Villeréal

Villeréal (French pronunciation: [vilʁeal]; Languedocien: Vilareal) is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France.

Villeréal
Commune
The church in Villeréal
The church in Villeréal
Coat of arms of Villeréal
Coat of arms
Location of Villeréal
Villeréal is located in France
Villeréal
Villeréal
Villeréal is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Villeréal
Villeréal
Coordinates: 44°38′15″N 0°44′38″E
CountryFrance
RegionNouvelle-Aquitaine
DepartmentLot-et-Garonne
ArrondissementVilleneuve-sur-Lot
CantonLe Haut agenais Périgord
IntercommunalityBastides en Haut-Agenais Périgord
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Guillaume Molierac[1]
Area
1
13.92 km2 (5.37 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2020)[2]
1,275
 • Density92/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
47324 /47210
Elevation78–168 m (256–551 ft)
(avg. 120 m or 390 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

In 1265, Gaston de Gontaut-Biron gave part of the Montlabour forest to the Count Alphonse de Poitiers, brother of the King Louis IX of France and Count of Toulouse. The new Bastide was built in the next four years and the King signed a contract in 1269 determining the legal statutes of the Villereal. In addition, Villereal was occupied by the English from 1279 to 1453. King Edward I of England signed the “Charte des Coutumes de la Cité” on 20 April 1288, which protected the inhabitants and set the rules of life in the village community. Due to this charter Saturday was fixed as the market day.

Construction

The construction of Villéreal followed the basic grid plan of Bastides. There are eight main streets, set at right angles, around the large central square. The “Halle”, the main market building, is spacious and has an unusual half-timber and cob upper storey.[3] Villéreal is a great example for those who believe arcades were not part of the original design. The exterior stairs lead to upper levels of marketplace buildings. Villéreal's exterior stairways would be necessary only if arcades were added to an existing building, since they provided access to the rooms above the street.[4]

Photograph Collection

The John Reps Collection contains 49 photographs of the village, dated 1966-2010.

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Villeréal.

References
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. "Populations légales 2020". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2022.
  3. "Halle de Villeréal". fr.wikipedia.org. Wikipedia. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2023. Les murs de la salle sont faits en pans de bois et torchis percés de fenêtres.
  4. Reps, John (2016), Bastides : Medieval New Towns of Southwestern France, Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, p. 55, retrieved 26 February 2023


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