Monpazier tourist information
Monpazier is a simply stunning town, founded in 1284 by Edward 1 of England. Its medieval centre is preserved almost completely intact, and it is quite possibly the best of all the bastide towns to visit and recapture life 600 years ago. The arcades around the edge of the square are still present, as is the market hall (complete with weighing and measuring apparatus!) .Unmissable.
Monpazier is listed as 'one of the most beautiful villages in France'.
Two particular highlights in the Monpazier calendar are the 'flower festival', held each spring, and the bodega in the summer - held at night with careful lighting of the medieval buildings, music everywhere, and the town looks incredible.
One interesting story about Monpazier relates that during the Hundred Years War the Monpazier population set off to plunder the nearby town of Villefranche-du-Perigord. Finding the town quiet they plundered the town and returned to Monpazier. Unfortunately, the reason Villefranche was quiet was that the villagers had chosen that very same night to plunder Monpazier. When the sorry facts emerged, the residents of both Monpazier and Villefranche returned the things that they had taken from each other.
In 1594 and 1637 the town of Monpazier was the centre of peasant insurgence, triggered by the terrible conditions following the end of the Wars of Religion. On both occasions the rebellions were violently suppressed.
Found in the southern part of the Dordogne department, Monpazier is approximately 16 kilometres east from Villereal.
Return to Dordogne Towns page
Holidays near Monpazier: See our Dordogne Gites pages to find Monpazier gites.
