Visit Montsalvy – an ancient “Sanctuary City” in the Deep Heart of France

Montsalvy was created a thousand years ago to be a “place of refuge” in the Cantal wilderness, deep in the heart of France – but the logic behind that choice might surprise you!

The concept of a “sanctuary city” is often in the U.S. news these last few years, and it usually evokes a particular response depending on which side of our political divide you sit.  (And if you’re not American, I’d be interested in hearing from you in the comments about what the idea means to you!)

On this side of the Atlantic, the phrase has only been in broad use since about 1980, when it came to describe a state or local government that declines to share information about any person’s immigration status with federal law enforcement agencies, unless that person is implicated in a serious crime.  In some places, the policy is written into law; in others, it is observed more as a long-standing custom.

The idea is not new, though.  It’s mentioned in the book of Numbers in the Old Testament and elaborated in the book of Joshua:

“Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.  When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case before the elders of that city.  Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them.”

Versions of this idea persisted in medieval Europe, and in fact, several very old towns in France owe their existence to their formal status as “places of refuge”.  You may be surprised, though, that establishing a sanctuary city was not always about religious principles; there were also powerful economic motives that made this policy attractive to people wanting to grow their influence and wealth.

 

In today’s post, we’re visiting Montsalvy, one of these sanctuary cities in the deep heart of France, to explore exactly what that idea has meant over the centuries.  (As a bonus: Montsalvy is also one of France’s official “Petites Cités de Caractère®” – a little town of character – so there are plenty of other reasons to visit!)

 

Montsalvy’s foundation story

It’s right there in the name: “Montsalvy” is derived from Mons Salvi, or the “Mountain of Salvation”.     A monk named Gausbert was given some land and a charter by the local noble around 1050 C.E. with a specific mission in mind:  establish a sauveté, a “zone of refuge” under the protection of the Catholic church “where the laws of men don’t apply."

 

 

Given this kind of charter, it was easy enough to create one of these zones: build a church, put up a series of stone markers around it to delineate the boundaries, and receive anyone who presented himself or herself asking for protection.  Anyone who violated those boundaries to seize a refugee was automatically treated as an “outcast”.  Later, as the Hundred Years’ War spread across France, the sauveté was sometimes reinforced by building walls to enclose the area, making the town a magnet for people from the surrounding region seeking to escape the arbitrary violence.  And you can find places like this all over France – La Salvetat-sur-Agout, Saint-Martin-la-Sauveté, La Sauvetat-du-Dropt, Sauveterre-de-Béarn, and several more.

On the surface, the religious motive behind the sanctuary conformed to the Old Testament definition, so you might think the creation of so many of these towns implied a steady stream of criminals roaming the countryside, seeking protection from the Church.  Not necessarily!  There is another reason why so many towns like this appeared particularly in southern and southwestern France:  they were essentially a way to “colonize” this vast region that remains one of the least populated parts of the country.

 

 

The Great Clearing

The other agenda behind the creation of places like Montsalvy

Here’s how it worked.  In the 11th century, a movement called “the Great Clearing” (“les grands défrichements”) spread across this part of France.  The population was growing, there was relative calm after a period of foreign invasions, and a long cycle of bad weather had passed; more land was needed for agriculture and infrastructure.  So incentives were created, and great swaths of the ancient forests that covered France until medieval times were cleared.  (Between the year 1000 and the beginning of the French Revolution, France’s population just about doubled, from 20 million to almost 40 million; the area covered by forests dropped from 20 million hectares to less than 5 hectares in the same period.)

Level of forestation in France in 1000 C.E. compared to 1300 C.E. (Source: Histoire-géo à Crécy)

How powerful were the incentives given to drive this kind of massive change?  When a sanctuary like Montsalvy was given a charter, it typically promised anyone who settled there a little plot of land inside the town to build a house, a garden space just outside the city limits, and some forest land to be cleared for farming.  The local nobles who granted the charter could be assured that agriculture would flourish, famines would be greatly reduced, and their tax base would grow.  These little “colonial” outposts, with the bonus features that came with the sanctuary privilege, attracted people from all over, and long-term settlements like Montsalvy were born.

Over time, some of these sauvetés became known for industries other than farming.  Here in Montsalvy, it was textiles – weaving sturdy fabrics from locally-grown hemp into articles for ships and sailors, and bolts of finer wool cloth for rich customers.

