Villetoureix (; oc, Vilatorrés) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Dordogne Dordogne ( , or ; ; oc, Dordonha ) is a large rural department in Southwestern France, with its prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, it is named af ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by t ...

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 ...

History

The oldest evidence of habitation date to

Roman Gaul Roman Gaul refers to GaulThe territory of Gaul roughly corresponds to modern-day France, Belgium and Luxembourg, and adjacient parts of the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. under provincial rule in the Roman Empire from the 1st century ...

. The first attestation of the name is in the form ''Villatores''. The name was formed from ''villa'' (village), and ''torre'' which meant defensive building. Development of the village started in the 1600s, when the château de la Rigale was built.

Geography

Villetoureix is situated on a hill on the right bank of the river

Dronne The Dronne (, also , ; oc, Drona) is a long river in southwestern France, right tributary of the Isle. Its source is in the north-western Massif Central, east of the town of Châlus (south-west of Limoges) at an elevation of . It flows south-we ...

, near

Ribérac Ribérac (; oc, Rabairac) is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. The commune is situated by the Dronne River. History In response to the 848 Norman plunder of nearby Brantôme, a fort was built n ...

, in the ''

Périgord Périgord ( , ; ; oc, Peiregòrd / ) is a natural region and former province of France, which corresponds roughly to the current Dordogne department, now forming the northern part of the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is div ...

blanc'' area. The commune consists of the village Villetoureix and the minor settlements of la Pouyade, la Borie, Mayac and la Dérame. Neighbouring communes are Ribérac and

Saint-Méard-de-Drône Saint-Méard-de-Drône (, literally ''Saint-Méard of Drône''; Limousin: ''Sent Meard de Drona'') is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Dordogne departmen ...

to the south, Celles to the east, Bertric-Burée to the north and Allemans to the west.

History

Geography

Demographics

See also