Locations

Under Charlemagne, lands were detached from the county of Armagnac to form the vice-county of Petit Fezensac or Fezensaguet, with the castelnau of Mauvezin as its capital. Géraud V granted him his charter of customs in 1275.
Jeanne d'Albret, mother of Henri IV, made Mauvezin a Protestant center that played an important role during the Wars of Religion: Mauvezin was nicknamed "Little Geneva" and had up to three temples.
Then, in 1621, on the orders of Louis XIII, the Duke of Mayenne dismantled the fortified castle. This was a fatal blow to Mauvezin.

Today, the castle's terraces and promenade have been redeveloped to offer a panoramic view of the lower town. The town is built like a bastide, with parallel streets and a market hall. The church, with its Gothic-style bell tower, was partly destroyed during the Wars of Religion and rebuilt in 1829; it boasts an organ restored in 1970. A temple also remains, bearing witness to the town's important Protestant history.

The word "Malvesin" has its origins in the Gascon language. It means "bad neighbor" or perhaps refers to its elevated position.