 

 

Visiting Montsalvy today

Driving to Montsalvy gives you a good sense of how successful these developmental efforts have been over the centuries.  This is the Cantal, one of the wildest and most beautiful parts of France, and everywhere I look I’m surrounded by rich farmland and blue volcanic peaks.  Even though I am fundamentally a “city boy”, the beauty of this countryside appeals to me in ways I don’t completely understand.  I arrived in town on a very quiet summer afternoon, parked on the perimeter, and walked in through the arch of the “Fortified Porch” – a guard tower situated in the old city walls to collect tolls from anyone leaving the city. It’s attached to the Office of Tourism, where you can get information and a map for seeing the town’s main attractions.

 

 

The "Fortified Porch"

The first of these as you walk through Montsalvy is the abbey church, the 11th-century building at the heart of the city’s sanctuary status.  The striking steeple was reconstructed in 1258 after the original was badly damaged by lightning, and the interior is a beautiful mix of Gothic and Romanesque styles.  The relics of Saint Gausbert, the town’s founder a thousand years ago, are displayed in a bronzed box mounted on one of the columns.

Outside, you pass through a pretty little garden that was once part of the abbey’s covered cloister.  It’s easy to get a sense of how large this church complex once was when you realize that the medieval Refectory (the monks’ dining hall) was also part of the property; it’s an exposition hall now, but in its long life it has also served as a grain barn, a garage for carriages, and a cinema.

 

The Monks' Refectory today...
...and as it appeared in an earlier time (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

 

Next to the church, there’s a well-preserved old neighborhood called the “Fin du Monde” – the “End of the World”.  It’s not as dramatic as it sounds – the name just describes the fact that it is a cul-de-sac surrounded by a ring of ancient houses that once were integrated into the town’s defensive walls.  All these houses are connected inside; the idea was that in case of an attack, all Monstalvy’s livestock could be herded into the cul-de-sac for protection and defenders could move freely among the houses as needed to ward off the attackers.

 

"Fin du Monde"

From there, it’s a minute’s walk to the town’s little chateau.  Montsalvy’s official website says “we don’t really know much about the building’s past”, except to say that it was constructed over the remains of another section of the medieval wall, and that its tower is a recent (18th-century) addition to the structure.  It’s no longer a “chateau”, though – the family that owned it ended up donating it to the city on the condition that it be turned into a modern retirement home for the aged.  The square in front was known for centuries for its great fairs, giving the town its reputation as a center for trading in roofing tiles, yellow wax, and livestock.

 

 

The "chateau" is now a home for the aged...
...but once was the site of large trade fairs in Monstalvy (Source: City of Montsalvy signage)

Montsalvy: A “Little City of Character”

I left town through the “South Porch”, another arched gateway in a guardhouse once used as an entry to the city.  This is a quiet, small town – not one of the major tourist attractions in this part of France – but one that fits perfectly into its characterization as an official member of the network of the 200+Petites Cités de Caractère®” that exist across France.

Here’s how the association describes its mission:

 

The concept of Petites Cités de Caractère® was born in the mid-70s to promote atypical municipalities, both rural by their location, their limited population, and urban by their history and heritage.

These cities, formerly administrative, political, religious, commercial, military centers, etc., have often seen their urban functions reduced after the administrative and industrial revolutions of France. They have lost a large part of their urban functions, and have found themselves without the population and financial means to maintain this heritage.

The South Porch

Source: Wikkimedia Commons

In short, towns like Montsalvy need help if they’re going to preserve their small corner of France’s rich historical and architectural heritage.  The Ministry of Tourism helps publicize their existence and sponsors programs of events year-round to attract visitors.

Montsalvy is a 90-minute drive from two of my other favorite towns in this part of the country: the “Most Beautiful Village” of Salers, and the "town for all centuries" of Saint-Flour.  Is this little village “worth a detour” in the parlance of the Michelin Guides?  Perhaps not (at least not a long one) – but you definitely should consider visiting this gorgeous, under-explored region of the country, and if you make it this far, Montsalvy is well worth your attention for the 2 or 3 hours it would take for you to absorb its unusual history!

Have you visited any of the other Petites Cités de Caractère® anywhere else in France?  What was your favorite?  What were the specific attractions that gave them their distinguished character?  Please share your experience in the Comments section below – and while you’re here, I’d be grateful if you would take a second to share this post with someone else who cares about the people, the history, and the culture of the Deep Heart of France!


 

Unless otherwise noted, all photos in this post are copyright © 2025 by Richard Alexander

4 thoughts on “Visit Montsalvy – an ancient “Sanctuary City” in the Deep Heart of France

  1. Love getting back into your posts! Such a wonderful breath of fresh French air to experience while I don’t get to spend as much time in France anymore. Thank you for sharing!

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