The Troglodyte Village

In medieval France, “troglodytes” were people who lived in cave dwellings. These weren’t primitive humans but ordinary villagers using the geology around them. Many parts of France, especially the Loire Valley and parts of Dordogne and Champagne, have soft but stable limestone cliffs. People carved homes, chapels, wine cellars, and even entire villages into these cliffs. The stone was easy to cut but strong once exposed to air, and quarrying stone for castles and churches left empty galleries which were turned into homes. The caves had constant temperatures, cool in summer, warm in winter, and cave dwellings offered protection. Some cliffside troglodyte villages were virtually fortresses.

In many cases, the troglodyte dwellers were peasants who worked on the great estates and châteaux. They were agricultural laborers, vineyard workers, and artisans who created  “troglodyte villages” which were frequently clustered near the castles, abbeys, or manorial farms. Many troglodyte villages remained inhabited for centuries, well beyond the Middle Ages, some into the 19th–20th century.

One such village, the Vallee Goupillieres Troglodytique, is located just outside of Azay-le-Rideau. Here are some pictures we took during our visit.