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A Brief
History
Disagreement exits over the origins of this
bastide : some believe it to have been
founded in 1287 by Phillipe IV The Fair,
others by Jean de Grailly. It was built on
the site of a former priory and quickly
established as the castellany on which
depended the parishes of Villefranche and
Minzac.
The
Bastide
The bastide was walled and had a castle
although the street plan suggests the
existence of only one central axe.
What
to See
Lochac Church dates from the same period as
the bastide even if it is, curiously,
situated outside the village. In 1463 it was
restored by the monks of Sauve Majeure who
also added a crypt. The style is a mix of
Romanesque and Gothic.
St Anne’s Church
was built in 1305 to provide a sanctuary
inside the city walls and the damage that it
suffered during the Wars of Religion has
since been repaired. It boasts an unusual
nave with three square bays.
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