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The Stones of Balazuc: A French Village Through Time - Book by John Merriman

Name: The Stones of Balazuc: A French Village Through Time
Author: John Merriman

John Merriman’s The Stones of Balazuc (2002) is a vivid history of Balazuc, a medieval village in France’s Ardèche region, where the author resides part-time. Carved into a limestone cliff above the Ardèche River, Balazuc’s harsh landscape shaped a resilient community. Merriman traces its history from prehistory, focusing on the last few centuries: the 19th-century silk industry boom, devastated by disease, and the 20th-century decline amid wars and youth exodus. The French Revolution and world wars sent ripples, yet everyday life persisted—28 men signed grievances in 1789, with 19 families still present. The book explores tensions between Paris and the village, seen in disputes over schools and churches, and the rise of tourism as a new “golden tree.”

Original Language: English

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