bastide towns:
monpazier, pearl of england

Aerial view of Monpazier, showing rectangular street layout

Bastides were originally walled towns, centred around a market square, with the houses set in narrow streets, often to a grid layout. The bastides were fortified to protect the inhabitants from outside attack.

Bastides were founded during the Hundred Years War between England and France, mainly in South-Western France. They were new towns, mainly set up on frontier and disputed lands to establish a border and a defensive presence. People were subsidised to settle there, in a manner very similar to the kibbutz settlements in Israel.

from the bastide town of Navarrenx
	above: attractive balcony on town house below: ironmonger’s sign
above: fashion shop / below: florists

Potted history

There were conflicting territorial and economic interests between the King of France and the King of England, who was also Duke of Aquitaine. The resulting ongoing dispute was the Hundred Years War.

During the Albigensian wars - crusades against the Cathar heretics in Occitaine - the French Capetian kings took hold of Occitaine. However, the Capetians needed to further consolidate against English power, which had been strengthened by the marriage of Henry II with Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152.

Kings of the bastide-building period included:
France: Philippe le Hardi (the Bold), Philippe le Bel (the Fair), Louis XIII (Saint)
England: Henry III, Edward I (Confessor), Edward II.

Both sides made a systematic entrenchment, with control of local populations. This digging-in included land and forest clearance. As part of this process, hundreds of bastides, new fortified towns, were founded for political, military and economic necessity. Between 1260 and 1325, bastides were built on the frontier between Anglo-Aquitaine Périgord [now Dordogne] and the diocese of Agen [the Agenais], stretching from the Pyrenees to the Périgord, Carcassone to Bordeaux. [Agenais was owned by the Count of Toulouse, Alphonse of Poitiers (1220 - 1271), brother of Louis IX.]

Between 1256 and 1270, Alphonse of Poitiers built Monflanquin, Castillonnès, Villefranche-de-Périgord, Villeréal, Eymet.
From 1267, Henry III built Lalinde; Edward I built Beaumont, Molières, Monpazier.
In all over 300 bastides were built in fifteen departements in France:
Ariège - Aude - Aveyron - Dordogne - Gard - Gers - Gironde - Haute Garonne - Hautes Pyrénées - Landes - Lot - Lot et Garonne - Pyrénées Atlantiques - Tarn - Tarn et Garonne.

Ownership often changed as the battles raged back and forth. For example, Domme, originally French, became English in 1346, before returning to the French the next year. However, the English grabbed Domme again in 1393 after a 24 year seige. After French seiges, Domme became French once more in 1438. During the Wars of Religion, Domme was again a focus of battles and seiges.

The Hundred Years War between various English and French kings ended in 1453. This was followed, about a century later, by the Wars of Religion when, from 1560 to 1598, Protestant Huguenots and Catholics fought (both sides being French).

Each bastide was founded on the basis of a charter. The bastide’s founder, the king or his representative - abbé or count, gave land. Legal and economic privileges were granted to the people who built the town and worked there. Their freedom, safety and property ownership was guaranteed. In return, the king could raise taxes and troops in the event of war.


Part of the bastide town of Sauveterre, showing progressive additions to a section of the walled town

Filled-in androne at Navarrenx

Characteristics of bastides include: having a charter giving the terms under which the bastide was founded. built on a hilltop, a plateau or a rocky spur fortified perimeter, often with the church either included or nearby, to serve as a keep and observation post rectangular grid layout carreyous: narrow alleys for access to backs of houses and their gardens [alternatively spelt carrérot] andrones: narrow separating gap between houses to limit the spread of fire, to enable rain and waste water disposal, as well as air circulation. [to left] pontets: small bridges joining two buildings separated by a carreyou, but also provided a small private indoor space. Cheaper pontets were constructed from wood, bricks and plaster, while more expensive pontets - made from stone - often included ornate gothic or renaissance-style windows in their construction. a market square, often with a covered section: les halles. Note that the four streets that serve the square enter it by each corner, to not get in the way of the fairs and markets held there. cornières: covered arcades built out of the ground floor of the houses surrounding the market square. Most bastides have been rebuilt and built over during the centuries. There are very few that still have most of these characteristics. Probably the best preserved bastide is Monpazier.

