Office de Tourisme

We invite you to discover the arenas through the meticulous description published in the "Republican Landais" of July 17, 1889 :

Jules Dupouy, architect of the arenas

"This construction represents a big regular polygon of 64 angles and equal sides and having a diameter of 63 meters. One leads there by two beautiful avenues, one facing the Boulevard de la République, the other to the Avenue de la Gare. There are three main entries :

-         First to the west (side of the station) entry driving to the pavilion of the authorities, to the stuffed on the right places and to the First on the left.

-         Second to the North (side boulevard of the Plumaçon) entered following the big avenue, giving access to the Seconds.
 
-         Third to the East (side of the road of St.-Sever) entered of the Third.

Tribunes of honor


To each of the entries two porches exist combined learnedly, to serve offices of distribution of cards. Finally, on the South side, and outside the polygon are situated three parks to cows and bulls.

Before penetrating inside, let's say that the building is constructed in stones of the country representing a very successful mosaic of one meter of height with masonry above 8 meters, what gives like height total 9,30 meters.

To the over of this mosaic, let's note 64 pilasters in stone of Angoulême, surmounted of a coronation from which continues themselves made of bricks the so-called pilasters that end by a magnificent entablement.

In the bottom part, between the pedestal and the coronation, one arranged an opening for the lighting and the ventilation of the interior passageway. In the superior part, between the coronation and the entablement are two twin crossings with shutters.
This whole forms all the outside that is of a gracious effect.

Now penetrate inside by the door of entry n°1 and, after having climbed the first staircase made of cement, let's enjoy the beautiful general .il stroke in succession.

We see the disposition of the track whose diameter is of 40 meters, then a passageway of two-meter large between the talenquère and the first surrounding wall; appear all doors of the toril and the entry of the cuadrilla on the right.

Leaving from the track, the first circular wall represents the same polygon circumscribes with 64 pilasters and 64 sides. On each of case pilasters is sealed a motive in melting to the basis of which represent the weapons of the city. These motives are joined between them by a panel in joinery paints to the national colors, imitating draperies.

The amphitheater is composed of 7 steps in cement and 5 in framework. These last are covered by a roofing made of slate sustained by 64 columns in melting. These columns are joined by a gallery of 0,80 meters of height separating these two species of steps.

In an approximate way, 650 people will be able to take place to Stuffed them of the two categories (covered and discovered), 650 to the First also of the two categories, 1 300 to the Seconds and 1 400 at Third. Either a total of 4 000 people.

As clearing, four supplementary doors were preserved to allow the crowd to leave by four beautiful bays at a time.

Let's add to finish that water and gas are installed at the new arenas.

The numerous spectators whom incontestably will come to Mont de Marsan to attend the beautiful feasts that gets ready won't fail to surrender to the shoppings of bulls definitely and will be able to see by themselves that we remained below the truth in the description that we have just made this bullfighting palace."

To the program of these feasts exceptional of the Madeleine 1889, whose budget curls the astronomical sum of 40 000 F, two shoppings Spanish-landaises are foreseen Sunday 21 and Monday July 22, with to the cartel matador José Rodriguez "Pepete", the best écarteurs and leaping of the region: Kroumir, Marine, Belloc, of Artagnan, Casino, Barrère, Daverat. For Tuesday July 23, one insured besides the contest of Pouly, first French "toreador."

Livestock bought by the Commission of the Feasts comes from the ganadero Don Antonio Lizaso, of Tudela. The twelve bulls and twenty-eight cows who arrived to Cauna, after ten days of walk, take a rest while waiting for the feasts on the domain of the ganadero M. landais Bacarisse.

 

Franck Bonnefous architect of the Plumaçon in 1934





The arenas finished view of the inside   




The arenas seen of the outside

 

Planning of the central alley of the Plumaçon

Some posters of the Madeleine's Feasts to download