Gillian Thornton takes a

Gillian Thornton takes a tour throughthe remnants of medieval FranceTravel round the heritage sights of Franceand sooner or later somebody will refer tothe medieval period. The architecture of acathedral or castle perhaps; the remains of acity rampart; or maybe some personality ofnote from the humble to the high-born. ThinkCharlemagne and Joan of Arc, Eleanor ofAquitaine, Anne de Bretagne, and a lively castof French kings.They all lived in the period we know today asmedieval, or The Middle Ages, which beganin Europe during the 5 th century AD after thefall of the Western Roman Empire and carriedon for roughly a thousand years to the adventof the Renaissance. And wherever you travelaround the Hexagon – the French name formainland France – you are never far awayfrom some aspect of medieval life.Vibrant villagesFrance is blessed with a surprising numberof medieval villages, including one of themost popular for visitors – Mont-Saint-Michel, a medieval time warp off the coastof Normandy. Many villages are members ofthe Plus Beaux Villages Association like Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and Rocamadour, bothstopping places for pilgrims on the St James’sWay; wander amongst the golden stones ofOingt overlooking the Beaujolais vineyards;and explore the world of the Templars andHospitallers at La Couvertoirade. Each onehas its own story to tell.As you walk, remember that many of thevillages we see today were far bigger andbusier than they are now. Look closely atthe street names to find out more. Rue desTanneurs would once have throbbed to thenoise (and smells!) of the leather industry,whilst the heart of any local weaving industrywould be found in Rue des Tisseurs. Andeven if a castle no longer stands in Placedu Chateau, many communities still boastmedieval fortifications.La Couvertoirade © Julia Girard-GervoisTripUSAFranceStep back in timeWelcome to themiddle agesMont-Sant-Michel, a medieval time warp on an island26 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 27