Tarbes - Jardin Massey

A ford made it easier to cross the Adour in ancient times, later the Romans settled in the area. A Christian church may have existed as early as the 4th century

Around 840 the Vikings led a devastating raid, but the town recovered and by the end of the 12th century the Count of Bigorre settled in his castle at Tarbes.

At the end of the Middle Ages, the city consisted of six separate fortified towns. During the Wars of Religion in 1569, Jeanne d'Albret's troops burned the cathedral, the convents, and other churches, as well as the bishopric. The inhabitants were massacred.
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The Jardin Massey is a large public garden built in the 19th century by Placide Massey horticulturist of the French King Louis Philippe I and the previous chief of the Palace of Versailles' gardens.