commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
in the
Dordogne
Dordogne ( , or ; ; oc, Dordonha ) is a large rural department in Southwestern France, with its prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, it is named af ...
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by t ...
, southwest
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, located 40 kilometres from
Bergerac Airport
Bergerac or de Bergerac may refer to:
Places
* Bergerac, Dordogne, a town in France
** Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport, airport serving the town
** Gare de Bergerac, the town's railway station
** Bergerac Périgord FC, the town's football t ...
. It is a member of the ''
Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
''Les Plus Beaux Villages de France'' (meaning “the most beautiful villages of France”) is an independent association created in 1982 for the promotion of the tourist appeal of small rural villages with a rich cultural heritage. As of Septem ...
'' ("The most beautiful villages of France") association.
History
Monpazier is a 13th-century
bastide
Bastides are fortified new towns built in medieval Languedoc, Gascony, Aquitaine, England and Wales during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, although some authorities count Mont-de-Marsan and Montauban, which was founded in 1144, as the fir ...
town founded in 1285 by King Edward I of England, who was also
Duke of Gascony
The Duchy of Gascony or Duchy of Vasconia ( eu, Baskoniako dukerria; oc, ducat de Gasconha; french: duché de Gascogne, duché de Vasconie) was a duchy located in present-day southwestern France and northeastern Spain, an area encompassing the m ...
. It was created by an act of ''paréage'', whereby the lord of Biron supplied the land, Edward the authority and permission, with any profits from taxes or commercial activity split between the two. Like other ''bastides'', it was constructed using a grid pattern, with a square at its centre, one end of which contains an open market hall. One of the best preserved, it contains many original features.
Attractions and events
The parish church of Monpazier is St. Dominique, built from the 13th through the 16th centuries. The church was built in a rectangular parcel and adjoins with a corner of the marketplace. The apse was added in the fifteenth century and the choir was believed to have been completed in 1506.
The town includes a four-star hotel named after its founder, the Hôtel Edward Premier.
During the summer months, Monpazier hosts a number of events of interest to tourists, including a cycle race around the
bastide
Bastides are fortified new towns built in medieval Languedoc, Gascony, Aquitaine, England and Wales during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, although some authorities count Mont-de-Marsan and Montauban, which was founded in 1144, as the fir ...
(usually at the start of August), a Medieval day ('fete medieval'), a Kermesse and several specialist markets. Each July the Chorale of Monpazier gives a concert in the church.
Population
Its inhabitants are called ''Monpaziérois''. The actor
Julien Guiomar
Julien Guiomar (3 May 1928 in Morlaix, Finistère, Brittany – 22 November 2010 in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine), was a French film actor.
The actor had retired to the Dordogne at Monpazier. The person who incarnated Colonel Vincent in ...