The Most Beautiful Villages in France around Brive
Did you know that the " Most Beautiful Villages in France " label was created in Corrèze in the 1980s?
Today, 164 remarkable villages throughout France have been awarded this label. In Corrèze, there are five of them, waiting to reveal all their beauty to you.
And why not take a look at our neighbours in the Dordogne and the Lot, who are also lucky enough to have a number of villages with this label? And like Gaillard people, we are very friendly, we have even prepared a selection of the Most Beautiful Villages in France for you to visit within a maximum of 50km of Brive. Follow the guide...
Turenne
Once the seat of the powerful viscounty of the same name, Turenne is a medieval village nestling in a green setting 15km from Brive. Take one of its pretty streets lined with town houses and climb up to the promontory where the remains of the ancient castle have stood guard for centuries. From here, you can enjoy one of the finest views in the département.
Collonges-la-Rouge
In Collonges, you don't see life in pink, but in red, because of the colour of the purple sandstone buildings that frame its narrow streets. Situated around 30 km from Brive, this village is now one of the best-known and most visited sites in Corrèze. But that wasn't always the case. For a long time, this jewel was abandoned before being reborn thanks to one man: Charles Ceyrac. The former mayor of the commune launched the adventure of the Most Beautiful Villages in France in 1982 to save the exceptional heritage of his commune and many others throughout the country. Collonges-la-Rouge is a must-see!
Saint-Robert
Around 30 kilometres from Brive, on the border between Corrèze and Dordogne, Saint-Robert is a picturesque village built around a 12th-century fortified church. In 1983, it was even used as the setting for the TV film From Thrushes to Wolves , adapted from the novel by Claude Michelet. It has to be said that the village, with its noble residences, medieval stalls and old winegrowers' houses, exudes a unique charm.
Ségur-le-Château
Ségur-le-Château is a former stronghold of the Vicomté de Limoges in the north of the département, around 50 km from Brive. The remains of the 9th-century castle dominate the village, which is dotted with noble half-timbered houses. These rich mansions bear witness to Ségur's judicial past, when it was the seat of the Court of Appeals from the 15th to 18th centuries. What could be more natural for a village whose name means "safe place"?
Curemonte
Set on a ridge in the far south of the Corrèze, the village of Curemonte boasts a rich built heritage: three châteaux, a 12th-century Romanesque church and numerous noble houses dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. Just 30km from Brive, it would be a shame not to discover this pretty village, where the writer Colette lived during the Second World War.
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne has just won the title of most beautiful village in France, making it the 6th village in Corrèze to be classified as one of the most beautiful in France. It's a well-deserved accolade: the Saint-Pierre abbey church with its remarkable tympanum, and the half-timbered houses are just some of the wonderful things to discover in this village that lives to the rhythm of its river.
Rocamadour
Just an hour's drive from Brive, in the Lot département, this majestic village clinging to the side of a cliff is one of the must-see places to visit during your stay. This historic and religious site is one of the most visited in France, and it's easy to see why: you can discover the Saint-Sauveur basilica and the Saint-Amadour crypt, listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, or the Notre-Dame chapel built into the rock and housing the Black Madonna of Rocamadour.
Martel
Martel is a small medieval town with 7 towers and a rich trading history. In the 12th century, the town even became an important stage on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Later, in the 19th century, the town enjoyed a new heyday thanks to the truffle trade, which was transported here by a steam train (which can still be tested today).
Saint-Amand-de-Coly
In the Dordogne, around 20 km from Sarlat and 30 km from Brive, Saint-Amand-de-Coly is the quintessential Périgord village, with its houses of ochre walls and slate roofs. The 12th-century abbey church dominates the village in all its splendour. It is now considered to beone of the most beautiful fortified churches in Périgord. It has to be said that not even the English managed to overcome it during the Hundred Years' War. Now that's a bit cheeky...
Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère
Situated in the Dordogne about 50km from Brive, not far from Montignac and the Lascaux cave, Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère is a charming medieval village guarded by three fortresses: the 14th-century Manoir de la Salle, the 16th-century Château de Clérans and the 17th-century Château de Chaban. Its narrow streets, known as "couredous", lead you to the 12th-century Romanesque church, which hosts a number of concerts in the Périgord Noir Festival every summer. Above all, Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère is known as a centre of Tibetan Buddhism in France and even in Europe, with the Dhagpo Kagyu Ling centre.
Carennac
The Lot village of Carennac lies on the banks of the Dordogne, around 40 km from Brive. Here you can admire the Romanesque church with its superb 12th-century tympanum, the castle des Doyens and the 11th-century Cluniac priory where the churchman and theologian Fénelon lived. Carennac is also famous for being the setting for the television series La Rivière Espérance, directed by Josée Dayan and adapted from the novel by Christian Signol.
Loubressac
Loubressac, in the Lot department, is anancient 13th-century castrum set on a promontory overlooking the Dordogne, Cère and Bave valleys. Its 14th-century castle dominates the village, which is dotted around the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church with medieval houses featuring ochre walls and tiled roofs. In 1972, Georges Lautner shot his film A few gentlemen who are too quiet. The famous photographer Robert Doisneau even made it one of his favourite holiday resorts. Located 50 km from Brive, Loubressac is well worth a visit.
Autoire
Long under the protection of the Viscounts of Turenne, Autoire is an ancient medieval castrum with 17th and 18th century manor houses, earning it the nickname of "Little Versailles". The village nestles in the hollow of a cirque - the Cirque d'Autoire - featuring an impressive 30m-high waterfall and limestone cliffs almost 200m high. Here lie the remains of the castle des Anglais, an ancient fortified shelter dating back to the Hundred Years' War. Autoire is a natural and historical site to discover, just 50km from Brive!
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