Pontets at Monpazier   above: wood-based pontet below: stone pontet

Monpazier, the pearl of England
XIIIth century bastide in Dordogne (dept. 24)

The bastide territory of Monpazier is one of the smallest (53 hectares) of all the French fortified towns and one of the smallest communes in France. Monpazier was founded 1285 and exchanged hands several times, yet it is the best preserved bastide in France, with few facades replaced or ‘improved’.

Monpazier was part of the English defensive system in the south of Périgord, with Lalinde, Beaumont, Molières and Fonroque, and with incomplete bastides at Pépicou, Roquine, Castelréal, Puyguilhem, Beaulieu and Labastide.

Nearby opposing French bastides included Rayet, Villeréal, Castillonnès and Monflanquin.

Monpazier’s changed ownership several times:
English 1285, French 1327, English 1345, French 1370, Huguenot 1574...

View over rolling countryside from Monpazier.

A carreyou [alley] at Monpazier

Les halles - the covered market area - at Monpazier

Monpazier market square,
showing a variety of cornière [arcade] entrances, with andrones between some buildings.

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endnotes

1. At the period when it was built, Monpazier was known as la perle d'Angleterre - the pearl of England.
   
   
2. bastide
   Originally, the word bastida (or bastit or bastia) had a very wide-ranging meaning of a recent construction or, in due course, a construction of some importance. Thus the word bastide now has two meanings:
1. In the South-West of France, from the 13th century, the term bastide took the sense of new town, newly populated (nova bastida, nova populatio).
   A bastide thus distinguished itself from villa [detached house], castrum [fort], sauveterre [safe land], salvetat [it saves], castelnau [new castle], villeneuve [new town]; contemporaries of the time were not very fussy about which label was used.
2. In Provence, however, bastide had a different significance, meaning a country residence; this to differentiate from town hôtels, where hôtel means a substantial building owned by someone of social standing and wealth. A Provençal bastide was a secondary residence at the centre of a related farm. Bastides in this sense started appearing in the 16th century.



KINGS OF FRANCE	DYNASTY / HOUSE	DATES		KINGS OF FRANCE	DYNASTY / HOUSE	DATES
Louis VII	Capetian	1137 - 1180		Charles VI	Valois	1380 - 1422
Philip II Augustus	Capetian	1180 - 1223		Charles VII	Valois	1422 - 1461
Louis VIII	Capetian	1223 - 1226		Louis XI	Valois	1461 - 1483
Louis IX	Capetian	1226 - 1270		Charles VIII	Valois	1483 - 1498
Philip III	Capetian	1270 - 1285		Louis XII	Valois	1498 - 1515
Philip IV	Capetian	1285 - 1314		Francis I	Valois	1515 - 1547
Louis X	Capetian	1314 - 1316		Henry II	Valois	1547 - 1559
John I	Capetian	1316		Francis II	Valois	1559 - 1560
Philip V	Capetian	1316 - 1322		Charles IX	Valois	1560 - 1574
Charles IV	Capetian	1322 - 1328		Henry III	Valois	1574 - 1589
Philip VI	Valois	1328 - 1350		Henry IV	Bourbon	1589 - 1610
John II	Valois	1350 - 1364		Louis XIII	Bourbon	1610 - 1643
Charles V	Valois	1364 - 1380		Louis XIV	Bourbon	1643 - 1715





KINGS OF ENGLAND	HOUSE / DYNASTY	DATES		KINGS OF ENGLAND	HOUSE / DYNASTY	DATES
Henry II	Plantagenet	1154-1189		Henry VI	Lancaster	1422-1461
Richard I	Plantagenet	1189-1199		Edward IV	York	1461-1483
John	Plantagenet	1199-1216		Edward V	York	1483
Henry III	Plantagenet	1216-1272		Richard III	York	1483 - 1485
Edward I	Plantagenet	1272-1307		Henry VII	Tudor	1485 - 1509
Edward II	Plantagenet	1307-1327		Henry VIII	Tudor	1509 - 1547
Edward III	Plantagenet	1327-1377		Edward VI	Tudor	1547 - 1553
Richard II	Plantagenet	1377-1399		Mary	Tudor	1553 - 1558
Henry IV	Lancaster	1399-1413		Elizabeth I	Tudor	1558 - 1603
Henry V	Lancaster	1413-1422		James I	Stuart	1603 - 1625




