Fréjeville is located in the Pays de Cocagne in the south-west of the Tarn département (81). The name is primarily associated with the “coques”, a stage in the processing of woad to produce the famous pastel blue dye. Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Fréjeville can use this local guide for orientation.
Culture and History
Among the most significant historical traces is the Church of Saint-Hilaire, dedicated to Saint Hilarus. It was built within the grounds of a fortified castle. One of its chapels is completely covered with frescoes by Nicolas Greschny. The hamlet of Le Pujol also has a long religious history: a place of worship has been documented there since 1450. There is also a reproduction of the statue of Saint Bartholomew here.
Further evidence of the past is scattered throughout the municipality in various forms. The La Mouline washhouse was no longer used after the 1950s because washing machines became widespread. The Church of Saint Julien de La Gardié gradually fell into disrepair and was finally destroyed shortly before the French Revolution in 1789. The archaeological pits at Le Castelas revealed soil, broken roof tiles, pottery shards, pieces of glass, animal bones, charcoal, ash, pebbles and iron remnants such as nails and blades.
The dovecotes also bear witness to earlier forms of construction. The dovecote on the Le Verdet estate is designed in the Quercy style, has nine pillars and contains 160 nesting boxes. The municipality’s only other dovecote is located on the Le Rouch farm. This type of dovecote was probably converted from a former watchtower after it had lost its original function.
Other structures include the Pont de Napoléon, a bridge with a brick-vaulted arch that was built or renovated in 1854, and the Pont de La Crémade, built in 1928 by the architect M. Gheusi.
Nature and Trails
The Agout Valley in Fréjeville is designated as a Natura 2000 protected area and is notable, among other things, for its otters and freshwater pearl mussels. The Boucle de l’Agout à Fréjeville combines the landscape with local history: the easy PR circular trail is 14.6 kilometres long and takes 4 hours and 30 minutes. It includes 192 metres of ascent and 193 metres of descent.
Orientation
The present-day granite orientation board at Le Pioch is a reproduction of the original wooden board, which was installed in 1992. At the sites to be discovered along the Boucle de l’Agout à Fréjeville, QR-code boards guide visitors via smartphone or tablet to descriptions and photos of the sights and cultural heritage sites in Fréjeville.
