Château de Châlucet

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North side of Châlucet

The ruins of the Château de Châlucet are about 10 km to the south of Limoges, in the département of Haute-Vienne, and less than 2 km from the Pôle de Lanaud. They dominate the confluence of the rivers Briance and Ligoure.

The château is a medieval fortress, with a purely defensive goal; it is composed of two parts:

a castle, on the top of a timbered rocky overcrop represents the upper Châlucet (French: Haut Châlucet);
a square keep of the 12th century, called "Tour Jeanette" is the remaining part of the residence building, that was the lower Châlucet (French: bas Châlucet). The overall shape of the fortress was trapezoidal, and was composed of the main building (formerly arched), courtyards, and the keep.

Object of power for the local lords, belonging to the lands of the abbey of Solignac, it was the symbol of the feudal power for those (mainly bishops or Viscounts of Limoges) who disputed the use and control of it. At the beginning of 14th century, the king of France himself seemed to make very large investments there. By an irony of the history, its defensive role, very dissuasive until 15th century, was fully used during the Hundred Years' War by bands of plunderers which roamed the country.

Restored at the end of the 1990s, the castle of Châlucet is easily accessible today, with a tourist circuit and explanatory panels.

Its name is sometimes written: Château de Chalusset.