Septfonds, stone and straw bastide

Land of stone and straw, land of memory, the history of Septfonds goes back very far to prehistoric times: numerous dolmens attest to this very ancient human presence.
This southwestern town benefits from the creative spirit of Pétronille Cantecor who discovered straw braid to make hats. From the beginning of the 19th century, Pétronille Cantecor and her lineage made the reputation and wealth of this village thanks to the development of the hat industry, thousands of people worked with hats and headgear was fashionable.
Among the families working in the millinery, there is that of Dieudonné Costes.
In 1927, the famous Septfonois aviator Dieudonné Costes made the first crossing of the Atlantic, the Septfonois have reason to be proud of their “Ace”!
But the prosperity of the village was disrupted in 1939, when the state decided to establish the Jude camp intended for the internment of refugees fleeing the Spanish Civil War. Septfonds then experiences a new page in its history.
Follow the small paths and stroll... discover the wash houses, dovecotes, bridges and the church of Septfonds.
Did you know that the name of the village owes its name to the presence of seven springs? And yes, in Occitan we say “sét-fonts”!