Montanérès, historically dependent on the County of Bigorre, was integrated into Béarn in 1085 by the marriage of Gaston IV, the Crusader, Viscount of Béarn with Talèse of Aragon, granddaughter and heiress of Arnaud-Aner, Viscount of Montaner. This Béarnese territory contains an unsuspected tangible and intangible heritage: natural, architectural, gastronomic, cultural and historical. Few books are devoted to it and yet, off the beaten track.
26 watercolorists, 29 authors, 27 witnesses aged 17 to 100 mobilized
So a collective approach, initiated in August 2021 by the Montaner watercolor workshop, involved the 12 villages united in the Montanérès association. It mobilized 26 watercolorists, 29 authors, 27 witnesses aged 17 to 100, 12 mayors and their municipal councilors, coordinated by two heritage enthusiasts: Monique Pujo-Monfran and Franck Bocher.
The editorial team advises you
To evoke its territory, the book alternates between the heritage common to all of Montanérès and the heritage specificities of these 12 villages (grouped around the Montaner castle rebuilt under Gaston Fébus in the 14th century)e century, in the East of the Pays de Béarn, and in the North of the Ger plateau) who have tried to construct their own introspective, in the light of their history and to reveal their material and immaterial heritage.
Three years of intergenerational exchanges
Everyone expressed themselves in their own way, freely, to contribute their stone to a building that was constructed over three years of visits, exchanges and intergenerational meetings, cemented by the Béarnese language and culture, around the watercolors that were born according to discoveries and new emotions…
The book is organized into three parts:
– The common framework of Montanérès: historical, built, natural and cultural heritage.
– Selected roaming from village to village: Monségur, Labatut-Figuières, Castéra-Loubix, Bentayou-Séré, Maure, Sedze-Maubecq, passing through Lac du Louët and the Ger plateau, Ponson-Dessus, Ponson-Debat-Pouts , Pontiacq-Viellepinte, Lamayou, Casteide-Doat, Montaner.
– Our lives yesterday and today, through testimonies from yesterday (witnesses from 75 to 100 years old then from 50 to 74 years old) to today (witnesses from 17 to 45 years old).
A sharing between old and young generations
Through this work, the aim is to offer and share with the elders, the younger generations, the new inhabitants of Montanérès and curious tourists, geographical and temporal, historical and contemporary, natural and cultural, sensitive and thoughtful, moving and rational, ethical and aesthetic itineraries.
This book contains nuggets, treasures, discoveries, fascinating surprises… which will be available to discover this Saturday, September 28 at 10 a.m. in Montaner and Sunday, September 29 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.), before going to the book fairs in Gerde on October 5-6, in Pau on November 30 and 1er December, Vic-en-Bigorre in September 2025… and all events related to history and rurality.
Practical
“Itinerances in Montaneres from yesterday to today”, 400 watercolors, 300 pages (€39) produced by 26 watercolorists, 29 authors, 27 witnesses aged 17 to 100, 12 mayors and their municipal councilors. Coordination Monique Pujo-Monfran and Franck Bocher.
Sold only through the Montanérès association, 1 place de la mairie 64460 Montaner. Order form to be loaded: https://montaneres.asso-web.com Contacts: 06 74 42 44 90 (Patricia) 06 79 36 97 89 (Monique) 06 04 07 48 15 (Franck).
