Sentier de l’Adour : de Mugron à Nerbis

Depart from Lake Saucille in the direction of Nerbis. The Port of Menet in Mugron used to be the focal point for the local economy, from which the area’s products were shipped. It took the barges three days to carry wine and eau de vie from the Chalosse, Tursan and Béarn areas to Bayonne. Those barges were called galupes in the local vernacular. They were large flat-bottomed boats, used to navigate relatively shallow waters. Those traditional vessels travelled down the Adour, assisted by the current and were then brought back up along the towpath, pulled by oxen. Wine storehouses were key points for river trade on the Adour, used to store goods for transport. The Chai d’Antin storehouse, located on the heights of Mugron, is open to the public. Built in 1750 and spanning 1,000 m², it boasts one of France’s biggest civilian wooden frames.