Porte Saubotte

The 4 Gateways or Portes of Sauveterre de Guyenne are part of English history too, as the town was authorised to fortify itself by the English King Edward I in the late 13th century.The English influence can be seen in the pronunciation of the town's name. Guyenne is pronounced Gweeyenn, unlike the standard French pronunciation of Guy as Ghee. This non-standard inclusion of the W sound is said to have come from the English pronunciation of Aquitaine, which had the W sound: Akwitaine.In thé first décades of the 14th century the city walls and the 4 gates were completed. The walls lasted 500 years, being finally demolished in the early 19th century, but the gates have lasted a further 200 years and are now 700 years old.Porte Saubotte is to the NW of the town - you can visit it for free, just go to the Tourism Office and ask to borrow the key.