Travel in France – Correze

posted in: France, Home | 0

After the walk around Chauzeix there was plenty of time to explore our local town, Corrèze, a small fortified town established in 9C and named after the river just below the town. This was also a stop on one of the Pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela.

Correze, Grande Rue
Correze, Grande Rue
Correze
Correze

The 15C Porte Margot, the entry into the historic, enclosed town, was named after Marguerite de Valois because she, like her mother Catherine de Medici, owned the village. why? How? The machicolations above the gate are interesting.

IMG_9190

The church of Saint Martial was, I think, 13C and subsequently altered. It was named after the first Bishop of Limoges.

The Church of Saint Martial, Correze
The Church of Saint Martial, Correze

IMG_9199, 2 IMG_9197 IMG_9200

There are two other religious buildings in the town – the Chapel of the White Penitents, 18C, and the Chapel of Notre Dame du Pont du Salut, 15C. 

Chapel of the White Penitents, Correze
Chapel of the White Penitents, Correze
Chapel of Notre Dame du Pont du Salut
Chapel of Notre Dame du Pont du Salut

The buildings in the town mainly date from 16C, with carved doorways and interesting windows, and of course higgledy piggledy streets, but one or two are earlier, and of course some are later. The Maison Meynard de la Farge belonged to Jean Meynard de la Farge, second wealthiest man of his time and Secretary to the King, and who died in this building in 1745.

Maison Meynard de la Farge
Maison Meynard de la Farge

Nearby, in the Rue de Barry, is this building in rural style with 1591 above the doorway and the scallop shell of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The scallop shell is also over the doorway of the Renaissance House.

The Renaissance House
The Renaissance House

The Maison Florentin is the oldest house in the enclosed town. Perhaps it was the residence of the Chevaliers of Correze in 11C and 12C? And there are beautiful Renaissance mansions alongside the church.

The Maison Florentin
The Maison Florentin
Mansion of the 16C
Mansion of the 16C
Renaissance buildings near the church
Renaissance buildings near the church

 Old town walls.

This town was also deeply affected by WWI.

 

You may be interested in

Corrèze (here, and here)

The buildings in Corrèze

Old postcards of Correze and other towns in the Limousin

A bibliography

 

 

I would love to hear from you!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.