Date of visit: May 12, 2013, around 3:00 p.m.
Many of the beautiful villages in the Dordogne have close links with England.
In 1154, when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II, who would eventually become King of England, the land came under English rule. The word « Aquitaine » is still used today. The Dordogne, where I am now, belongs to the Aquitaine region. The central city of Aquitaine is Bordeaux.
(By the way, until recently, I thought that the Dordogne belonged to the Midi-Pyrenees region.
It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to get here from the immediate village of Belves by road. I parked my car safely in the parking lot at the entrance of the village, which was rather small, and aimed at the entrance gate.
Monpazier is also located in the Dordogne and was built by King Edward I of England in 1284 during his rule of England. There are many villages built by Edward I in this area.
Go through the gate and head to the central square of the village.
Passing through this arch, you will arrive at the central square.
And this is the central square.
The so-called « bastide » is a form of settlement often seen in southwest France, and this village is one of them.
I have seen many villages in the form of bastide, but I thought this was one of the most beautiful. I was very impressed.
Isn’t that the picture shown here, Monpazier?
We also visited a church.
By the way, there are many shops and restaurants in this village compared to other beautiful villages. It is very good for sightseeing.
It is one of the most beautiful villages, both in terms of beauty and ease of tourism. A typical bastide at the same time. It has become a village that we always recommend when visiting this area.
公式サイト：Monpazier
