Southern Belle – Figeac, France

The medieval centre of Figeac is now a bustling town with distinctive architecture and a link to Ancient Egypt

As soon as you arrive in Figeac, in the Lot département, you know you have reached the south – the narrow cobbled streets, the dusty squares shaded by plane trees, the café terraces, the age-old buildings, and the marketplace – a feast for all the senses.

I arrived on the last day of the school year to the sound of happy children playing on a hot summer’s afternoon, and in the background the gentle sound of a fountain in a cool garden. The soothing presence of water is close by, with the River Cele flowing along the edge of the historic centre. In medieval times there was a canal here, and mills and tanneries were commonplace. The canal ran through Place d’Estang and into the Cele until the 1950s, when it was covered up.

The square is a stone’s throw from the river and a couple of alleys away from the marketplace. This is one of the great things about Figeac; it is compact, but each street and building is worth savouring, with history oozing from every pore. A guided tour means you won’t miss the hidden gems, but if you prefer to wander around on your own, pick up a ‘keys to the city’ leaflet at the tourist office and look out for the numbered symbols on the walls.

Sculptured Motifs

The town’s architectural heritage is stunning. The majority of the buildings date from the medieval period, but they intertwine with Renaissance architecture – magnificent staircases and ornate doorways can be glimpsed next to half-timbering. The oldest house is thought to be the 12th-century Maison du Griffon in Place Champollion. It is typical of this period with its sculptured motifs of fantastical animals and leaves. Turn around and look up to see the ornate arched windows of a 14th century dwelling, no doubt once the property of a rich merchant, given the quality and sumptuousness of the craftsmanship.

On the same square is a museum dedicated to Jean-François Champollion, who was born in Figeac in 1790. Champollion was the famous Egyptologist who deciphered the hieroglyphics of the Rosetta Stone, and his birthplace is incorporated into the museum. By all accounts, he was a child prodigy gifted in languages, mastering Greek, Latin, Arabic, Hebrew, Sanskrit and Persian during his teens.

The museum also explores the origins of the world’s written languages, from runes to the development of the alphabet and the invention of printing. It is a fascinating mix of the personal – Champollion’s letters to his brother and his work notes are on display – and the global, with examples of writing from South America to Asia. There is even a mummy from the fourth century BC, miraculously preserved in its linen bandages in the Egyptian room.

The museum’s ultra-modern double facade, with its thousand letters, makes a striking impression. The stone exterior represents the traditional architecture of the town, and on top there is a modern `solelho‘, from which you have one of the best views of the square. Look up and on most streets you will see these upper, covered terraces which in days gone by were used to dry fruit and vegetables, and skins used in the tanning industry. The museum’s second, copper facade is set about a metre behind the original stone one and features symbols from 28 writings of the world, hinting at the contents within. It is an imaginative design which took five years in the making.

At the back of the museum is Place des Écritures, where a replica of the Rosetta Stone holds pride of place, and a stone staircase leads to a patio where three papyrus plants are growing. The square is often used as an exhibition area, and for small gatherings. The apartments overlooking the square are ‘social housing’, underlining the democratic feel of Figeac.

World Culture Atmosphere

These intimate spaces for cultural events are dotted around the town. Le Matou dell’ Arte, a ‘cultural café‘ with a wonderful courtyard, hosts exhibitions, knitting workshops, discussions and musical and theatrical evenings, and has a ‘world culture’ atmosphere. Concerts take place in Les Terrasses du Puy, a grassy arena in the upper town, and open-air films are shown in various places. Figeac’s other famous son is Charles Boyer, the film actor who found fame in the 1930s. He doesn’t get much publicity in Figeac, maybe because he lived most of his life in the United States, although he does have a street and a cinema named after him.

Next to Les Terrasses is a gem with the slightly misleading name of Musee d’Histoire de Figeac. The three rooms were the former home of the prior of the adjoining Église Notre-Dame-du-Puy and the entrance is via an unprepossessing secondary school playground. But open the door and you will find a wood-panelled salon and bedroom, richly decorated with both Biblical and romantic scenes, in blue and gold. In the bedroom is another treasure, an ornate cabinet donated by a local family, which when opened up has similar painted panels. The third room houses an eclectic collection of fossils, presidential presents and paintings.

The real place to get an overview of the town’s history is the permanent exhibition l’Espace Patrimoine in the town hall behind the Champollion museum. Another small museum which shows a different aspect of Figeac is the Musée Paulin Rautier, named after a company that made propellers for aircraft in World War I. From these small beginnings, the company grew to become a major player in the aeronautics industry and one of the main employers in the region today.

Figeac’s history is the reason behind its vitality and vibrancy. In medieval times it was one of the most prosperous towns of the south, trading with ports and cities all over France and along the coasts of the Mediterranean. Many Figeacois travelled to Italy, England and Cyprus, but they never forgot their origins, often sending money home to build sumptuous hôtels particuliers and bringing back ideas and styles seen on their travels.

On Saturday mornings, a market spills out from the covered ‘halles‘ in Place Carnot on to the streets and squares. People come from afar to buy saucisson from the Auvergne, the local sheep’s cheese ‘cabécou‘, bunches of garlic and onions, courgettes, tomatoes and peppers, as well as baskets from North Africa and exotic spices. Market day is also the time to meet friends, to drink a coffee at the Hôtel-Bar on Place Champollion or a cold beer at Le Sphinx, opposite the market hall on Place Carnot. The former names of these two squares, Place du Froment (wheat) and Place de l’Avoine (oats), bear witness to the importance of trade in Figeac.

Terrace View

The exchange of goods and ideas shows an openness to other cultures which is still in evidence. Many of the people whom I met were not born and bred in Figeac. My guide Lisa, who has Belgian and Russian ancestry, left the north of France 30 years ago because she felt so at home here, and walking round the streets together and being greeted by so many of her friends, I can well believe it.

Looking down from the terrace in front of Notre-Dame-du-Puy at the rooftops, the hidden gardens and courtyards, picking out the Tour du Viguier and the church tower on the skyline, I mused on the attractions of this small but perfectly formed town. The green of the trees standing tall against the brown tones of the roofs and a deep blue sky made an enchanting picture; I too had been smitten at first sight and could easily join the ranks of those who had settled into this gem of a place – a real southern belle.