The village and castle of Turenne in Corrèze.
Introduction
The delightful village of Turenne, strategically sited on a limestone hill, is regularly short-listed as one of France's most beautiful villages.
Turenne was the seat of an independent viscounty until 1738, a state in its own right within the Kingdom of France. The viscounts enjoyed complete autonomy to raise taxes, mint their own coins, grant nobility titles, and have their own sheriffs.
The viscounty became the possession of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne in 1444, a family that also ruled as Count of Auvergne and Count of Boulogne until the senior branch went extinct in 1501. In their heyday, Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, co-religionist and companion-at-arms of Protestant King Henry IV, became Duke of Bouillion and Prince of Sedan. His son Henry, Marshal of France, received the nickname "The Great Turenne". He was one of six marshals in history who have been made Marshal General of France.
Nowadays the medieval castle is still the dominant feature of Turenne's landscape. Although it is a private property, the castle is open to visitors.
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