Village de Villefranche d’Astarac

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Colorful half-timbered houses, charming alleys, church and square of character make all the charm of this typical village near the lake of Astarac.

The commune of Villefranche d’Astarac has a parish church dedicated to Saint Vincent, built in 1220 by Centule I. In 1292, Centule III, his grandson, had it enlarged during the foundation of the bastide. It was revived in the 18th century. Today it retains a very beautiful Romanesque porch. It houses a painting from the 17th century: a Virgin with a child giving a rosary to Saint-Dominique as well as to Saint-Catherine of Siena. This painting, forgotten, was completely blacked out. In 1998, the mayor of the time decided to notify the public authorities to save his heritage. The work is then listed in the inventory of Historical Monuments. The municipality has thus obtained a grant (3 years) to restore the painting, in its original frame which, too dirty, had broken during the removal.

A water mill was listed in 1293, at the foot of the feudal motte of the castle of Castillon. Before being powered by the Neste, the Gimone was regularly dry from 15 May to the first days of October. To satisfy his customers, the miller of the time had a windmill built at 295m altitude in Counilhat.
Another unmissable place in the town, and steeped in history, is the old farm of Priou where one of the most tragic and memorable acts of war took place in the department.

The municipality has a Natura 2000 site “La vallée et coteaux de la Lauze” with an area of 5399 hectares of hillsides occupied by a bocage mesh more weakly represented in the bottom of alluvial valleys, with remarkable orchid environments.

In the town of Villefranche d’Astarac, 2 natural ZNIEFF sites of interest type 2 are to be discovered.
The first, ‘Les coteaux de la Lauze et l’Arrats’. This area is composed by the rugged hillsides and the valley floors of the Lauze and Arrats rivers. The site also has bocage areas rich in biodiversity. The flood-prone lands of the valley bottom enriched with alluvion are mostly occupied by corn crops. Some natural meadows, mostly grazed, offer very interesting flora and fauna.
The second ZNIEFF, «Le cours de la Gimone et de la Marcaoue» (3,085 ha), covers 60 communes including 37 in the Gers, associated flood plains. The floodable natural meadows constitute the flagship habitat of this ZNIEFF

Gesproken talen : Frans

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