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 ...
Charente
Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...
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 ...
occupied France
The Military Administration in France (; ) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zone in areas of northern and western France. This so-called ' was established in June 19 ...
and
Vichy France
Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the Battle of France, ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Etymology
The village takes its name from the large chateau above the village, which is partially open to the public. It is also still inhabited by the Duke and Duchess.
The site was first used around 980 by Fucaldus, younger brother of the Viscount of
Limoges
Limoges ( , , ; , locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region. Situated o ...
. Fucaldus set up a fortified camp on the rock and called it ''Fucaldus in rupe'', or Foucauld's Rock.
The town has always been linked with the House La Rochefoucauld.
Population
Chateau
Early in the 11th century, the son of Fucaldus built a square keep, still identifiable at the heart of the present site. Two entrance towers were built from 1350, with three angle towers following, along with a heightening of the keep, in 1453. Galleries and a grand staircase, the latter attributed to designs by
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...
, were added in 1520. Much of the medieval building was demolished in 1615 when the courtyard was opened out and improvements were made to honour a visit by
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown.
...
. There was some rebuilding in 1760, following a fire.
Following subsidence problems affecting the keep in the 1960s, the building is currently in the midst of restoration, during which time one wing remains a family home and much of the rest is open to the public. Guided tours of the libraries are sometimes available, and there are costumes for children and adults to wear during their exploration of the rest of the public areas, which include several furnished rooms, and some of the foundations within the rock.
Other features
In the village is a
classic car
A classic car is typically described as an automobile 25 years or older, although a car's age is not the only requirement it must meet before being considered a "classic." However, a standard criteria for recognizing cars as classics does not ex ...
dealership which is open to the public 365 days of the year and is decorated with motoring memorabilia, functioning essentially as a free-to-enter motor museum.
In the Rivieres District, there is a large supermarket, pharmacy, vets, petrol station.
In the old part of town is an "Abbey", public toilets and nearby shopping streets. On the outskirts is a small chocolatier factory and shop.
San Domingo
Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...
heiress allied to the
Beauharnais family
The House of Beauharnais (or ''House of Leuchtenberg''; ) is a French noble family. It is now headed by the Duke of Leuchtenberg, descendant in male line of Eugène de Beauharnais.
History
Originating in Brittany, the Beauharnais (or Beau ...
. Mme de La Rochefoucauld became ''
dame d'honneur Dame d'honneur (, ) was a common title for two categories of French ladies-in-waiting, who are often confused because of the similarity.
Dame d'honneur can be:
* Short for Première dame d'honneur, which were commonly shortened to Dame d'honne ...
'' to the
empress Josephine
The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
, and their eldest daughter married Francesco Borghese, a brother-in-law of
Pauline Bonaparte
Paula Maria Bonaparte Leclerc Borghese (, ; 20 October 1780 – 9 June 1825), better known as Pauline Bonaparte, was an imperial French princess, the first sovereign Duchess of Guastalla, and the princess consort of Sulmona and Rossano. She was th ...
, Princess Borghese. La Rochefoucauld became ambassador successively to
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
(1805) and to
The Hague
The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
(1808–1810), where he negotiated the union of the
Kingdom of Holland
The Kingdom of Holland ( (contemporary), (modern); ) was the successor state of the Batavian Republic. It was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in March 1806 in order to strengthen control over the Netherlands by replacing the republican governmen ...
with France. During the "
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days ( ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition (), marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII o ...
" he was made a
peer of France
The Peerage of France () was a hereditary distinction within the French nobility which appeared in 1180 during the Middle Ages.
The prestigious title and position of Peer of France () was held by the greatest, highest-ranking members of the Fr ...
. He subsequently devoted himself to philanthropic work, and in 1822 became deputy to the
Chamber of Deputies
The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures.
Description
Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...
and sat with the
constitutional royalists
Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in making decisions. ...
. He was again raised to the peerage in 1831.
*
Ambroise-Polycarpe de La Rochefoucauld
Ambroise-Polycarpe de La Rochefoucauld Grandee, GE (2 April 1765 – 2 June 1841), 1st Duke of Doudeauville, was a French soldier and politician. He was Minister of the Royal Household from 1821 to 1827.
Early life
Ambroise-Polycarpe de La Roche ...
(1765–1841), soldier and minister of Charles X
*
Antoine de La Rochefoucauld
Antoine de la Rochefoucauld, Seigneur de Chaumont-sur-Loire, served Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé as a knight (''chevalier de l'ordre du Roi'') and his chamberlain. On 7 October 1552, he married Cécile de Montmirail, daughter of Étienne ...
Dominique de La Rochefoucauld
"Dominique" is a 1963 French language popular song, written and performed by Belgian singer Jeannine Deckers, better known as Sœur Sourire ("Sister Smile" in French) or The Singing Nun. The song is about Saint Dominic, a Spanish-born priest ...
(1712–1800), French bishop and cardinal
* Dominique, Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (born 1950), diplomat, Grand Hospitalier of the Order of Malta, President of the French association, Chancellor of the « Académie des Psychologues du Goût »
*
Edmée de La Rochefoucauld
Edmée de La Rochefoucauld (1896-1991) was a French activist for women’s voting rights and a writer, sometimes using the pseudonym Gilbert Mauge.
Early life
Edmée Frisch de Fels was born in Paris, France on April 28, 1895, the daughter of Edm ...
(1896-1991), French activist
*Emmanuel, Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (1883-1974), diplomat, ambassadeur
* François III de La Rochefoucauld (1521–1572), French courtier and soldier
*
François de La Rochefoucauld (cardinal)
François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis.
People with the given name
* François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter
* François-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire; ...
François de La Rochefoucauld, Marquis de Montandre
Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal François de La Rochefoucauld, Marquis de Montandre, also known as Francis de La Rochefoucauld, (September 1672 – 11 August 1739) was a Great Britain, British soldier, who arrived in England as a Hu ...
Frédéric Jérôme de La Rochefoucauld
Frédéric Jérôme de La Rochefoucauld (Versailles, 16 July 1701 – Paris, 29 April 1757) was a French Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal known as the ''Cardinal de La Rochefoucauld''.
Biography
Born in a noble family, he was the third o ...
(1701–1757), French cardinal of the Catholic Church, Archbishop of Bourges
*
Frédéric Gaëtan, marquis de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt
Frédéric and Frédérick are the French versions of the common male given name Frederick. They may refer to:
In artistry:
* Frédéric Back, Canadian award-winning animator
* Frédéric Bartholdi, French sculptor
* Frédéric Bazille, Impress ...
(1779–1863), politician
*
Jean-Baptiste Louis Frédéric de La Rochefoucauld de Roye
Jean-Baptiste Louis Frédéric de La Rochefoucauld de Roye, Duke of Anville (17 August 1707 – 16 September 1746), Marquis of Roucy, who was made the Duke of Anville by King Louis XV of France and pursued a military career in the French galley ...
Louis Alexandre de La Rochefoucauld d'Enville
Louis may refer to:
People
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
Other uses
* Louis (coin), a French coin
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
* ...
(1743–1792), French aristocrat and politician
*
Robert de La Rochefoucauld
Comte Robert Guy Jean-Marie de La Rochefoucauld (16 September 1923 – 8 May 2012) was a member of the French Resistance and the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II, and later served as the mayor of Ouzouer-sur-Trézée, a can ...
(1923–2012), French count and special operations executive
*