Château de Châlus-Chabrol, où mourut Richard Cœur de Lion

Châlus

The viscounts of Limoges had Châlus-Chabrol built in the 11th century to hold the road from Limoges to Périgord, on a disputed march where fifteen castles stand in a line. In March 1199, Viscount Aimar V having rebelled against his overlord, Mercadier's routiers besieged the place, where thirty-eight people had taken refuge, women and children included, under two Limousin knights, Pierre Brun and Pierre Basile. Richard the Lionheart, king of England and duke of Aquitaine, arrived on 23 March to oversee the undermining of the keep. On the evening of the 26th, as he approached without his hauberk, a crossbow bolt shot from the top of the tower struck him in the left shoulder, at the base of the neck; the wound, badly treated, turned gangrenous. The king died on 6 April, in the lodging of the castle, which had fallen in the meantime, after having the marksman brought to him and pardoned and having named his brother John to succeed him; his mother Eleanor, who had hurried from Fontevraud, was at his side, as she herself attests in a charter of 21 April. The body left for Fontevraud, the heart for Rouen; the entrails were buried in the castle chapel, now in ruins. The marksman, whom Roger of Howden names Bertrand de Gourdon and whom Jean Flori identifies rather as Pierre Basile, is said to have been flayed by Mercadier despite the royal pardon; as for the treasure the viscount is supposed to have hidden here, medievalists no longer give it credence. The keep, a corner tower and a 17th-century residential wing survive.

Wikipédia — Château de Châlus-Chabrol ↗

Getting there : Châlus is on the D 901, between Limoges and Périgueux; the castle overlooks the upper part of the town, park in town and walk up. It is private property, passed in 2026 to new owners who are leading a rescue project: the castle opens to visitors according to the season and during the Heritage Days, with guided tours given by the owners or a guide; enquire at the tourist office of the Pays de Châlus or on the estate's website before coming, as conditions may change. From outside, the keep, the corner tower and the ruins of the chapel are visible in every season. The castle is a stage on the Richard the Lionheart route, which links the castles of Limousin and Périgord.

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

Ambient sound