Martel is a commune in the Lot department in southwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It is a small medieval town in a region well known for its

walnuts A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, ''Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true bot ...

and

truffles A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus ''Tuber''. In addition to ''Tuber'', many other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including '' Geopora'', '' Pe ...

History

The name of the town means "hammer", and three of these are to be seen on the town's coat of arms.

Charles Martel Charles Martel ( – 22 October 741) was a Frankish political and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. He was a son of the Frankish statesm ...

, who earned the nickname "hammer" after his victory in the

Battle of Tours The Battle of Tours, also called the Battle of Poitiers and, by Arab sources, the Battle of tiles of Martyrs ( ar, معركة بلاط الشهداء, Maʿrakat Balāṭ ash-Shuhadā'), was fought on 10 October 732, and was an important battle ...

in 732, is said to have founded the town.

Henry the Young King Henry the Young King (28 February 1155 – 11 June 1183) was the eldest son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine to survive childhood. Beginning in 1170, he was titular King of England, Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Mai ...

died here in 1183. In 1219, the town received its charter and was a fiefdom of the Viscounts of Turenne.

Geography

Martel is located about east of Souillac and north of the River Dordogne. To the north lies the commune of Cazillac, to the northeast Strenquels, to the east Saint-Denis-lès-Martel, to the southeast Floirac, to the south

Montvalent Montvalent is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. Geography Montvalent is located in the north of the Lot. It is situated on the D840 between the towns of Martel and Gramat. The commune is in the valley of the river Dordogn ...

, to the southwest Creysse, to the west Baladou and to the northwest Cuzance. The countryside is rural with rolling hills, pastureland and the cultivation of

walnut A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true ...

s. North of the town lies the elevated limestone plateau of Causse de Martel, much of which is covered with oak and beech woodland.

The town

Martel is a medieval town, with the older houses built of pale stone that contrasts with their reddish-brown roofs. The ramparts that used to surround the town are gone but in their place is a wide boulevard and the narrow-streeted central part is a pedestrian area. The town has a distinctive sky-line with medieval towers projecting above the houses, and because of these, the town is sometimes called ''La ville aux sept tours''. The highest tower is that of the Church of Saint-Maur. There is an eighteenth-century market hall taking up most of the central cobbled square. Markets are held here on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and during late December or January there is an annual

truffle A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus ''Tuber''. In addition to ''Tuber'', many other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including '' Geopora'', '' Pe ...

market. In July, the ''Foire à la Laine'' (Wool Fair) is held underneath the market hall, with competitions for the best

fleeces Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. A ...

. There is a museum containing items from Puy d'Issolud, a local Gallic archaeological site which has been identified as Uxellodunum, besieged by

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...

in 51 BC.

Notable people

Claudius Cayx-Dumas Claudius Cayx-Dumas (1724–1792) was a French Jesuit. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1757.Henryk Fros SJ, Franciszek Sowa: ''Księga imion i świętych''. T. 6: W-Z. Kraków: WAM, Księża Jezuici, 2007, s. 327. References 1724 births ...

(1724–1792), French Jesuit. *

Jean Pierre Serrier Jean Pierre Serrier (18 October 1934 – 30 March 1989) was a French painter known for surrealism and absurdist art. Early life and education He was born in the Montparnasse district of Paris, the son of Louis and Solange Serrier. His father fo ...

(1934-1989), French artist, opened the gallery La Licorne in 1967.

References

External links