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Bastide (planned town)Haute-Garonne

Villefranche-de-Lauragais

Villefranche-de-Lauragais

Dimensions
The orthogonal plan of the bastide, aligned on the east-west axis of the Roman road, has kept almost all of its shops along its main street. The church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, founded in 1271, raises a bell-gable with turrets in the Toulouse Gothic style; a market hall with high arcades adjoins it. The château de Barelles and its watermill, the fontaine de Barreaux, the bandstand in the public garden and the line of mills of the faubourg de Sébastopol complete the visit.
Period
13th century (foundation 1267, church 1271, charter 1280); chevauchée of 1355; rise of woad in the 16th century; market of 1668.
What stands there
Villefranche was the chief town of an arrondissement from 1800 to 1926. The Friday market goes back to the royal authorisation of 1668; a marché au gras is held there in winter. The commune numbered 5,054 inhabitants in 2022.

On the road from Toulouse to Carcassonne, Villefranche-de-Lauragais is a bastide founded in 1267 by Alphonse de Poitiers, count of Toulouse, whose name promised franchises and a free plot of land to newcomers. The count built the church there in 1271; a new charter of privileges was granted in 1280. Devastated in 1355 by the Black Prince during his chevauchée, the town took off in the 16th century with woad and became a prosperous city of the pays de Cocagne. In 1668 Louis XIV authorised a weekly market there on Fridays and four annual fairs. Chief town of a canton in 1790, sub-prefecture in 1800, it has kept its plan of right-angled streets aligned on the Roman road, its church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption with a bell-gable with turrets, and a market hall with high arcades backing on to the church.

Further reading

Getting there : Free access to the bastide. Market on Friday.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

See it on the map OpenStreetMap Directions

Ambient sound

Villefranche-de-Lauragais
Romainbehar · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Nearby

In the same department

All places — Haute-Garonne (42).