Auvillar, Medieval commune in Tarn-et-Garonne, France
Auvillar is a small French commune in Tarn-et-Garonne that sits on a rocky hilltop overlooking the Garonne River. The village is shaped by its unusual circular market square with a clock tower, narrow medieval streets, and a church that dominates the townscape.
The settlement began as a Roman city called Alta Villa and grew into an important administrative center over time. In the Middle Ages, noble families like the Counts of Armagnac shaped its development before the territory eventually came under French control.
The circular market square with its clock tower shapes how people experience the village center and reflects the craft traditions that once thrived here. Visitors moving through the narrow streets can sense how daily commerce and community gatherings anchored life in this place.
The village is best explored on foot, with staircases and slopes guiding visitors up to the market square. The location sits conveniently between larger cities like Agen and Montauban, making it easy to visit as a day trip.
A suspension bridge connects the village to the opposite port of Espalais, spanning the river in a striking way. This bridge serves as an important landmark for pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela, who continue their journey across the Garonne at this point.
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