Prudhomat

• The castle of Castelnau-Bretenoux:

• To every lord all honor! Impossible to make stop at Prudhomat without making stop at the castle of Castelnau-Bretenoux which was built from the XIIth to the XVIIth century, from a first enclosure that Hugues de Castelnau built around his domain. The Baroness of Castelnau, a powerful family subservient to the counts of Toulouse, developed and enlarged over the centuries what remains a model of a fortified castle, testimony to the evolution of castral architecture. Designed to withstand the onslaught of medieval wars, it was adapted to the progress of artillery in the 15th and 16th centuries. From medieval times, remain a square keep and a seigniorial dwelling.
• The Castelnau dynasty was extinct at the beginning of the 18th century and the castle was devastated by a fire in 1851. It was to be bought by Jean Mouliérat, the tenor of the Opera, that it was patiently restored from 1896 to 1932, It is endowed with a large collection of furniture and works of art. This emblematic monument obviously classified is a history lesson on its own, as it also offers a true panorama of the history of art through the centuries. The site hosts animations, exhibitions and even concerts throughout the year.
• Free or commented tours. The castle is open all year except Tuesdays from October to March. Closed on 1 January, 1 May, 1 and 11 November, 25 December.
• Opening hours: from 2 January to 30 April and from 1 September to 31 December, open from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 2 pm to 5.30 pm; From 1 May to 30 June, open from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 2 pm to 6.30 pm; In July and August, open from 10am to 7pm.
• Price: 7,50 euros. Reduced price: 6 euros.
• Information on +33 5 65 10 98 00.

• In addition to the beautiful old houses of the village, with orange colors, three religious buildings linked to the castle deserve the visit. The collegiate church of Saint-Louis (XVIth), to begin with, was operated by a chapter composed of a dean and eight canons (one will linger at altars, paintings and stained glass, some dating from the 16th century Century), the church of Saint-Pierre, rebuilt in the 17th century after suffering in the wars of religion, and the church of Saint-Gilles, finally of Romanesque style, built in the twelfth century (but only its eastern parts remain because the Nave was completely rebuilt in 1885).
• The village will finally delight lovers of hiking (marked trails, whether on foot or mountain biking) or even swimming and canoeing in the nearby water of the Dordogne. Information on +33 5 65 33 22 00.

The castle of Castelnau-Bretenoux is one of the sites where the Saint-Céré festival (classical music, lyric art) takes place in July and August. As a general rule, the magnificent setting of the castle hosts performances of operas. Information on +33 5 65 38 28 08.