Turenne, Corrèze
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Castle
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 Turenne
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Location within Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
Turenne
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| Coordinates: 45°03′15″N 1°34′57″E / 45.0542°N 1.5825°ECoordinates: 45°03′15″N 1°34′57″E / 45.0542°N 1.5825°E | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | |
| Department | Corrèze | |
| Arrondissement | Brive-la-Gaillarde | |
| Canton | Meyssac | |
| Intercommunality | Brive] | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Yves Gary | |
| Area1 | 28.03 km2 (10.82 sq mi) | |
| Population (2008)2 | 794 | |
| • Density | 28/km2 (73/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 19273 /19500 | |
| Elevation | 140–408 m (459–1,339 ft) (avg. 257 m or 843 ft) |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Turenne is a commune in the Corrèze department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France. It is characterised by its height and unique position on top of a cliff.
It is one of the most beautiful villages of France (along with 148 others, including neighbouring Loubressac, Autoire, Curemonte and Carennac). It also has a well-known castle.
Turenne sits atop the Martel Causse, a limestone formation which now supports rich forests as well as intricate caves. The region is quite hilly, and is cut through by the Dordogne and Vézère rivers, which provide nearby activities like canoeing.
The local economy is primarily agricultural, with a fair amount of tourism. The region is known for its excellent produce, including walnuts, mushrooms, truffles, and foie gras.
The first lords of Turenne appeared in the 9th century. The town became a veritable feudal state after the Crusades and one of the great fiefs of France in the 14th century. From the Middle Ages to the 18th century, the viscount of Turenne had complete autonomy. Until 1738 the sheriffs, despite honoring the French king with simple tributes, were free of taxation and acted as true sovereigns; convening the Estates General, raising taxes, coining money, and ennobling. The Viscounty formed a state within a state. Thus, when the king banned tobacco (introduced in Aquitaine in 1560), the measure did not apply in the viscounty.
The fiefdom of Turenne occupied a territory bounded by three provinces and three bishoprics. Part of the Périgord Noir (Black Périgord), the fiefdom was adjacent to Lower Limousin and Quercy. It controlled the transfer of livestock between the plateaus of Quercy and Limousin, At its largest in the 15th century, it spanned from around Meymac or Lapleau to the north-east, Terrasson to the west, and Gramat to the south. At that time, the major fortified cities of the Viscount were Argentat, Servieres, Beaulieu, Gagnac, Martel, Saint-Cere, and Turenne; other walled cities included the bastides of Bretenoux and Puybrun, the cities of Carennac, Vayrac, Curemonte, Meyssac, and Collonges. There are now about 100,000 inhabitants in the entire region, divided into 18,500 "feux", 111 parishes, 1200 villages, and many monasteries.
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Wikipedia