BASTIDE DE GRENADE

Built in the 13th century, Grenade is a bastide, or new town, built on a checkerboard plan with streets laid out in rows. It is made up of blocks of houses known as moulons, with the market occupying the central moulon, a stone's throw from the church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption. Granada is proud to call itself a royal bastide, because the Grandselve abbey founded the town with the French King Philippe le Bel. At the time, the King wanted to ensure his power in the region and the abbey its religious power. Both also wanted to develop the markets and fairs, and to grow the trade to generate revenue. Hence the beautiful covered market in the centre of the bastide.
The town's long history can be seen in its narrow streets dotted with old half-timbered houses or cobbled and brick walls. The beautiful 17th and 18th century mansions are a reminder of the times when wealthy families settled in the town. Finally, the long avenues of chestnut and plane trees that line the town are a reminder of the old ramparts and moats that once defended the town.

Built in the 13th century, Granada is a bastide, that is to say a new city built according to a geometric plan with streets traced with lines. It is composed of "moulons" (blocks of houses) divided into lots of identical size and the hall occupies the central "moulon".
About 350 bastides were built in the 12th and 13th centuries in the southwest of France. At a time of strong population growth, the founders attracted new inhabitants by granting them rights and privileges. They also granted them a charter of customs which constituted written local law and which governed with great precision all aspects of daily life. These included the functioning of justice, the regulation of tolls, ovens, mills, markets and fairs.
For the creation of Granada, the two founders, Eustache de Beaumarchais, Seneschal of the King of France Philippe le Bel and Pierre Alfarici, abbot of the Grandselve abbey, signed a deed of trimming on September 4, 1290. The King of France wanted to reinforce the royal power at the limits of the English possessions (Guyenne). For its part, the abbey wanted to attract manpower to exploit its lands. Moreover, the two founders wanted to develop the markets and fairs and to make the trade profitable in order to earn income.