Vers/to A20 11 Limoges The Haute-Vienne Le vigen Pratical Pratical Department Sentier

d'interprétation D 32A du parc forestier Reception centre de Ligoure A ideal place for a family walk, Châlucet is a major Guided tours start from the reception centre* & . Free information medieval site in an outstanding setting. You may (last departure at 4.30 pm) visit it unguided, with no time constraints, or on a is available. The Haute-Vienne Department owns the ruins of guided tour. It is open: Châlucet, the medieval fortress and listed historical > from April to June and September to October, from monument, and the Forest of Ligoure. 10.30 am to 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm to 6.30 pm; Services available in July and August, from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm More than 20 years ago, the regional authorities 1 > launched an enormous campaign to preserve and Car and coach park non-stop. promote these properties and turn them into a high- 2 Outdoor picnic tables * Individual guided tours (lasting approximately 2 hours) depart quality centre for tourism and culture. Toilets and water supply at: 10.30 am; 12.30 pm (in July and August); 2.30 pm; 4.30 pm Sale of cold drinks and souvenirs (last departure). Group tours by appointment only. Loan of a “Châlucet Fortress” tablet These renovation and redevelopment works 3 Terra Aventura cache (www.terra-aventura.fr) consisted of: Guided tour prices * l • consolidating the ruins, a > full rate : 6 € e Practical advice and safety • installing a platform at the top of the Jeanette B r > group rate (10 or more people), works committee Tower, giving visitors a 360° view of the site, u r Due to significant changes in height, some members (on presentation of the membership card) o i • restoring a medieval village below the Châlucet g a parts of the site are not accessible to people and Haute-Vienne Pass holders (up to 5 people): 4 € i n fortress, L 4 with reduced mobility. Make sure to wear good c > students: 3 €

• opening up the upper castle for visits: you a e shoes and bring water in hot weather. For your l > under-12s, RSA beneficiaries: free can now enter the first courtyard and admire the 6 safety’s sake, in the event of a heavy rain or storm (except group tours). remains of the chapel, the keep and the majestic 5 warning, certain parts of the castle will not be chimney in the stateroom, open to the public. *Means of payment accepted: cash and cheques. • creating a free app to help visitors reconstruct 7 8 The Jeannette tower, upper castle and WCs the castle and learn about its history, helping are accessible only during reception centre them understand this exceptional site and its 9 opening times. For further information: conflicted past. Château The village cellars are accessible only during de Châlucet guided tours. 05 55 00 96 55 10 It is prohibited to fly drones over the site. Email: [email protected] The Châlucet restoration project is also intended www.chalucet.com to support the local area and its economy: local Châlucet companies were hired to consolidate the ruins, and a 87260 Saint-Jean-Ligoure professional reintegration programme provides regular maintenance. Extend your visit to the Ligoure forest park GPS : 45.732264, 1.311243 A MAJOR The 7 km nature trail (takes 4 hours) takes you to the heart of the Ligoure forest. Along the way you’ll find information points that MEDIEVAL SITE 1. West wall of the village 5. Porte du Capitaine (Gate) 9. Castle provide explanations about how the forest has developed since 2. Castle village 6. Chapel 10. Viewing point the 19th Century, small-scale local heritage and plant and animal life. Unguided walk. 3. Jeannette Tower 7. Western bailey 11. Footbridge to the Malagnat © Photos-Jean-Christophe Dupuy - Vivien Ligoure forest park www.chalucet.com The Domaine de Châlucet-Ligoure 4. Quarry 8. Barbican A property of the Haute-Vienne Department The origins of the Castrum* (12th c.) An uninhabited fortress (13th - 14th c.) Châlucet was founded in around 1130 by two knights from the On the death of Géraud de Maulmont in 1299, Jaunhac family, suzerains* of the Viscount of Limoges. At the the castle passed on to one of his heirs. Download the time, the castrum was run by several knights (between 20 and 30 In 1305, the King of France, Philippe IV (known families), who were the joint lords. In exchange for their military as Philip the Fair), took over the Limousin “Forteresse de Châlucet” app protection, they were given a house, a garden and an income paid fortress. He never set foot in it and appointed by the surrounding villages. Around the Jeannette tower, which lords responsible for maintaining it and dealing was the keep of the lower castrum, there was a proper village. with day-to-day affairs. We also know that there were suburbs*, gardens, orchards and In 1317, his successor, King Philippe V, 3D reconstructions, videos, augmented reality perhaps vineyards. handed Châlucet over to his loyal advisor and more: come and unearth all of Châlucet’s Of the upper castle, built by the Jauhnac family, there are no Henri de Sully. He never lived there either. The secrets with this app! visible remains today. It is thought that there was a keep and Sully family made few changes to the castle. This offers a fun and enjoyable way to learn all about a seigniorial dwelling. the history of Châlucet, from the construction of the first château and the foundation of the lower castle around 1130 AD, right up to its transformation into the palace of Géraud de Maulmont at the end of the C. 1130 1260-1277 late 13th c early 14th c late 14th c 1594 13th century. Châlucet Castle (upper and War in the viscounty between Géraud de Maulmont recovered Châlucet became This formidable fortress became a den of thieves and highwaymen who fleeced travellers and farmers in the area. The inhabitants of Limoges had the fortress demolished. Open the “exploded view”, for example, and you’ll lower) was founded by the the inhabitants of Limoges and the seigniorial rights over a royal fortress. get a better view of how the rooms in the palace Jaunhac family. Viscount Gui VI. Châlucet and had a proper come together. Enter each room and see just how fortified palace built. luxurious and refined they were.

