List of Bastides facts for kids

A bastide is a special type of town built a long time ago, mostly in southwestern France. These towns were planned out very carefully before they were built. They usually have a grid pattern, like a checkerboard, with straight streets and a central market square. Kings and powerful lords started building bastides in the 13th and 14th centuries. They did this to help people settle new lands, encourage trade, and sometimes to show their power or create safe places during conflicts.

What Are Bastides?

Bastides are unique because they were designed from scratch. Unlike many older towns that grew slowly over time, bastides were laid out with a clear plan. This plan often included a main square where markets were held, and a church. The streets were usually straight and crossed each other at right angles. This made them easy to navigate and helped with defense. Many bastides were also built with walls to protect their residents.

Why Were Bastides Built?

People built bastides for several reasons. After periods of war, they helped bring peace and order to the countryside. They also encouraged farming and trade, as people could come to the market square to buy and sell goods. Building a bastide was a way for rulers to expand their territory and show their authority. They offered land and protection to new settlers, which helped grow the population in certain areas.

Bastides Across France

Most bastides are found in the southwestern part of France. Here is a list of some well-known bastides, organized by the French departments where they are located:

• Ariège : Campagne-sur-Arize, La Bastide-de-Besplas, La Bastide-de-Bousignac, La Bastide-de-Lordat, La Bastide-du-Salat, La Bastide-de-Sérou, La Bastide-sur-l'Hers, Mazères, Mirepoix, Montjoie-en-Couserans, Rimont, Roquefixade, Tarascon-sur-Ariège, Villeneuve-d'Olmes, Villeneuve-du-Bosc, Villeneuve-du-Paréage.

• Aude : Arques, Belpech, Carcassonne, Castelnaudary, Chalabre, Labastide-d'Anjou, Labastide-de-Coulomat, Labastide-d'en-Richard, Labastide-en-Val, Labastide-Esparbairenque, Lignairolles, Molandier, Ribouisse, Saint-Denis, Saint-Louis, Salles-sur-l'Hers.

• Aveyron : La Bastide-l'Évêque, Najac, Réquista, Sauveterre-de-Rouergue, Villecomtal, Villefranche-de-Panat, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Villeneuve-d'Aveyron.

• Cantal : Aurillac, Maurs, Montsalvy (these are similar towns called Sauvetés).

• Charente-Maritime : Talmont-sur-Gironde.

• Dordogne : Beaumont-du-Périgord, Beauregard-et-Bassac, Bénévent, Domme, Eymet, Fonroque, Lalinde, Molières, Monestier, Monpazier, Puyguilhem, Roquepine, Saint-Aulaye, Saint-Barthélemy-de-Bellegarde, Saint-Louis-en-l'Isle, Tocane, Vergt, Villefranche-de-Lonchat, Villefranche-du-Périgord.

• Haute-Garonne : Aignes, Alan, Beauchalot, Blajan, Bouloc, Boulogne-sur-Gesse, Boussens, Buzet-sur-Tarn, Calmont, Carbonne, Cazères, Gaillac-Toulza, Grenade, Labastide-Beauvoir, Labastide-Clermont, Lavelanet-de-Comminges, Le Fousseret, Le Plan, Léguevin, Lestelle-de-Saint-Martory, Mondilhan, Montastruc-la-Conseillère, Montesquieu-Volvestre, Montgeard, Montmaurin, Montréjeau, Nailloux, Nénigan, Palaminy, Plagne, Plaisance-du-Touch, Revel, Rieumes, Saint-Félix-Lauragais, Saint-Lys, Saint-Sulpice-sur-Lèze, Salles-sur-Garonne, Valentine, Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Villeneuve-de-Rivière, Villenouvelle.

• Gers : Aujan, Aurimont, Barcelonne-du-Gers, Barran, Bassoues, Beaucaire, Beaumarchés, Cazaubon, Cologne, Fleurance, Fourcès, Gimont, Jegun, Labastide-Savès, Lannepax, Lias-d'Armagnac, Marciac, Marguestau, Masseube, Miélan, Miradoux, Mirande, Monfort, Monguilhem, Montréal-du-Gers, Mourède, Pavie, Plaisance, Réjaumont, Saint-Clar, Seissan, Solomiac, Valence-sur-Baïse, Villefranche-d'Astarac.

