Templar Foundation (12th–13th Centuries)

Strategic Outpost:

Established in the 12th century by the Knights Templar, La Couvertoirade served as a fortified commandery on the Larzac Plateau, guarding pilgrimage routes to the Mediterranean ports. Its castle (late 12th century) featured a Romanesque keep and barbican, designed to protect villagers and pilgrims.

Economic Hub: The Templars developed agricultural lands and sheep farming, leveraging the arid Causse landscape. The village’s lavognes (man-made watering holes) and cisterns were vital for livestock.

Hospitaller Takeover and Fortification (14th–15th Centuries)

Transition of Power:

After the Templar Order’s dissolution in 1312, the Knights Hospitaller assumed control. By 1439, amid threats from mercenary bands (routiers), villagers petitioned to fortify the settlement. Master mason Déodat d'Alaus oversaw the construction of 420-meter ramparts (completed in 1445) with arrow slits and a walkway.

Architectural Blend:

The Hospitallers built the Church of Saint-Christophe (14th century) into the rock, integrating its tower into the defensive walls. The village’s Caussenarde houses combined street-level sheepfolds with living quarters above

Traditional Caussenarde houses feature external stone staircases—the upper floor was for living, while the ground floor housed livestock.

La Couvertoirade is home to the only castle in France entirely constructed by the Knights Templar (late 12th century). Its trapezoidal keep and defensive walls were designed to protect pilgrims and control the Larzac Plateau’s agricultural wealth

Population: 200 (But 1,000 Ghosts?)

With just 200 residents today, the village feels frozen in time. At its peak, it housed over 1,000 people, many working for the Templars’ wool and grain trade.

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