Download the free “Forteresse de Châlucet” app before your visit. The “viscountcy war” The fortress of Géraud de Maulmont A den of thieves (late 14th c.) Châlucet demolished (16th c.) (13th c.) The Viscount* of Limoges, Gui VI, In 1369, Perrot le Béarnais and his troop took over This was the period of the wars of managed to take over part of the One of Gui VI’s ministers, Géraud de Châlucet. For 13 years, these soldiers, who were religion*. In 1594, Catholic extremists Maulmont, recovered the seigniorial rights Don’t have a smartphone or tablet? Don’t worry, suzerainty of Châlucet. The site’s known as highwaymen*, attacked the inhabitants wanted to move into the castle. To over Châlucet during the viscountcy you can borrow a tablet from the reception hall. position was ideal for controlling of the surrounding areas. prevent this, the Limoges council sent Limoges and the roads leading to it. The war. He had a proper fortified palace Perrot was one of the most powerful bandits in the 100 workers to demolish the fortress. castle became the base for operations built to replace the initial upper castle: a kingdom, but the King of France’s army managed to It took four days to turn Châlucet into against the inhabitants of Limoges barbican*, parapet walk, machicolation*, remove him from the fortress in 1394 in exchange for a ruin. during the viscountcy war (1260 – 1277). portcullis* and door panels* all formed an enormous ransom. Gui VI was supported by the King of part of its defence. Once the Béarnais had left, the Sully family handed France, the inhabitants of Limoges by Round towers were built on each corner the castle over to Charles d’Albret. He, too, appointed the Plantagenets who occupied the of the castle. It was a unique monument lords to take care of Châlucet. The lords abused their th whole of Aquitaine. at the end of the 13 century that powerand behaved like highwaymen. They did little reflected its lord’s power. to maintain Châlucet and the castle fell into ruin.

* GLOSSARY CASTRUM: SUBURB: WARS OF RELIGION: PORTCULLIS: MACHICOLATION: HIGHWAYMEN: SUZERAIN: LEAF: VISCOUNT: a Latin word meaning a fortified seigniorial complex. district of a town outside civil wars caused by the opposition a gate that moved vertically in runners, fitted an opening built into the top of a wall using in the Middle Ages, bandits a lord to whom a vassal wooden part a noble title (duke, count, The word does not always mean the same as our the surrounding walls. between the Catholic and Protestant with spikes at the bottom, which was lowered corbels and a parapet, through which objects who robbed travellers on the roads. is subject and to whom of a door. viscount, baron). Deputy © Studio Différemment current “castle”. religions between 1562 and 1598. to prevent access to a fortified building. could be thrown (arrows, stones). he pays homage. to the count (“vice-count”).