The Force Scrapbook
Items from Ken's tour through South-West France
Notes on Montreal

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Notes on Montreal

This is the Montreal in Gascony, West of Condom & South of Fourcès, an ancestral home of the Delaforces.

If you approach the village from the South-West, do not go from Eauze but drive on to Gondrin, as there is a 'green' road marked to Montreal. It is nice but nothing special. However, Montreal is. This is the oldest bastide (fortified village) in Gascony. Built round a square with arcades under nearly every building. Bernard de Forcia's church of St. Laurence was very dark inside & part of the defensive wall, as the village is on a cliff. Very spectacular. We visited the Tourist Office, where I explained why we were there. The girl spoke some English, photocopied my family tree & took my card, saying the name Bernard de Forcia was familiar & would e-mail if she discovered anything. If she does, it will be added here.

Montreal on its easily defended butte, seen from the North (Fourcès road)

The road into the bastide

The main square of the bastide. St Laurence' Church was Bernard de Forcia's.

The opposite side of the square

Inside the gloomy church

Outside, the church is part of the defensive wall

The wall beyond the church

The wall before the church

Under the arches round the bastide

A little way outside the town to the West (& well sign-posted) is the Roman Villa of Seviac, which has been very responsibly excavated.

The villa site

Mosaics. There are more & some in Montreal Museum


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Patrick Delaforce's family history book



Contact: Ken Baldry at 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY +44(0)20 7359 6294 or e-mail him
URL: http://www.art-science.com/Ken/Genealogy/SB/kam.html
Last revised 30/8/2004 ©2003-2004 Ken Baldry. All rights reserved.