5. List of bastides by departement:
   • Ariège: La bastide de Bousignac - La bastide de Besplas - La bastide de l'Ordat - La bastide de Serou - La bastide sur l'Hers - Campagne sur l'Arize - Mazéres - Mirepoix - Montfloquier -Montjoie en Couserans - Rimont - Villeneuve d'Olmes - Villeneuve du Bosc - Villeneuve du Paréage.
   • Aude: Belpech - Bouillonnac - Carcassonne - Castelnaudary - La Bastide d'Anjou - La Bastide de Couloumat - La Bastide d'en Richard - La Bastide en Val - La Bastide Esparbairenque - Lignairolles - Molandier - Montréal - Ribouisse - St Denis de Saissac - St Louis en Bazés - Villeneuve le Comtal.
   • Aveyron: La Bastide d'Aubrac - La Bastide de Fons - La Bastide l'Evêque - La Bastide Pradines - La Bastide Solages - Najac - Plaisance -Requista - Sauveterre de Rouergue - Villefranche de Panat - Villefranche de Rouergue - Villeneuve d'Aveyron.
   • Dordogne: Beaumont en Périgord/Beaumont-du-Périgord - Beauregard en Périgord - Benevent - Domme - Eymet - Fonroque - Lalinde - Molières - Monsetier - Monpazier - Montignac le Petit - Puyguilhem - Rocquepine - St Aulaye - St Barthélémy de Bellegarde - St Louis en l'Isle - Vergt - Villefranche de Lonchat - Villefranche du Périgord.
   • Gard: Aigues-Mortes.
   • Gers: Aujan - Aurimont - Barcelonne du Gers - Barran - Bassoues - Beaucaire - Beaumarchés - Bretagne d'Armagnac - Castelnau Barbarens - Cazaubon - Cologne - Fleurance - Fourcés - Gimont - La Bastide Saves - Lannepax - Larée - Lias d'Armagnac - Marciac - Marguestau - Masseube - Mauleon d'Armagnac - Mauvezin - Meilhan - Mielan - Miradoux - Mirande - Monclar - Monfort - Monguilhem - Montréal. - Mourède - Ornezan - Pavie - Plaisance du Gers - Réjaumont - St Clar - St Sauvy - Seissan - Sere - Solomiac - Valence s/ Baïse - Villefranche d'Astarac.
   • Gironde: Blasimon - Cadillac - Créon - Libourne - Monségur - Pellegrue - Ste Foy la Grande - Ste Gemme - Sauveterre de Guyenne.
   • Haute Garonne: Aignes - Alan - Beauchalot - Blajan en Nebouzan - Bouloc - Boulogne s/ Gesse - Boussens - Le Burgaud - Calmont - Carbonne - Cazères s/ Garonne - Fonsorbés - Le Fousseret - Gaillac.Toulza - Grenade s/ Garonne - La bastide Beauvoir - La bastide Clermont - Lavelanet de Comminges - Lestelle St Martory - Mondilhan - Montastruc la Conseillère - Montesquieu Lauragais - Montesquieu Volvestre - Montgeard - Montmaurin - Montrejeau - Nailloux - Nenigan - Palaminy - Plagne - Plaisance du Touch - Le Plan - Revel - Rieumes - St Clar de Rivière - St Félix Lauragais - St Pé del Bosc - St Lys - St Sulpice s/ Lèze - Salles s/ Garonne - Valentine - Villefranche de Lauragais - Villenouvelle.
   • Hautes Pyrénées: Avezac.Prat.Lahitte - Castelbajac - Galan - Lannemezan - Lubret St Luc - Montgaillard de Bigorre - Peyrouse - Rabastens de Bigord - St Martin - Sere Rustaing - St Sever de Rustan - Tournay - Trie sur Baïse - Vidalos.
