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Items from Ken's tour through South-West France
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Notes on Montreal
This is the Montreal in Gascony, West of Condom & South of Fourcès, an ancestral home of the Delaforces.
If you approach the village from the South-West, do not go from Eauze but drive on to Gondrin, as there is a 'green' road marked to Montreal. It is nice but nothing special. However, Montreal is. This is the oldest bastide (fortified village) in Gascony. Built round a square with arcades under nearly every building. Bernard de Forcia's church of St. Laurence was very dark inside & part of the defensive wall, as the village is on a cliff. Very spectacular. We visited the Tourist Office, where I explained why we were there. The girl spoke some English, photocopied my family tree & took my card, saying the name Bernard de Forcia was familiar & would e-mail if she discovered anything. If she does, it will be added here.
Montreal on its easily defended butte, seen from the North (Fourcès road) |
The road into the bastide |
The main square of the bastide. St Laurence' Church was Bernard de Forcia's. |
The opposite side of the square |
Inside the gloomy church |
Outside, the church is part of the defensive wall  |
The wall beyond the church |
The wall before the church |
Under the arches round the bastide |
A little way outside the town to the West (& well sign-posted) is the Roman Villa of Seviac, which has been very responsibly excavated. |
The villa site |
Mosaics. There are more & some in Montreal Museum |
Contact: Ken Baldry at 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY
+44(0)20 7359 6294 or e-mail him
URL: http://www.art-science.com/Ken/Genealogy/SB/kam.html
Last revised 24/8/20043 © 2003-2004 Ken Baldry. All rights reserved.