A fortified medieval town or a small fortress, especially those constructed in southern France, or a country house or estate in that region.
From Occitan 'bastida' and Old French 'bastide,' derived from 'baste' meaning fortress or stronghold. Many still-existing towns in southwest France retain this medieval structure.
Bastides were literally medieval urban planning—the French king would offer tax breaks to settlers who'd build fortified towns according to a grid pattern, creating perfect defensive communities that still stand today!
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