La Couvertoirade in the Larzac

La Couertoirade is a walled village, founded by the Knights Templars in the 12^th century. Hidden away in the barren lands of the Larzac. Its towers and ramparts are almost intact. When the Templars order was suppressed in the 14^th century, their property was transferred to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, who further enlarged and strengthened the strongholds.

In 1159, just after the first crusade, the Count of Barcelona, King of Aragon turned over his possessions in Larzac to Élie de Montbrun, the Temple master of Rouergue. The Templars, a religious military order, would henceforth protect these new lands, build strongholds and make them prosper. They turned out to be excellent administrators and developed agriculture and sheep raising, as can be seen from many of the granges, (barns - smallholdings), the former Templar farms, that still dot the countryside.

As everywhere, the village was victim of the rural exodus to the larger towns, fewer people worked the land, but thanks to the quality of its patrimony, the village lives again trough tourism since the second part of the 19^th century.

You can contact the village :

By calling the tourist office of La Couvertoirade: (+33)5 65 58 55 59

By sending a Fax: (+33)5 65 62 28 06

By mail :

SERVICE ACCUEIL TOURISME
LA MAIRIE
12230 LA COUVERTOIRADE

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There is a charge for visitors, parking and guided group tours.