Thanks for responding, Ted, that's a very interesting question, one I hadn't thought about. Until a few years ago, as part of an administrative reshuffle--they happen frequently, this region (now Occitanie) was known as Languedoc. Before that, in another shuffle, it was Languedoc Roussillon. There is an ancient Occitan language, but I doubt that anyone in these parts knows much about it. I will check with my French friend Hélène who was born in this village.