Magical places in the region

Corrèze contains many places with the official designation “Plus Beaux Villages de France. The red village of Collonges la Rouge is one of them. The village’s buildings are made of red sandstone, creating a quirky atmosphere. You imagine yourself many hundreds of years back in time. The castles in the village are also built from the same stones. It was once a vacation spot for the region’s administrative elite. Then and still today, goose was an important delicacy. Therefore, for those who want to enjoy the primal French dish foie gras, Collonges la Rouge is an ideal place.

An hour’s southeast drive from Chabrignac is Curemonte. A village located a bit higher up so you can see the outline of the village with three castles from afar. Curemonte, surrounded by greenery, is also known as the village of three partly for this reason. It also features three crosses and three fountains. The castles seem to form a unity with each other. The older Château Saint Hilaire has square towers and seems to be attached to Château Les Plas with its round towers. Château de Johannie has the allure of a noble manor house. The grain exchange from the 16th century is also really worth a visit. Then pay particular attention to the bass-reliefs.

In the 1980s, the village was the film set for director Philippe Monnier’s miniseries “Des grives aux loups,” based on Claude Michelet’s book of the same name. Both the book and its cinematic adaptation, give a nice picture of the village and the region in the late nineteenth century. The town, just a 12-minute drive from Chabrignac, is built into a hillside and dominated by an abbey church. If you are lucky in the summer, you can attend the annual classical music festival there. Note the changing exhibits in the “Salle André Rousseau.

South of the church is a tiered garden that extends to the city wall. From there, the view across the valley toward Brive is breathtaking. From there you can also see the high-altitude town of Ayen. To the east, you can see parts of the city wall and the roof of Château d’Aragon.

You could call Ségur-le-Château a village on a peninsula because of the Auvézère River that winds peacefully around the town. With two steep hillsides in the background, it is like a paradise for hikers and lovers of historical heritage. Indeed, a court of justice once sat here and magistrates had imposing mansions built there. The place attracted judges, knights and master artists. Prominent families settled there under the castle that towers over the village on a rocky point. If you visit this pearl of the Corrèze about a 20-minute drive from Chabrignac, don’t miss the house of Henry IV with its cross windows. Don’t skip the Boyer House and the tower of Saint-Laurent, either.

In Ségur-le-Château, all kinds of festivities are organized continuously. Please inquire about the current schedule as it includes farmers’ markets, festivals and jam sessions.

This beautiful village also has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. Turenne is a 40-minute drive south-east of Chabrignac. It was formed on and around a strategically well-located hill that once made it of great military value. Of the “impregnable” castle that was built on the summit, two towers remain. That structure was once home to Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne. He was the grandson of Willen the Silent who was a son of Elisabeth of Nassau. She was the second daughter of William of Orange. The good soldier Henri slyly took advantage of his Dutch background. He turned out to be the mastermind behind the invasion of the Republic of the Netherlands ordered by Louis XIV. Fortunately, William II was able to save the Netherlands from the expansionism of the Sun King.

In Turenne, see tour du Trésor, the castle tower that has been preserved containing the Queen’s Hall. Visit the house Sénéchal, the gate of Mauriolles, the canon’s house and the monastery chapel in which interesting exhibitions take place regularly. Stroll through the atmospheric streets that could just as easily be used by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella.

A 70-minute drive from Chabrignac you will find Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne on the Dordogne River. There you can stroll along the water along the green banks. The historic center can be reached via porte de la Chapelle. There, the Benedictine abbey offers many attractions such as a tympanum from the 12th century and a very special Virgin and Child from the same century. West across from the abbey you will find the Renaissance House, a national monument open to visitors.

Be updated on the inland navigation that once took place on the Dordogne River or stroll through the village. You might stumble upon a traditional market where many local products are for sale. Maybe you’ll be in time for the Strawberry Festival? There are ongoing events such as concerts and cultural performances. The Monturuc festival with its magnificent fireworks show attracts many visitors in August. If you don’t feel like that, find a bar or restaurant. You won’t be bored in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.