Circulades

The village of Le Pouget is a ‘circulade’ which could serve as an example for the entire department.

It arose from the bringing together of people from numerous surrounding areas, such as Saint-Amans de Theulet. Its historic centre was formed in the 12th century by the building of two successive protecting walls around an 11th-century keep, which has now disappeared.

There was a final phase of rebuilding of the ramparts in the 14th century to protect against the onslaughts of mercenary armies and irregulars.

Its Occitan name is ‘Lou Piochet’ derived from ‘pog’, or in Latin ‘podium’, for the village is situated on a mound, ideally placed for the needs of defence and protection of the site in the middle ages.

Le Pouget is not only a village harbouring such treasures of medieval architecture as the churches of Saint-Jacques (Romanesque) and Sainte-Catherine d’Alexandrie (southern Gothic) it is also evidence of the settlement of people more than 2000 years BC.

The Dolmen du Gallardet is made up of a passageway, an anti-chamber and a funerary chamber and is a monumental edifice presupposing the existence of a significant prehistoric community. Le Pouget is the focus of a culture that runs all the way from the first halting steps of civilisation to the French Revolution, a place not to be missed.


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