Do you want to be charmed by a fairytale little town? To explore Collonges-la-Rouge is to step in time to a village where medieval noblemen once summered. Located in the Corrèze department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France, this enthralling places is definitely a unique place that you must put on your list of places to visit.
Things to Do
Church of Two Faiths
The centerpiece of the village, the Romanesque Church of St. Pierre, dates largely from the 11th and 12th centuries. Fairfield during France’s wars of religion in the 16th century. It has both a square tower and a taller round one. Besides, it also has two naves, which enabled Catholic and Protestant (Huguenot) worshipers of the 16th century. to use the same church- a remarkably tolerant arrangement.
A quiet inspection of the church may be accompanied by classical music-slide a coin donation into the slot meter for lights and music.
Maison de la sirène
Built in the 16C, this house owes its name to a decorative detail in its stonework – a mermaid holding a comb in one hand and mirror in the other. This typical Collonges house displays collections dedicated to local crafts and traditions, tools, furniture, and documents dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries.
Quintessentially French
With no less than 25 turrets peaking up amidst the meadows and chestnut and walnut orchards, the village successfully conjures the image of quintessential France. Beneath its lauzé roofs lay impressive manors and modest cottages as well as a beautiful church and a covered market.
Ramade de Friac
Collonges-la-Rouge counts many impressive 15th and 16th-century houses such as Ramade de Friac with its two watchtowers and Maison de la Sirène with its vaulted porch, period interior and, mermaid sculpture. Visitors can continue to potter around the village and discover more architectural treasures like Château de Vassinhac Castle with its elegant mullioned windows or Château de Benge with its machicolation remains and beautiful Renaissance window.
How to get there
The bus from Brive (where the Brive–Souillac Airport, BVE, is), 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of the village, takes around half an hour. However, cars are not allowed in the village. So if you plan to drive you will have to use the pay-and-display parking lot nearby and walk. If that is full, you may have to park on a rural road.
When to go
Spring and fall are the best times to visit, as July and August can be hot and busy. The annual Fête du Pain is held on the first Sunday of August.
How long
One day is enough to enjoy the so-called ‘one of the most beautiful cities of France’.
Opening and Closing Hours
Tourism Office: Everyday, 10:00 AM – 12:30 AM, 02:00 PM – 05:00 PM
Maison de la Sirène: From 1st July to 31th August 2019 daily from 10:30 to 12:30 and from 14:30 to 17:30.
Planning
The entrance to this beautiful place is free and any booking in advance is necessary
Inside Information
Before you leave to poke around the streets of Collonges, remember to call into the tourist office for a map. It will give you all the key sites to explore and a quick summary of each one’s history.
A multimedia trail in English is also available here and will take you to 14 different stops in the village with the help of a tablet.
If you dabble in a bit of French, guided visits leave from the same place three times a day in peak season. The village also holds torchlit night tours at various dates throughout the summer.
History
The monks of Charroux Abbey founded a priory in the 8th century which attracted a population of peasants, craftsmen, and tradesmen who lived and prospered around its fortified walls. After the French Revolution which caused the destruction of the priory buildings, the village regained short-lasting prosperity at the beginning of the 19th century.
Later on, its population slowly decreased and the village was transformed into a stone quarry.
At the beginning of the 20th century, some villagers created the association Les Amis de Collonges (The Friends of Collonges) and eventually obtained the classification of the entire village as a historical monument in 1942.
Websites
Other Nearby Attractions
Saillac
Just below the church, you can start the walk to nearby Saillac, a small village about two kilometers away and with a 12th- style church.
The market town of Meyssac
The market town of Meyssac is also very close to the village and has a town center with several interesting historic buildings also built mostly in the same red stone as Collonges-la-Rouge.
Curemonte and Turenne
There are lots of very picturesque villages set in the scenic countryside around Collonges-la-Rouge. Two of them – Curemonte and Turenne – are also listed among the most beautiful villages of France, while Martel is a slightly larger historic town nearby.
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