Miramont-Sensacq

Miramont-Sensacq is the second-highest point in the Landes department at 221 m, and on clear days you can see the Pyrenees from Bigorre to the Basque Country. The commune was formed in 1845 when the old bastide of Miramont (established by Edward I of England in 1274) merged with the hamlet of Sensacq. About 374 inhabitants now -- less than half the 1881 population.

The main heritage site is down in Sensacq: the Eglise Saint-Jacques, a 12th-century Romanesque church classified as a Historic Monument. It's built on the foundations of a 4th-century Gallo-Roman villa, with Roman stones reused in the north wall. Inside you'll find stonemason marks, medieval graffiti depicting a horse and knight, traces of frescoes of Christ in the transept, and an 11th-century baptismal font. The dedication to Saint James confirms this has been pilgrim territory since the beginning.