Montgeard, our favorite village of Lauragais

Nestled in the heart of the Lauragais , just ten minutes from Lake Thésauque , the authentic village of Montgeard offers the joy of diving back into the Middle Ages through its old stones loaded with a captivating past.

Montgeard, a village steeped in history

The royal town of Montgeard was not born of the last rain since it was founded in 1317, by the king of France Philippe V and his Toulouse representative Guy Guiard, who later gave his name to the village .

In the Middle Ages , the royal bastides are towns or villages created to repopulate and revitalize the regions of southern France after the devastating crusade against the Cathars , followers of a new religion quickly considered heretical by the Clergy.

These new cities have several points in common: they are built on plans with grided streets, with a central place to accommodate the weekly market , they are subject to a very precise charter of customs defining the rights and duties of its inhabitants , and they are intended to develop an economic activity. In the case of Montgeard , it is the pastel that made the wealth of its merchants from the Renaissance . The leaves of this plant, after a fermentation process, were used to dye the fabrics in a light blue color , or ... pastel blue if you prefer. ;)

Today, it is the seeds of the plant that are used mainly in the field of cosmetics .

Pastel flower: Pastel flower

Pretty brick house

Discovering Montgeard's heritage

Let's start the visit with the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption . Built from 1522 to 1561, it is at the same time a reference in southern Gothic architecture , and the witness of the golden age of the village, because inside, there are the tombs of rich pastel merchants having financed the religious building.

Interior of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Montgeard

Facade of the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Montgeard

On leaving, on your right, you will see the old moats , large ditches once filled with water that protected the bastide . If you continue straight on , you will find the old convent , probably one of the oldest buildings in the village, which in turn has served as a hospital , a girls ' school , to welcome today social housing . Next door, the Halle , which in medieval times was the heart of the village , was home to the weekly markets .

At the corner of the rue des Arcades : the mansion , called " the castle " can be visited every day by appointment. Inside, beautiful fireplaces and large vaulted rooms dating from 1555, the year of its construction, can still be admired. Finally, do not leave without seeing the pretty fields of Pastel de Montgeard , planted since 2015 in honor of its glorious past, a real symbol for the village .

Facade of Montgeard Castle

Visit the cellars of Montgeard Castle

Statue in the garden of Montgeard Castle

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Article written by Léa Dürr for the Guide Toulouse Pyrénées

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