   • Les Landes: Arouille s/ St Justin - Betbezer - Bonnegarde - Cazères s/ Adour - Coudures - Duhort Bachen - Geaune en Tursan - Grenade s/ Adour - Hastingues - La bastide Chalosse - La bastide d'Armagnac - - Miramont Sensacq - Montégut - Monfort-en-Chalosse - Pimbo - Port de Lannes - Rondeboeuf - St Gein - St Geours d'Auribat - St Justin - St Sever - Sarron - Sorde - Souprosse - Toulouzette - Villenave - Villeneuve de Marsan.
   • Lot: Beauregard - Bretenoux - Castelfranc - Castelnau Montratier - Cazals - Labastide du Haut Mont - Labastide du Vert - Labastide Marnhac - Labastide Murat - Montcabrier - Montfaucon - Puybrun - Rudelle - Les Vitarelles - Orgueil - Fons.
   • Lot et Garonne: Aiguillon - Castelnaud de Gratecambe - Castelnau sur Gupie - Castillonnes - Caudecoste - Damazan - Durance - Francescas - Granges sur Lot - Hautesvignes - La bastide Castel Amouroux - Lagruère - Lamontjoie de St Louis - Laparade - Lasserre - Lavardac - Lévignac de Guyenne - Libos (Monsempron) - Londres - Mauvezin sur Gupie sur Gupie - Miramont de Guyenne - Montclar d'Agenais - Monflanquin - Montauriol - Montpezat - Montpouillan - Montréal - Nicole - Puymirol - le Rayet - St Julien Cap d'Orbise - Ste Livrade sur Lot - St Pastour - St Pe de Boulogne - St Sardos - St Sauveur de Meilhan - Sérignac sur Garonne - Le Temple du Breuil - Tournon d'Agenais - Vianne - Villefranche de Queyran - Villeneuve sur Lot - Villeréal.
   • Pyrénées Atlantiques: Ainhoa - Asson - Bellocq - Bruges - Etcharry - Gan - Garlin - La Bastide Cerezacq - La Bastide Clairence - La Bastide Montréjeau - La Bastide Villefranche - Lestelle - Montaut - Navarrenx - Nay - Rebenacq - Sauveterre.
   • Tarn: Arthes - Beauvais s/ Tescou - Brens - Briatexte - Castelnau de Levis - Castelnau de Montmiral - Cordes - Damiatte - Florentin - La Bastide de Levis - La Bastide Denat - La Bastide Rouairoux - La Bastide St Georges - Labessière.Candeil - Lisle s/ Tarn - Pampelonne - Réalmont - Rouairoux - St Gauzens - St Grégoire - St Jean de Rives - St Sulpice La Pointe - St Urcisse - Tecou - Valence d'Albigeois - Villefranche d'Albigeois - Villeneuve s/ Vère - Viterbe.
   • Tarn et Garonne: Albias - Angeville - Beaumont de Lomagne - Castelsagrat - Castelsarrazin - Caumont - Cordes Tolosannes - Donzac - Dunes - La Bastide St Pierre - La Bastide du Temple - La Française - Larrazet - Lauzerte - Mirabel - Molières. - Monclar de Quercy - Montalzat - Montauban - Montech - Montjoi du Quercy. - Négrepelisse - Puylagarde - Réalville - St Nicolas de la Grave - St Sardos - Septfonds - Valence d'Agen - Verdun s/ Garonne - Verfeil s/ Seye - Verlhac Tescou - Villebrumier.
     
     

6. maison à cornieres

   The buildings surrounding the central square of a bastide were built with a wide arcade running along the side of the ground floor of the houses. This provided a walkway and trading space sheltered from the weather where the proprietors of the house could set out their wares for sale.
   
   These arcades have a variety of names, including auvents and couverts, as well as being known earlier as couvertes, embans or garlandes. But the name most commonly used is cornière.
   
   

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