Belpech

Belpech is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.

Geography

Belpech is a town of 1300 inhabitants built at 245 meters above sea level; old medieval Bastide located at the foot of a sunny slope of Lauragais, just upstream from the confluence of the Vixiège (which runs through the village) and the Hers, which is a tributary.

History

The origin of Belpech is very old, the site was inhabited from the Gallo-Roman times. The name of the village at this time (Bellopodio-Beaupuy) derives from that of a Gaulish god: Belenos and "pech" means the hill which dominates. It was once a very important city that had to suffer religious wars and large fires (97 houses were burned down in 1791). It was dominated by a castle called Castelas, built in the eleventh century on the hill "pech" overlooking the present village, which you can still see the remains of the keep.

The Monastery of Our Lady of Garnac (Garnicia), founded in the fourteenth century was located south of the castle, a few remnants of these walls and the church are still visible. The Lordship of Belpech belonged: in the eleventh century, Bertrand de Beaupuy; the thirteenth century, in Fort-de Beaupuy Raimond, in the fourteenth century to Galcerandum of Bellopodio; in the early fifteenth century, Sicard Bellopodio; in 1470 to Sir Etienne de Rouaix.