Estipouy
A village perched on a hillside between two plains, one bordered by the Lizet and the other by the Baïse, Estipouy was once a possession of the lords of Isle-d'Arbéchan (Isle-de-Noé).
The area came into the hands of the de Montesquiou family in the 12th century and remained in their possession for eight hundred years, until the French Revolution.
The castle, which has now disappeared, may have stood at the top of the promontory that dominates the landscape to the north-west of the village, according to some remains (a circular mound surrounded by ditches) and concordant indications on maps.
Set in a green setting, the church, with its Gothic-style doorway and bell tower topped by an octagonal spire, is of fairly recent construction, with alterations dating back to the 19th century, but it is thought to have been the successor to an older building: inside, the presence of an ancient baptismal font seems to confirm this hypothesis. It is dedicated to Saint Lizier, who won fame in the 8th century in the Ariège during the barbarian invasions.
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