Hi there,
Welcome back to The History Edit after our little break. Yesterday was my wedding anniversary and we had a family day out, which is why this newsletter is coming to you on a Saturday.
Now that France has opened up it was a pleasure to go somewhere other than the local supermarket and soak up some of the history. Check out our adventure to Fourcès and Larressingle in the area where we now live in France.
As always, you can contact me on here and find me Instagram!
Fortified Medieval Town & Villages
It was our 5th wedding anniversary on the 4th of June and we had hopes of escaping to Carcassonne for a weekend to stay in our honeymoon hotel (Hotel de la Cité) but, you know, Covid! Then we wanted to visit a restaurant that is situated in a medieval mill nearby, but the weather was horrendous and it was at that point outdoor seating only, so that plan was out too.
However, the area is absolutely bursting with history and we decided to take a family trip out to see a couple of local towns.
Fourcès
First stop was the medieval bastide of Fourcès in the Gers department of South West France. It’s a tiny medieval village with an unusual circular layout for fortification purposes.
The village is located on the site of a long-gone ancient castle and was built in the 15th century. Today the village still boasts its beautiful timbered medieval buildings with artisan shops, galleries, and cafés situated under their arcades. Also still to be seen is the 15th-century castle, 13th-century clocktower, and medieval bridge over the river.
Not only is Fourcès steeped in history but it is also stunningly beautiful to look at. The village square (circle?) is shaded with picturesque mature plane trees, and roses of every colour and scent climb the walls, framing the beautifully faded shutters of the charmingly uneven buildings. It is so beautiful that it is a member of the Most Beautiful Villages of France association (Les Plus Beaux Villages de France).
The village now has a tiny population of around 280 and was quietly serene when we visited, but in the summer it usually draws in its fair share of tourists. Who can blame them?
Larressingle
Next we moved on to the tiny fortified town of Larressingle. It is the smallest fortified town in France and is known as the Little Carcassonne of Gers.
Coming into the town over the little bridge and through the town walls, you are immediately confronted with the impressive 13th-century castle keep and next to it is the atmospheric Romanesque chapel, which features some stunning stained glassed windows.
There is said to have been a settlement of some kind on the site since the Roman period, and the town was also the residence of the Bishops of Condom until the 17th century. It was never attacked during the Hundred Years War despite being at the heart of where the action was.
By the early 20th century, long after being abandoned by the bishops, the town lay practically abandoned and had fallen into a state of ruin. It may have gone beyond the point of redemption if the Duke of Treviso hadn’t set up a restoration committee and saved it. His bust can be seen behind a perspex screen in an exterior wall of one of the buildings.
Visitors today can see a variety of shops, including a charming book shop, and a couple of cafés to stop at for a bite to eat. It is also a stopping point on The Pilgrimage of Compostela. Other highlights include the museum and the medieval siege camp that brings to life the history of the town. These were closed when we visited but we will most certainly be going back for a spot of jousting!
*All photos are my own apart from the aerial view of Larressingle.
The Weekly Edit
Website of the week
Now this one would be classed as extremely modern history, but it’s fascinating nonetheless.
Someone I know shared this gem of a website that has back issues of a Sunday Times supplement called Chronicle of the Future. The magazine imagines the future of the world from the beginning of the millennium onwards. Seeing as it’s been out for 21 years it’s interesting to see what predictions have come to fruition (or not! 😆).
This is a prediction for the 2040’s:
“King William's early retirement clears the way for Diana to be proclaimed Queen of England and religious conflicts are put to history as the Ten Universal Commandments are unveiled.”
In the news
In today’s issue of The Times is an interesting article on how the Vikings helped to create modern England. They apparently led the way during the post-Roman period in setting up towns, improving coinage, and creating products such as pottery on an industrial scale.
Hope you enjoyed our adventure around Fourcès and Larressingle!
In order to bring you even more interesting historic content, The History Edit will be sent out fortnightly from now on. This gives me the opportunity to get out and about to interesting sites here in South-West France and report back to you guys.
See you soon!