Languedocien
Languedocien (French name, ), Languedocian, or Lengadocian () is an Occitan language, Occitan dialect spoken in rural parts of southern France such as Languedoc, Rouergue, Quercy, Agenais and southern Périgord. It is sometimes also called Lang ...
Lot-et-Garonne
Lot-et-Garonne (, ) is a department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the rivers Lot and Garonne, it had a population of 331,271 in 2019.department in south-western
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. It is a member of
Les Plus Beaux Villages de 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 2024, it numbers 176 member villages (independent Communes of France, ''communes'' or part ...
(The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association.
History
In 1265, Gaston de Gontaut-Biron gave part of the Montlabour forest to the Count Alphonse de Poitiers, brother of the King Louis IX of France and Count of Toulouse. The new Bastide was built in the next four years and the King signed a contract in 1269 determining the legal statutes of the Villereal. In addition, Villereal was occupied by the English from 1279 to 1453. King Edward I of England signed the “Charte des Coutumes de la Cité” on 20 April 1288, which protected the inhabitants and set the rules of life in the village community. Due to this charter Saturday was fixed as the market day.
Construction
The construction of Villéreal followed the basic grid plan of
Bastide
Bastides are fortified new towns built in medieval Languedoc, Gascony, Aquitaine, England and Wales during the 13th and 14th centuries, although some authorities count Mont-de-Marsan and Montauban, which was founded in 1144, as the first bastides ...
s. There are eight main streets, set at right angles, around the large central square. The “ Halle”, the main market building, is spacious and has an unusual half-timber and cob upper storey. Villéreal is a great example for those who believe arcades were not part of the original design. The exterior stairs lead to upper levels of marketplace buildings. Villéreal's exterior stairways would be necessary only if arcades were added to an existing building, since they provided access to the rooms above the street.
Photograph Collection
Th John Reps Collection contains 49 photographs of the village, dated 1966-2010.
See also
*
Communes of the Lot-et-Garonne department
The following is a list of the 319 communes of the French department of Lot-et-Garonne.
The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2025):