The fortified town of Mirande, known for its famous country music festival which takes place every year in July, is also known for its Museum of Fine Arts and Decorative Arts. This museum stands on Rue de l'Évêché and contains a rich collection of Italian, Flemish and French paintings from the 15th to 19th centuries along with a fine set of antique ceramics.
After visiting the museum, it's time to discover Mirande town centre. The town square, Place d'Astarac, features a kiosk and is surrounded by arcade houses. There is also the Church of St. Mary, an old 15th-century cathedral in the southern European gothic style, with superb flying buttresses spanning Rue de l'Évêché.
In the late 11th century, the South West is sparsely populated. Apart from the cities (Toulouse, Auch, Albi ...), the sauvetés or castelnaux which comprise a portion of the population, rural housing remains very fragmented. In the countryside, farmers suffer from the insecurity created by semi-nomadic peoples, uncontrolled groups, living in dense forests. In this context, the fortified contribute to change. Contemporary creations of Gothic cathedrals, they are part of a movement planning unprecedented, affecting the South West of France from 1222 (Strings) to 1373 (Labastide-d'Anjou).
The bastide Mirande, stately foundation established at the initiative of the Abbot of Berdoues and 4th Earl Bernard Astarac, under the guarantee of Eustache de Beaumarchais, seneschal of the King.
A contract is signed soon paréage 1282 and sets out the division in equal shares, rights and benefits provided by the foundation. Each contractor finds his interest: The Cistercian Monastery Berdoues provides most of the land to implement the new city. This gift, somewhat concerned, is a way to highlight an untapped field and make money. The Earl of Astarac to "bet" the King of France and provides, thereby protecting the County desires of the Count of Armagnac, his neighbor. The King of France, represented by his steward, implements its authority over land that hitherto escaped his control.
Ranked green holiday, Mirande wants fresh and welcoming and combines all the time, green space and flowers in a part of life even more attractive.