Curemonte (;

Limousin Limousin (; ) is a former administrative region of southwest-central France. Named after the old province of Limousin, the administrative region was founded in 1960. It comprised three departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienne. On 1 Jan ...

: ''Curamonta'') is a commune in the

Corrèze Corrèze (; ) is a département in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, on the bo ...

department in central

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is a medieval village characterised by its three castles. In a fortified position on a ridge overlooking a valley on both its eastern and western flanks, the village has historically had a strategic importance in the area. Curemonte is a member of

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (, ) is an independent association created in 1982 for the promotion of the tourist appeal of small rural villages with a rich cultural heritage. As of 2024, it numbers 176 member villages (independent Communes of France, ''communes'' or part ...

(The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association. Its inhabitants are called Curemontois.

Toponymy

The name for Curemonte is derived from low Latin ''Cura montis'' meaning a location used for an operating estate that's on a mountain or hill.

History

The existence of Curemonte is confirmed from as early as 860 when it was mentioned in the ''Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Beaulieu''. Rodolphe de Turenne, Archbishop of Bourges, had donated the village of Saint-Genst and its vineyards at Curemonte to the Abbey of Beaulieu. It was in the 11th century that the village flourished, passing through the Viscounts of Turenne.

Geography

Location

The municipality of Curemonte is located at the southern end of the department of Corrèze. Map commune FR insee code 19067

Physical geography

The village of Curemonte is built on a ridge line that overlooks the valleys of the Sourdoire and the Maumont.

Demographics

Places and monuments

* It is ranked among the most beautiful villages in France. * It has three castles: **

Châteaux de Saint-Hilaire et des Plas The Châteaux de Saint-Hilaire et des Plas are two historic castles in Curemonte, Corrèze, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The Château de Saint-Hilaire, in the centre, was built in the 13th century. The Château des Plas, which surrounds it, was bu ...

; **

Château de la Johannie The Château de la Johannie is an historic castle in Curemonte, Corrèze, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. Toponymy Johannes is the latin form of Jean or John and is named after the original owner or the house of Jean. History It was built circa 1308 ...

. * It has three churches: ** Church of Saint-Barthélemy du Bourg; ** Church of Saint-Hilaire de la Combe: 11th Century Romanesque church, one of the oldest in the department, which was probably built on

Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...

foundations; ** The church of Saint-Genest: former parish church, now a Museum of Religious Art. File:Curemonte - château de Plas, de Saint-Hilaire -1.JPG, Église Saint-Barthélémy, Curemonte-2331.jpg, File:Curemonte - Eglise Saint-Hilaire de la Combe -3.JPG,

References

Communes of Corrèze Plus Beaux Villages de France Corrèze communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia {{Corrèze-geo-stub