Walking in the Dordogne by Janette Norton

Author:Janette Norton
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783625857
Publisher: Cicerone Press
Published: 2018-06-10T04:00:00+00:00

This is quite a long walk in the countryside around the medieval town of Monpazier, through chestnut woods and fields, crossing shallow valleys with small streams and water mills. It is possible to shorten the walk by around 5km if you do not walk to the château and back, which is a straight road from which you get no views until the very end, when there is a magnificent view of the château perched on a rise ahead. The château is worth a visit, but can easily be accessed by car after the walk.

Monpazier is one of the most complete of the bastide towns in the area, with six of its fortified gateways still intact. Founded in 1284 by the English King Edward l to establish a link between the Agen and Périgord regions, it subsequently suffered during the Hundred Years’ War, being constantly pillaged and under siege, going backwards and forwards under English and then French rule. Despite this it survived intact, and there is a beautiful main square with a wooden covered market hall dating from the 16th century – look for the original grain-measuring devices which are still there. When the town was constructed, all the houses had to be built the same size with the same width of facade giving onto the street. Between each parcel of land was an open space acting as a firebreak, also used as a convenient rubbish tip.

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