• Gironde : Blasimon, Cadillac, Créon, Libourne, Monségur, Pellegrue, Sainte-Gemme, Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, Sauveterre-de-Guyenne.

• Landes : Arouille, Betbezer-d'Armagnac, Bonnegarde, Buanes, Cazères-sur-l'Adour, Coudures, Duhort-Bachen, Geaune-en-Tursan, Grenade-sur-l'Adour, Hastingues, Hontanx, Labastide-Chalosse, Labastide-d'Armagnac, Mauvezin-d'Armagnac, Miramont-Sensacq, Montégut, Montfort-en-Chalosse, Pimbo, Port-de-Lanne, Rondebœuf, Roquefort, Saint-Gein, Saint-Justin, Saint-Sever, Sarron, Sorde-l'Abbaye, Souprosse, Toulouzette, Villenave, Villeneuve-de-Marsan.

• Lot : Beauregard, Bretenoux, Castelfranc, Cazals, Labastide-du-Haut-Mont, Labastide-du-Vert, Labastide-Marnhac, Labastide-Murat, Montcabrier, Montfaucon, Puybrun, Rudelle.

• Lot-et-Garonne : Aiguillon, Castelnaud-de-Gratecambe, Castelnau-sur-Gupie, Castillonnès, Caudecoste, Damazan, Durance, Francescas, Granges-sur-Lot, Hautesvignes, Labastide-Castel-Amouroux, Lagruère, Lamontjoie, Laparade, Lavardac, Lévignac-de-Guyenne, Miramont-de-Guyenne, Monclar-d'Agenais, Monflanquin, Montpezat, Montpouillan, Nicole, Puymirol, Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot, Saint-Pastour, Saint-Pé-de-Boulogne, Saint-Sardos, Saint-Sauveur-de-Meilhan, Sérignac-sur-Garonne, Tournon-d'Agenais, Vianne, Villefranche-du-Queyran, Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Villeréal.

• Pyrénées-Atlantiques : Ainhoa, Asson, Bellocq, Bougarber, Bruges, Cardesse, Etcharry, Gan, Garlin, Navarrenx, La Bastide-Clairence, Labastide-Monréjeau, Labastide-Villefranche, Lestelle-Bétharram, Montaut, Navarrenx, Nay, Rébénacq.

• Hautes-Pyrénées : Castelbajac, Lannemezan, Lubret-Saint-Luc, Montgaillard, Peyrouse, Rabastens-de-Bigorre, Saint-Martin, Sère-Rustaing, Tournay, Trie-sur-Baïse, Vidalos.

• Tarn : Arthès, Beauvais, Brens, Briatexte, Castelnau-de-Lévis, Castelnau-de-Montmiral, Cordes, Damiatte, Florentin, Labastide-de-Lévis, Labastide-Dénat or Labastide-Dupuy, Labastide-Rouairoux, Labastide-Saint-Georges, Labessière-Candeil, Lisle-sur-Tarn, Pampelonne, Réalmont, Saint-Gauzens, Saint-Sulpice-la-Pointe, Saint-Urcisse, Técou, Valence-d'Albigeois, Villefranche-d'Albigeois, Villeneuve-sur-Vère, Viterbe, Viviers-les-Montagnes.

• Tarn-et-Garonne : Albias, Angeville, Beaumont-de-Lomagne, Castelsagrat, Caumont, Cordes-Tolosannes, Donzac, Dunes, Labastide-Saint-Pierre, Labastide-du-Temple, Lafrançaise, Larrazet, Mirabel, Molières, Monclar-de-Quercy, Montalzat, Montech, Montjoi, Nègrepelisse, Réalville, Saint-Sardos, Septfonds, Valence-d'Agen, Verdun-sur-Garonne, Verfeil-sur-Seye, Verlhac-Tescou.

• Haute-Vienne : Masléon