Pimbo is a town in the Landes, in the Aquitaine region, on the edge of the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 35 km north of Pau.
The territory of the locality belongs to the natural region of Tursan, within the former province of Gascony renowned for its vineyards, and whose green and hilly aspect favors the cultivation of corn and the breeding of ducks and geese.
Crossed by the lower course, the village was endowed with a first Benedictine monastery in 777 dedicated to St. Mary of Pandulon by Charlemagne, then back from Spain.
It was however in 1268 that the history of Pimbo took a new start, following an agreement between the seneschal of Gascony acting in the name of the king of England and the abbot of Pimbo which created on this small territory dominating the surrounding plains a country house (the oldest in the region) and a castle. Adapting to the relief, the shape of the bastide (new town) is not a checkerboard as is customary but consists of a street connecting the castle to the collegiate that succeeded the church of the monastery.
In 1399, the lord of Tursan became owner of the bastide.
The Wars of Religion, however, cause significant damage. The collegiate church, the castle and the bastide are looted and destroyed in 1569 by the Huguenot troops.
Only the collegiate that had succeeded the first monastery will be partially raised.
Step on the way to Saint-Jacques, equidistant from the mountains and the sea, Pimbo, which now has nearly 220 inhabitants, cultivates its history and the remains of its heritage in the heart of a preserved environment. A nice stop for green tourism enthusiasts.
Despite the damage related to wars and the Revolution, the Saint-Barthélemy collegiate remains a jewel in terms of heritage. Of the original Romanesque building, we still note beautiful carved decorations at the portal, including (Celtic-inspired records, pine cones, characters). The rest of the architecture is marked by the defensive reorganizations of the fourteenth century and the partially repaired damage of the Wars of Religion in the sixteenth. Thus, the same portal in advance is dominated by a gable wall openwork of two arches carrying two bells - a bell tower - and the whole is covered by a walkway. Inside, the beautiful apse, a wooden crucifix of the seventeenth century, statues of St. Mark and St. Bartholomew of fine workmanship are to be seen. Testifying again to the troubled history of the collegiate, some stones too eroded or damaged were hidden or replaced by stucco. It remains that the whole does not miss pace, contrasting with the so peaceful character of the rest of the village. We will not forget to enjoy, on the back, a nice "garden of priest" from which one enjoys a wide panorama on the Pyrenean mountains in the south. The collegiate church and its garden are protected as historical monuments.
The remains of the old new city built along a ridge can then win the remains of the old castle, including the embankment that formed a fortification. You can also see old half-timbered houses.
A step is also required at the reception center dedicated to pilgrims always numerous to win Saint-Jacques via this privileged path (the Via Podiensis which starts at Puy-en-Velay) as well as to all the visitors. It is proposed lodging and covered but also a wide range of products of soil. Information on +33 5 58 44 46 57.
Hiking enthusiasts can obviously take part of this path, but also enjoy other tours from the village overlooking the valley and the surrounding area and discover the charms of Tursan. Maps and information on +33 5 58 44 42 00.
As for fishing enthusiasts, the bottom that flows near Pimbo in the Gabas is an excellent driving range. Information on the regulations and developed sites on +33 5 58 73 43 79.
The last weekend of August, communal feast of St. Bartholomew with the program concerts, ball, games for children, big fireworks and races Landes.
