The independence of the Faranchins

Between 1361 and 1393, the inhabitants of Villar-d’Arène redeemed their manorial rights one by one: the end of the corvée, the end of payments in kind, and above all the right to govern themselves. Instead of an official of the Dauphin, they henceforth elected a consul. They were from then on called "homines franchis", freed men, from which comes the name Faranchins still carried today. The price of this freedom was immense for such a poor valley. As Paul-Louis Rousset wrote: "There is no doubt that entire generations sacrificed themselves completely, pooling sums saved penny by penny, to obtain the most precious asset: independence." Only a fixed tax due to the Dauphin remained, but the commune could henceforth self-administer for centuries.