More than the exceptional harmony and beauty of its architecture, more even than the figurehead of Jean François Champollion, the undeniable charm of Figeac lies in the exceptional quality of life in a small town which has reconciledpast and present, the familiar and the unexpected and is willing to share all this with its visitors.
Life in Figeac, surrounded by such beauty, is an invitation for all to explore the world just as the people here over the centuries embarked on adventures, discovering distant horizons.
Figeac, rich in its history, the beauty of its architecture and the quality of life, combines to abolish the frontier between ordinary and extraordinary.
Figeac in the Middle Ages was a dynamic trading centre open to the world. The old houses which belonged to the merchants are the most spectacular heritage of those days.
Exceptionally well preserved, the architecture and decoration follows the evolution of art during the middle ages from Romanesque to Gothic.
From the Hôtel de la Monnaie to the houses round Place Champollion, each building gives us the opportunity to discover the “art de vivre” of medieval towns.
In the historic centre of Figeac the two market places, Place Carnot and Place Champollion, represent the heart of the merchant city which developed due to its situation at a crossroads between major communication routes.
Some of the most significant buildings can be seen here, an architectural style where tradition and avant-garde go hand in hand.
As market or meeting place, the area continues to be the lively centre of the town today.
On the banks of the Célé river, Saint Sauveur church witnessed the origins of the town. The building is the former monastery, founded in the 9th century, which gave the impetus to the foundation and development of Figeac. Building work continued on the edifice from the Romanesque period with transformations right up to the 20th century.
It illustrates each stage in the town’s history from Medieval pilgrimages to Baroque embellishments.
Not far from Place Champollion the hillside of le Puy introduces the visitor to a tranquil verdant atmosphere so contrasting with the urban landscape of the town centre.
After the religious wars of the 17th century, mansions were built near the former medieval church, itself newly rebuilt to receive an ornately decorated altar screen and Baroque paintings.
The view from the front of the church gives a magnificent panorama over the roofs of the town.
