
One of the tourist attractions around La Grange are the medieval circular villages called 'Circulades'. They have been built in concentric circles, a bit like a snail's shell. The region's aristocrat or noble built his castle on top of a hill and the peasants built their homes all around the castle.

In the event of an attack, the villagers could seek shelter in the castle, often using subterranean passageways leading from the village to the castle. Tourists often fall in love with these medieval houses, they find them to be very romantic. In Fouzilhon, our neighboring village, many Swiss and English bought old houses and renovated them lovingly. The locals often prefer modern houses on the outskirts of town.

Because what seems romantic to tourists and summer guests was part of a harsh life for the locals: The narrow houses often have three storeys, which can be very tiring for the elderly. On top of that the staircases deteriorated through years and years of use and, more often than not, have become quite an obstacle course. There was no central heating, of course, and winters here in Languedoc can be rather cold. So compared to that, a ground-level house with central heating is pure luxury!