Gironde’s bastide towns and medieval villages

Built between 1255 (Sainte-Foy-La-Grande) and 1325 (Créon), these new towns served both as strongholds and market centres, and were created to mark out the domains of French and English sovereigns, who were forced to reign next door to each other after the Duchy of Aquitaine came under English domination in 1154.

Although each bastide town has its own personality, they all have the same layout – an arcaded square surrounded by galleries known as “cornières” or “couverts”, upon which converge streets cutting across one another at right angles The charm of these fortified towns lies in their respective particularities.

Monségur stands on a rocky spur and offers magnificent panoramic views over the Dordogne Valley, while in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, it’s the superb half-timbered houses that hold the eye. It’s also a joy to stroll beneath the arcades in Sauveterre-de-Guyenne or Libourne, the only bastide town to be built on the right bank of the Dordogne. The “Marchés des Bastides” held every week beneath the towns’ arcades provide an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of markets in days gone by…

Créon    : founded in 1316 by the King of England’s seneschal, Amaury de Craon, the town still preserves its arcaded square and medieval houses. It was the seat of the great Royal Provostship of Entre-deux-Mers up until the Revolution.
Créon Tourist Office +33 5 56 23 23 00 www.entredeuxmers.com

Cadillac    : the medieval ramparts of this bastide town, built on the banks of the Garonne in 1280, are still standing, along with two fortified gateways (listed as Historical Monuments), three towers and much of the surrounding wall. Also well worth seeing is the Château des Ducs  d’Epernon – which served as a women’s prison from 1818 to 1952, and which includes huge apartments with “French-style” ceilings and eight monumental fireplaces.
Cadillac Tourist Office +33 5 56 35 12 92
www.entredeuxmers.com

Monségur , founded by Eleanor of Provence in 1265, is the only bastide town in Gironde to have been built on a hill and provides magnificent views over the Dropt Valley. It is still keeper of the “Esclapot”, a wood-bound book containing the town’s foundation charter, and many of the original half-timbered houses are still standing. A walkway at the foot of the ramparts takes you all the way round the town walls and to the towpath, to enjoy a pleasant stroll in the shade alongside the river.

Monségur Tourist Office +33 5 56 61 89 40
www.entredeuxmers.com

Sauveterre-de-Guyenne  was built in 1281 by King Edward I. The town changed hands ten times during the course of the Hundred Years’ War, finally becoming French in 1451. Its arcaded central square is still in existence, along with four listed gateways through its walls.
Sauveterre-de-Guyenne Tourist Office
 +33 5 56 71 53 45 www.entredeuxmers.com

Pellegrue  :  built on a Gallo-Roman site, this bastide town was founded by King Henry III of England in 1280. Well worth seeing are the covered market, inspired by the works of Gustave Eiffel, the 12^th  -century Saint-André church, and a number of medieval houses, two of which are fortified. Three châteaux also overlook the town – Boyrac Ségur (15^th  century), Lugagnac (15^th  -18^th  centuries) and the Château du Puch de Gensac (13^th  century), which was remodelled in the 14^th  and 18^th  centuries.
Pellegrue Tourist Office +33 5 56 61 37 80
www.entredeuxmers.com

Sainte-Foy-la-Grande  
The bastide town was founded in 1255 by Saint Louis’ brother, Alphonse of Poitiers, and is a typical example of the genre with its arcades and half-timbered houses. Its Saturday-morning market is listed among the 100 finest in France.
Sainte Foy La Grande Tourist Office
05 57 46 03 00 www.paysfoyen.com

Blasimon
The town is   located on the site of an old “castrum”, Blasimon (“Blavini Mons”) and overlooks the Gamage Valley where the Labarthe fortified watermill (15^th  century) still stands.
Blasimon Tourist Office 05 56 71 59 62
www.entredeuxmers.com

Libourne
Founded in 1268 by Edward I, Libourne was the only bastide town in Gironde to be built on the right bank of the Dordogne. In its day, it played a major role in the region’s economy, for this was where produce from the hinterland of the Isle and Dordogne Valleys was loaded on to ships bound for the high seas. Well worth seeing are Place Abel Surchamps and its “maisons à couverts” (houses with passageways beneath arcades), and the Grand Port gateway (all that is still to be seen of the 14^th  -century fortified surrounding wall) and its two 15^th  -century towers, Tour Richard and Tour Barrée.

Libourne Tourist Office
 05 57 51 15 04 www.libourne-tourisme.com

Gironde’s medieval villages

Rions
This fortified village is one of the best preserved medieval villages in Gironde. A fine 15^th  -century gateway and a 16^th  -century merchants’ house

La Réole
There are so many monuments and remains to be seen here: the Benedictine priory with its entrance gate, a masterpiece of 18^th  -century ironwork, the 12^th  -century church,  the fortress of Quat'Sos (late 13^th  century), along with one of the oldest Town Halls in France (12^th  century) and the ruins of a surrounding wall dating back to the 13^th  and 14^th  centuries. Very pleasant walks to be had along the banks of the Garonne. The village bears the “Station Verte de Vacances” (Green Holiday Resort) label.

Castelmoron d’Albret  
The smallest village in France (just 3.54 hectares) preserves all the character of a medieval hamlet along with a few fine vestiges of its surrounding wall, the Moulin gateway, and the old palace of the Dukes of Albret.

Saint-Macaire
Set on a promontory overlooking the Garonne, Saint-Macaire has preserved its magnificent medieval fortified gateways. Also well worth a look are the Saint-Sauveur church (remarkable murals), the priory, and Place du Mercadiou and its superb medieval and Renaissance houses (16^th  -century post house).

Gensac
Listed as an “ancient village” and built all of light golden stone, Gensac provides fine views over the Durèze. Every year, a sound-and-light show recounts the legendary exploits of the local hero Pierre d'Escodeca, knight of Pardaillan.