Can anyone tell me what "Mas" means in the name of Provençal towns, such as: Mas de la Croix d'Arles Mas de la Fourbine
Mas de L'Amarine I keep seeing this phrase "Mas de" in Provençal proper names and wonder what it means. I don't think "mas" is a French word at all so I assume it's a proper name, but maybe it's Occitan/Provençal?
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
At risk of oversimplifying, it's a Provençal farmhouse. A self sufficient style unit opposed to a bastide which was a house of the wealthy.
Posted by
Dallas
1022 posts
Mas can also mean the farm including the house, farm buildings and fields, referring to the South of France.
Posted by
OP
Boston, MA
65 posts
Thank you, everybody! I'd checked in French-English dictionaries and didn't see anything but never thought to look in Wikipedia. So it turns out it's not strictly a French word at all but rather Occitan/Catalan. I guess I sort of suspected that but wasn't sure. This forum is amazing. Ask and ye shall receive. Thank you so much.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
A bastide is a fortified town, usually planned and built up all at once rather than growing gradually. They usually had all of the trades available and were self-sustaining. Population was either by force or bribe since the purpose of the bastide was to exercise economic control over an area by a generally removed power.