Surrounding area • Villages and fortified towns

Monpazier

a stronghold of defence

Monpazier

To enter the charming bastide town of Monpazier, you have to pass through the town wall, via one of the 3 towers-gates located at the main entrances to the town (there were 6 of them). At the time, Monpazier appeared to be a stronghold with a high-quality defensive system: knocker, gateways, early 14th-century works defended by a portcullis, destroyed under Richelieu.

At the end of the street, you will come to the central square of the village, the Place des Cornières. It was a place of trade, commerce and justice. Around the square, 23 houses with open porticoes, built in the 13th and 17th centuries, form forecourts.

For art lovers, Monpazier has been chosen by around thirty craftsmen and artists to set up shop here; jewellery, ceramics, egg engraving, etc. There’s something for everyone!

We visited it for you ! Distance from La Barde: 50 minutes