Villegly
Encyclopedia
Villegly is a commune
in the Aude
department in southern France
.
Its inhabitants are called Villeglygeois and Villeglygeoises.
area at the confluence
of two streams, the Clamoux
and the Seize (also spelt Ceize). It is about 14 km north-east of Carcassonne
on the D620. The commune sits on the lowest foothills of the Montagne Noire
at about 200 metres above sea level and has an area of 983 hectares.
de Villegly has been restored many times and demonstrates the architecture of the Renaissance
and the Fin de siècle
periods. The church has a thirteenth century bell tower
. The Place de la Fontaine and Place de l’Arounel, shaded by plane tree
s, may indicate the former location of the moat of the château. There is an eighteenth-century fountain
in the Place de la Fontaine. The picturesque, narrow village streets, especially in this central part of the village, contain houses dating back to at least the 17th century, as evidenced by dated stone lintels from 1663 (2, Place de l'Eglise) and 1747 (7, Rue de la Fontaine Fraiche).
Château de Villegly came under the ownership of the Conseil Général of the Département de l'Aude, its vineyards and cellars were bought by Marcel Moureau. He and his sons run the business which also includes the vineyards of Chateau Villerambert-Moreau at Caunes-Minervois
. The Château de Villegly label is an excellent Minervois AOC wine.
At the northeast end of the village, the young husband and wife team of Annabelle et Christophe Hernandez have set up the Domaine les Maillols vineyard which produces an excellent range of Vin de Pays
and Minervois AOC wines.
Both the above wine businesses have tasting cellars in Villegly.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Aude
Aude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
department in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Its inhabitants are called Villeglygeois and Villeglygeoises.
Geography
Villegly is a village at the edge of the MinervoisMinervois
Minervois is an AOC in the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region. The red wines of the Minervois appellation are produced from Carignan , Grenache, Lledoner Pelut, Mourvedre, and Syrah grapes...
area at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of two streams, the Clamoux
Pic de Nore
The pic de Nore at 1211 metres is the highest point in the Montagne Noire, on the border of the Aude and Tarn departments, near to the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc in southern France...
and the Seize (also spelt Ceize). It is about 14 km north-east of Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
on the D620. The commune sits on the lowest foothills of the Montagne Noire
Montagne Noire
* Not to be confused with the Montagnes Noires in Brittany.The Montagne Noire is a mountain range in central southern France. It is located at the southwestern end of the Massif Central in the border area of the Tarn, Hérault and Aude departments...
at about 200 metres above sea level and has an area of 983 hectares.
History
Evidence of many periods of its history can be seen in the buildings of Villegly. The mediaeval ChâteauChâteau
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
de Villegly has been restored many times and demonstrates the architecture of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and the Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle is French for "end of the century". The term sometimes encompasses both the closing and onset of an era, as it was felt to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning...
periods. The church has a thirteenth century bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. The Place de la Fontaine and Place de l’Arounel, shaded by plane tree
Platanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
s, may indicate the former location of the moat of the château. There is an eighteenth-century fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
in the Place de la Fontaine. The picturesque, narrow village streets, especially in this central part of the village, contain houses dating back to at least the 17th century, as evidenced by dated stone lintels from 1663 (2, Place de l'Eglise) and 1747 (7, Rue de la Fontaine Fraiche).
Administration
| List of mayors | ||
|---|---|---|
| Period | Identity | Party |
| March 2008-2014 | Alain Marty | |
| Not all holders are known | ||
Population
Services
The village has a post office (open three days per week), one newsagent, one butcher, one baker and one grocery shop. There is also a campsite. The grounds of the old Château de Villegly are a pleasant public park.Wines
The main economic activity of the commune is wine production. Vines cover most of the land outside the village itself. When the oldChâteau de Villegly came under the ownership of the Conseil Général of the Département de l'Aude, its vineyards and cellars were bought by Marcel Moureau. He and his sons run the business which also includes the vineyards of Chateau Villerambert-Moreau at Caunes-Minervois
Caunes-Minervois
Caunes-Minervois is a small medieval town or “commune” in the Aude department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. It is known particularly for its ancient Abbey, dating from the eighth century, and the outstanding red marble that has been quarried locally from Roman times...
. The Château de Villegly label is an excellent Minervois AOC wine.
At the northeast end of the village, the young husband and wife team of Annabelle et Christophe Hernandez have set up the Domaine les Maillols vineyard which produces an excellent range of Vin de Pays
Vin de pays
Vin de pays is a French term meaning "country wine". Vins de pays are a step in the French wine classification which is above the table wine classification, but below the VDQS and Appellation d'origine contrôlée classifications...
and Minervois AOC wines.
Both the above wine businesses have tasting cellars in Villegly.