Dordogne-shire? These bastides have become a real magnet for second-time residents and British tourists... but they remain a French bastion.
Neil Darbyshire explores the 'captivating' villages of south-west France He says Monpazier is 'arguably the prettiest and remains the most untouched'. READ MORE: I'm a travel writer and here's why I stopped flying - completely
The fact that Monpazier's main hotel – the Edward I – is named after our own Edward I is a reminder of the depth and enduring links between Britain and this captivating region of south-west France.
Ascending the throne of England in 1272, Edward also inherited the vast Duchy of Acquitaine – in which Monpazier is located – through his great-grandmother, Queen Eleanor. But he will have to fight to keep it. Philip IV of France decided that his English cousins had been trampling on his territory for long enough and, in anticipation of the wars to come, built a series of fortified settlements – known as bastides – along the disputed territory's border .
< p class="mol-para-with-font">Not to be outdone, Edward undertook to build his own network of bastides. Monpazier, founded in 1284, is undoubtedly the prettiest and remains the most intact.The British were finally expelled from Aquitaine in 1453, but recently they have returned, now in peace and brotherhood.
The bastides of Dordogne have proven a major attraction not only for tourists, but also for secondary residents and those seeking to put down more lasting roots in France. The most arrogant French purists are often dismissive of what they see as an over-anglicization of the region – Dordogne-shire, as they like to call it – but I experienced a spirit of open and joyful.
The fact that Monpazier's main hotel – the Edward I – is named after our own Edward I is a reminder of the depth and enduring links between Britain and this captivating region of south-west France.
Ascending the throne of England in 1272, Edward also inherited the vast Duchy of Acquitaine – in which Monpazier is located – through his great-grandmother, Queen Eleanor. But he will have to fight to keep it. Philip IV of France decided that his English cousins had been trampling on his territory for long enough and, in anticipation of the wars to come, built a series of fortified settlements – known as bastides – along the disputed territory's border .
< p class="mol-para-with-font">Not to be outdone, Edward undertook to build his own network of bastides. Monpazier, founded in 1284, is undoubtedly the prettiest and remains the most intact.The British were finally expelled from Aquitaine in 1453, but recently they have returned, now in peace and brotherhood.
The bastides of Dordogne have proven a major attraction not only for tourists, but also for secondary residents and those seeking to put down more lasting roots in France. The most arrogant French purists are often dismissive of what they see as an over-anglicization of the region – Dordogne-shire, as they like to call it – but I experienced a spirit of open and joyful.
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