Cordes-sur-Ciel

Raymond VII of Toulouse founded Cordes in 1222 as a bastide for people displaced by the Albigensian Crusade, on a hill above the Cérou. Spared heavy damage in the Wars of Religion, it keeps fine 13th- and 14th-century Gothic houses, such as the sculpted Maison du Grand Veneur. The 'sur-Ciel' was added in 1993 for the poet Jeanne Ramel-Cals, who saw the town rise above clouds pooling in the valley.

Highlights

• Maison du Grand Veneur, one of the most richly carved facades in town
• The Grand Fauconnier festival every 14 July, with medieval costumes
• Saint-Michel church, Southern Gothic with 19th-century frescoes (FR)
• The Musée Les Arts du Sucre et du Chocolat
• Croquants de Cordes, the town's own biscuits

Summary based on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), written with AI assistance.