La Laupie
Departement of the Drome - Provencal Drome - Pop.: 600 inh. - Altitude : 187 m.
12 km from Montélimar via the D6.
Although La Laupie dates back to medieval times, today it is very smart, with its streets covered with clean chippings and its beautifully conserved houses. It’s like an empty film set, with nobody around, perfectly clean...
Like an open air museum, ideal for shooting a film in period costume !
The explanation for this is that during the Second World War the original village was bombarded and totally destroyed. During the Battle of Montélimar (late August 1944) the German and American armies fired around 650 shells into La Laupie.
Afterwards a new village was built on the plain. Meanwhile the old village became private property, and the new owners gradually rebuilt it from its ashes, starting in the 1960s.
The fragments of houses and architectural details scattered on the ground such as lintels, transoms, mullions and bull's eyes were gradually integrated into the rebuilt structures.
Authenticity was a major concern during the restoration work, giving the village a particularly homogeneous appearance.
The château, built on the site of an ancient construction dating back to 1000 and extended on many occasions over the centuries, is once more crowned with its hanging garden making it so original.
As a result, the old village of La Laupie is a marvellous surprise for those who love old buildings, in a delightful setting of green meadows, enormous oleander bushes, fragrant broom and majestic beautifully pruned cypress trees.
A superb light grey stone lovingly cared for is to be found on the medieval and Renaissance façades and also in the low dry stone wall.
After the first small square, which looks like a courtyard lined with wonderful houses with Renaissance style windows, you will discover many other surprises, round each corner of the alleyways, with their huge uneven cobblestones.
Every detail is meticulously cared for: the authentic brown of the shutters, arches, dark covered passageways, etc...
Even the remains of the defensive walls, now half-collapsed, have been beautifully restored.
La Laupie sits slightly above the plain, overlooking the chapel of Saint Michel, perched on its mound.
It’s another little 12th century gem, with its Burgundy style belltower roofed with varnished tiles, listed as a historical monument: don't miss it...
In other words, La Laupie is imbued with an unforgettable, marvellous atmosphere. How wonderful it would be to own even a tiny cottage in this village !
What to see:
The entire village. Leisure activities:
Hiking routes.Golf. Tennis.
Petanques.
Amateur radio club.
Rafting. Angling. Swimming.
Horse-riding.
Mountain-biking.
Accommodation:
Bed and breakfast. Neighbouring towns and villages:
Marsanne (6km) and Montélimar (12km).
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