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.
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.
The church of Saint Martial was, I think, 13C and subsequently altered. It was named after the first Bishop of Limoges.
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.
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.
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 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.
Old town walls.
This town was also deeply affected by WWI.
You may be interested in
Old postcards of Correze and other towns in the Limousin
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