THE HAMLET OF L'HÔPITAL

L'Hôpital, a former commandery of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, has suffered from the ravages of time and conflict. The destructions linked to the Camisard War left deep traces in the lower village. While the hamlet of Lioc'al has resisted better, the original village is today largely in ruins. Archives from the 19th century attest to its past vitality: a school was active and the population exceeded one hundred. The name "Commanderie", still used to designate part of the village, recalls the importance of this place within the Hospitaller Order, with its emblematic buildings: a farmhouse, a chapel, and a prison.