon aerial view, station, railway line and Garonne
An aerial view of Langon. We can see the Garonne, the railway line, but also the Saint-Gervais church and the old bridge, which has now disappeared. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr
On the banks of the Garonne. At a time when we want to highlight the Garonne, how can we not remember all these activities that the river generated? Of course, in leisure time there was angling and its competitions. It was also the time for shad fishing, not to mention water sports and its floating pontoon. Not far from there, at the Parc des Vergers, which hosted numerous events outside the racecourse, brass band competitions and gymnastics took place, not forgetting the Folklore Festival. (Alain Miot archives)
Langon and its banks of the Garonne during an angling competition. The history of the city is closely linked to that of the river. ©private collection Alain Miot / document sent to actu.fr

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.

-

-

NEXT All Saints' Day holidays in Gironde: surfing, cycling and salted butter rusks at the Porge Océan municipal campsite