bastide
/baˈstiːd
/noun
1(In southern France) a country house.‘My dream is to buy a domaine in France,’ he says, sipping claret at his favourite table in London's L' Estaminet restaurant. ‘There are a few places near my home, old bastides and châteaux, that would be ideal.’...
- There are numerous bastides in France dating from this general period.
- We love the peaceful, unspoilt, wooded countryside with its lovely hamlets and historic bastides.
1.1 historical A fortified village or town in France.The Hundred Years' War rattled through the bastides (medieval new towns) when the region was frontier territory between English and French....
- People at the time were encouraged to go to newly founded towns, called bastides, most of which were planned around a central covered market area.
- The bastide, or castle town, although not large, is still significant to political and administrative life.
Origin
Early 16th century: via Old French from Provençal bastida.