Situated on the Roman road from Bordeaux to Bayonne: dallas oil petroleum work agriculture coal bilberries maize carrots bonduelle factory esso elf vermillon oil ltd economy setting development expansion industrial estate craftsmen ducks

After the Roman occupation and the English domination, Parentis crossed the Middle-Ages rather calmly.

Situated on the Roman road from Bordeaux to Bayonne, Parentis en Born formerly was the main town in the lacustrian Born area and the chief town of Buch and Born archdiocese which was over 60 miles from North to South.
Parentis, a market town, sprang into life at the end of the 19^th century by exploiting its wide forests (they were planted in Napoléon III era).

To this first economic source of wealth due to the traditional wood activity (maritime pines),the second half of the 20^th
century is going to bring new elements :

• 1941, Setting of the ELF-ATOCHEM group CECA factory (transformation of charcoal into active filters for industrial needs.
• 1954, Setting of ESSO REP society to work the most important sub lacustrian oil field in France. Historically speaking, Parentis en Born was the first French site on which oil was discovered
• 1962, though it was established in Biscarrosse, Gastes and Sainte Eulalie territories, the LANDES TRIAL CENTER has a huge economical affect on the town of Parentis en Born.

• A strong group of craftsmen whose know-how is absolutely indisputable and who form a socio-professional category having strong relationships with the town (31 building professionals,…).
• Keen tradespeople grouped in the bosom of a society which unceasingly offers new services.Customers,from Parentis of course, but also from neighbouring towns around it do not hesitate to walk up and down in greater numbers every day along the restored streets of the town centre for the weekly market (Thursday) or summer market (Sunday).

• Many local administrations grouped inside the new Administrative Center (about 2200 square yards. It opened in 1996)
• Saint Exupery School (Grammar school and technical school) with its 1,385 pupils.
• A tourist complex in the height of its development on the lakeside comprises a sailing school, town and private campings (up to 3 stars), a petroleum museum, pleasure harbours, cycle tracks, forest paths, camping-car parks,…

We also notice a very important agricultural activity thanks to the quality of the soil (excellent culture support and easy to cultivate as it is close to underground water), with :
• DITTMEYER AGRICOLA SOCIETY, the largest plantation of bilberries in Europe and the second berry producer in the world.
• The multivalent culture of maize, asparagus, strawberries, early vegetables, roses, and the experimental …culture of ceps.
• Forestry which entails a great deal of work from the preparation of the soil before planting until the valorization of the cut tree (ploughing, planting or sewing by specialized agricul-turists,thinnings and full cuts by woodcutters and, of course, transport).

The pine exploitation also generates many an activity related to the development of industry :
• Carbonization, making of industrial coals (filters for chemical industry) or charcoal for barbecues.
• Trituration wood (small pines from thinnings) assigned to paper
factories

• Carpentry wood for saw-mills, floor making, bed-plates, particle-wood and plywood
factories.
The Landes department experienced considerable economic growth until 1950 with the exploitation of the resin

(the pine tree then was called Ť tree of gold ť) but it was supplanted by foreign competition (China, Greece, Portugal…)and synthetical oils ; however a new method of resin tapping,invented by a French resin-tapper is now tested and if the world quotation of resin gets better, we would hope a revival of pine tapping and of the last Landes distilling workshop (formerly 50 in operation), the PASSICOS workshop situated in Parentis en Born.