La Couvertoirade

La Couvertoirade ( okzit. La Cobertoirada ) is a commune with 176 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Aveyron in the Midi-Pyrénées region. It belongs to the district of the canton of Millau and Nant.

La Couvertoirade is classified as one of the plus beaux villages de France ( most beautiful villages in France ).

Geography

The place is located in the Massif Central in the southern part of the plateau of the Causse du Larzac between Millau (47 km) to the north- northwest and Montpellier ( 80 km) to the southeast.

History

The name of the place has been known since the 11th century as Cubertoirata in the course of demarcation of lands of the former Abbey of Saint -Guilhem Gellone -le- Désert (Hérault ). Since the 12th century, the Knights Templar in the village and the surrounding settled and made from La Couvertoirade a fortified Kommendatarabtei of their order. Around the castle developed under the Order of the Temple a center of agriculture and livestock (horses and sheep).

When the Knights Templar was dissolved in 1312 and new men took over the place, there were in 1328 a total of 135 households (fire) with 800 inhabitants. Middle of the 14th century were reinforced again the defenses of the castle, as armed bands of robbers plundered the territory of the Larzac. But already at this time suffering the area under a population decline which lasted until the end in the seventies of the 20th century.

1562 at the beginning of the religious wars in vain tried to occupy the Huguenots La Couvertoirade. 1702, the population armed again and reinforced the gateways to successfully defend themselves against the attack of the camisards. 1768 La Couvertoirade became independent by the commandant Chevalier Riquetti, Baron (French Compte ) of Mirabeau collected.

Attractions

• From the 15th and partly from the 12th century, several buildings in the city's fortifications such as city walls, towers and donjon are obtained.
• The Château de Belvezet castle from the 18th century.
• The church from the 14th century.
• Ruins of a pre-Romanesque church of Saint- Christol from the 11th century.
• The well-preserved medieval streets of the village.
• The barren landscape of the Plateau du Larzac.

The Church of Interior