Carlux and its castle (to visit for free!)

Built between the Romanesque and Gothic periods ( ^11th century), the Château de Carlux, or rather the remains that remain of it, are a little pleasure to discover if you are in the region. A few kilometers from the Dordogne, in the Pays de Fénelon, we will see the keep, the ramparts, the remains of the main building, all overlooking a very beautiful countryside landscape. It is listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments and can be visited independently and free of charge!

Photos from the report: Guide to Périgord

Carlux, a pretty village in Périgord

Carlux has its origins which date back (as in this entire region of Périgord) to the Middle Ages, it was a small city managed by consuls (municipal magistrates autonomous from the Lord). Although it was well positioned during the Roman era and the Middle Ages, it then had difficulty rebuilding itself because it is now located outside the main roads. In the middle of the ^19th century, a more important road was built to go from the banks of the Dordogne to Salignac, but at the cost of destroying part of the fortress and old houses. It is thanks to tourism and the value of the beautiful remaining stones, but also to its gentle way of life, that Carlux was reborn at the beginning of the 90s. Today it is a charming little village with beautiful properties which is ideally located to discover this part of Périgord, but also the nearby Lot. We are near Sarlat, close to Souillac and on the banks of the Dordogne, you can canoe, kayak, hike, mountain bike and cycle with the family thanks to the Sarladais Cycle Path. Several tourist and heritage sites are located in the region, the promise of a great family vacation!

Go up to the ^14th century church, to appreciate its dominant position over the village, opposite the castle. It is very simple because it was built during times of unrest for the town and its surroundings.

Carlux Castle

To visit Carlux Castle, go to the town hall, the grocery store or the village bar to pick up a booklet or simply go there and scan the QR code with your Smartphone to get information during the visit. There are also a few signs on site. The Château was attached to the Viscounty of Turenne (in Corrèze) and is located between the Périgord Noir and the nearby Quercy (the Lot). More precisely between Sarlat and Souillac (in the Lot, there was also an old Roman road on this path). There was probably a construction on this mound , from Roman times.

Visits to Carlux Castle are organized during Heritage Days. In August , the pancake festival is held, famous in the region! Come try to beat the record for the greatest number of pancakes consumed (more than 5,000!) and take the opportunity to put on your most beautiful medieval costumes and join the party!

Enter the castle and on the large grassy square, you can admire the landscape and have a good visualization of the boundaries of the Castle. Its ramparts are still in fairly good condition and we can clearly see that the castle is built on the rock, it leans on it.

It is the Association of Friends of Carlux which took care of the preservation and promotion of the Carlux castle through the visit guide. The Castle is being restored, but very slowly... It has suffered several battles, it has changed hands and ownership several times in its history, been the victim of a fire, a remaining part was razed on the orders of the King Louis XI all this explains its state of disrepair. In 1990, the last owner donated it to the municipality which still owns it. It's quite a challenge, but each year research, excavations and the work of volunteers allow us to know more about its history.

The Romanesque dwelling, the chapel of which there are only evocations, ultimately what remains are imposing and solid walls which have withstood the ravages of History and the climate. Rebuilt and enlarged with each setback, the Carlux castle suffered from its position between Périgord and Quercy!

After your walk, you can go to the grocery store and local bar for refreshment and enjoy the sweetness of Carlux, while planning your next adventures!

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