Bastide de Monflanquin

About 15 km north of the Lot Valley, perched on a hill and nestled within the oval shape of a ‘pech’, the fortified town of Monflanquin overlooks a landscape of rolling hills dotted with orchards. This village, ranked among the most beautiful in France, features streets and narrow lanes laid out in a grid pattern, boasting half-timbered or ornate stone façades, characterful buildings such as the Maison du Prince Noir, numerous pontets (covered walkways on the upper floor between two houses), a central square lined with arcades, and the Saint-André church.
Monflanquin was founded in 1256 under the patronage of Alphonse de Poitiers, representative of the King of France. Like so many others, the bastide had a turbulent history, was fortified, then dismantled in 1632 on the orders of Richelieu.