Turenne, strategic place
Medieval site, Turenne was located at intersection of regions and trade and religious roads, between Limousin, Perigord and Quercy. It was placed on a very steep mound to become a defensive place, impregnable.
Ranked as Most Beautiful Villages of France, Turenne benefits from unique historic place; narrow streets, small squares, doors, paths under porch, houses closed in on others,… Roofs have big importance too forming a beautiful real landscape. Roofs have been made with lauzes, pink and brown flat tiles, and today heavy slates coming from North of Brive and that enable acuter sloping roof.
The visit of the village can only be done on foot, thanks to a circuit with 10 signs, going to the foot of the village to the Château. Built during the 11th Century, it extended on all the peak of the mound. It had some towers but today you will see only 2 of them, that are the witnesses of this fortress power.
We visited it for you !
Turenne is located on a 160 meters mound that overlooks the Tourmente Valley. The walk from the foot to the top of the Château is only 1.5km but some of the streets are very steeps and so the visit is unfortunately not adapted to everybody.
Finally, with a half destroyed Château, that today you can only visit the guards room, the esplanade and the peak of the “Tour de César” (tower, accessible with spiral staircase !), the walk is adapted for sportive people and superb panoramas lovers.
