Arnac-Pompadour

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Coordinates: 45°23′50″N 1°22′55″E / 45.3972222222, 1.38194444444

Commune of Arnac-Pompadour

Global view of cross-country of Pompadour
Location
Arnac-Pompadour (France)
Arnac-Pompadour
Administration
Country France
Region Limousin
Department Corrèze
Arrondissement Brive-la-Gaillarde
Canton Lubersac
Intercommunality Pays de Pompadour
Mayor Jean-Michel Reillier
(2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation 279 m–475 m
Land area¹ 15.09 km²
Population²
(1999)		 1,334
 - Density 88/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 19011/ 19230
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.
France

Arnac-Pompadour is a commune in the department of Corrèze in central France.

The city is famous for its Château and its Stud, the Pompadour National Anglo-Arab Stud, headquarters of the French National Stud and France's principal production centre of Anglo-Arabian horses.

[edit] History

Arnac was inhabited in Gallo-Roman times by a landowner named Artonacus or Artonos.

Pompadour belonged to one of the oldest lordships in Limousin: the Lastours, Vicomte de Pompadour. A first castle was built in 1026 by Guy de Lastours to defend his possessions, coveted by the Vicomte de Ségur. He also rebuilt Arnac church and established a monastery there, given to Saint Martial's Abbey in Limoges.

As centuries went by, the suzerainty of the Pompadours spread to all the adjoining parishes. Geoffroi Hélie de Pompadour rebuilt a sumptuous castle in the 15th century. Having in 1513 inherited the illustrious Vicomté de Comborn, the House of Pompadour had reached the religious, military and political heights. Elevated to a marquisate, it died out at the dawn of the 18th century, with several successive deaths.

After that family died out, the inheritance (including the estate, the title and coat-of-arms), disputed in a long trial between the Prince de Conti and the Marquis de La Vallière, was finally transferred to the Crown. In 1745, Louis XV gave it to his favourite, Mme d'Etiolles, who became the Marquise de Pompadour.

Returned to the Crown after the death of Madame de Pompadour, the Château and the 333 ha estate (spread across several communes) became a Royal Stud. Re-established by Napoleon after the Revolution, it is currently a famous National Stud, specialising particularly in developing the Anglo-Arab breed.

[edit] Famous natives

Pompadour was the birthplace of:

[edit] External links

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