Situated in the south Périgord, Monpazier is the smallest commune of the Dordogne (53ha).
It is also an old bastide which offers a protected area among the most beautiful in France.
Classified among the most beautiful villages of France, it obtained in 1991 the rank of Great National Site.
This fortified city of the 13th century, founded in 1284 by Edward 1st of England, has seen about thirty of its buildings classified as Historic Monuments.
It is considered as the model bastide of the 300 bastides of the Great South, preserving its original character despite the years and the wars of Hundred Years and Religion.
In its center, it houses the Place des Cornières and its galleries with Gothic arcades, surrounded by houses built between the Middle Ages and the 17th century.
Under the hall, the grain measures dating from the 15th century can still be seen.
The Bastideum...
The Bastideum welcomes you to the former Récollets convent, built in the mid-17th century, and invites you to immerse yourself in the history of the bastides. The Bastideum uses a modern, playful scenography for an immersive experience. Interviews with historians and archaeologists explore local life, landscapes, the occupation of the land before the bastides and the development of these new towns around the Dropt valley. You'll also discover the evolution of Monpazier through the centuries, with interactive terminals, texts and images that decipher town planning, domestic architecture, the Hundred Years' War, religious conflicts...
The Bastideum is also the bastide seen from the sky, on a giant screen, thanks to never-before-seen aerial shots taken with a drone, complemented by a 3D reconstruction of Monpazier, and extracts from films shot in Monpazier's central square, a much-appreciated film set. To extend your visit, over 40 antique games are available for adults and children alike in the medieval-inspired garden, thanks to the support of a local company (Cabanes perchées dans les arbres, which manufactured and financed all the games). Finally, take advantage of our boutique, where you'll find a selection of books on bastides, architecture and life in the Middle Ages, as well as a range of souvenirs and children's books.
In the commune of Monpazier is also the castle of Saint-Germain.
Admirers of the actor Julien Guiomar can also visit his tomb.
Around it, it would be a pity not to visit the castle of Biron and the villages of Monferrand, Saint-Avit, Molières and Beaumont.
Office de Tourise de Monpazier
Place des Cornières,
24540 Monpazier
Tél. : 05 53 22 68 59
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