Euroguides - essential for visitors and travellers to Europe - France - Nouvelle-Aquitaine - Corrèz

Ségur-le-Château is a commune in the department of Corrèze in central France.
The viscounts of Limoges, also called the viscounts of Ségur created a small principality, whose last heir was Henry IV. Ségur was the main home of these viscounts, in the heart of their domain.
This picturesque small historic city is classified as one of the 'most beautiful villages of France' and on the "Route of Richard the Lionheart" as well as recently becoming a part of the Vézère Ardoise region of Art and History.
Ségur was a an active local city from the 15th century until 1750. At that time it was the centre of the local court area for an area that included a large part of Limousin et Périgord. This flourishing period explains the richness and architectural diversity that you will discover as you explore the village.
A visit to Ségur-le-Château is highly recommended if you are exploring the Limousin region. Even amongst the classified 'most beautiful villages' it definitely rates quite highly and is not to be missed.
Ségur-le-Château is a very charming place and as you amble through the tranquil setting and the narrow streets of the village it's hard to guess that in the Middle-Ages this was an important local centre for the region.
Close to the main car park, a cluster of unspoiled medieval houses runs along the river and the village is overlooked by the ruins of the castle that stand on a raised hill behind and dates from the 12th century: the castle provides a scenic backdrop for Ségur-le-Château.
The village developed along a meander in the Auvézère river and is dominated by the ruins of the 12th century castle. Built along a rocky spire the first defensive wall leads to a large courtyard with a Renaissance house and the logis des Chevaliers. The second ring of fortifications surrounds the vestuges of the castle keep and also the Chapel of Notre-Dame.
From the river you can follow the road to the Place des Claux, the historic centre of the village where the rich landowners lived, and overlooked by very beautiful medieval houses: the Maison Henry IV House and the Maison Boyer (16th century).
Numerous Renaissance style properties in Ségur-le-Château have leaded windows and towers from the 15th and 16th centuries and have been lovingly restored in the village and some have retained the decorative roof elements called "épis de faitage".
On the hill just behind the Place des Claux take a look at the renaissance style windows of the Maison Lou Castel. Also in Ségur-le-Château you can see the 16th century Saint-Laurent Tower.
As you explore the streets you will also notice a rich and varied selection of smaller architectural highlights paying witness to passed centuries such as the fountains and a cross. The Tourist Office and the mairie can give you a map of the village with a suggested route to follow when exploring.
Away from the main streets there is a network of narrow streets with more modest houses in Ségur-le-Château, called "charriéroux",and in the Place Jean de l'Aigle you can see some more charming houses.
If you follow the path along the river you get another lovely view across the river to a manor house, very picturesque and rather undiscovered by visitors to the village.
A little further and you can see the river which was once the center of industry in the village, with several mills operating. The mills originally milled flour here, and one mill was used to generate electricity for the village from the beginning of the 20th century.