Tours de Merle

Saint-Geniez-ô-Merle

Deep in the steep-sided valley of the Maronne, in the Xaintrie of Corrèze, the Tours de Merle form one of the most spectacular castle-towns in France: seven distinct castles, two chapels and a hamlet have stood since the 12th century on a rocky spur ringed by the river. This unique configuration stems from divided lordship: seven co-seigneurial families shared the site without ever consolidating their power into a single fortress, each building its own tower between the 12th and 15th centuries. Listed as a historic monument as early as 1927, the site lived through the great upheavals of the Middle Ages: during the Hundred Years' War the English seized a tower and a castle in 1371; in 1574 the Huguenots occupied the citadel before being driven out two years later by the Catholic co-lords. Little by little, as seigneurial life demanded more comfort and easier access, the families deserted this abrupt spur for more convenient residences, leaving the towers to crumble slowly in their setting of greenery. Restored today and open to visitors, the Tours de Merle retain, between morning mists and dizzying drops to the Maronne, an almost unreal atmosphere that makes them one of the most photographed castle sites in the Limousin.

Getting there : Listed site open to visitors in season (admission charge), at Saint-Geniez-ô-Merle

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound