An ancient and medieval town, Brive-la-Gaillarde, the largest town in the département of Corrèze, 485 km (301 miles) south of Paris, was a hotbed of French resistance movements during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II.

Today it is more or less a workaday town with facilities for the traveler, but not a lot to hold you here. The Office de Tourisme in the lighthouse-topped Château d'Eau is easy to spot near the Théatre, the market and the fairgrounds.

The medieval town center, is chock-a-block with shops and a few cafés and restaurants. The former Chapelle de Saint-Libéral is now an exhibit space.

The Musée Labenche, formally the Musée d'art et d'histoire de Brive-la-Gaillarde, is housed in an hôtel particulier (private mansion) constructed in 1540 for Jean de Calvimont, seigneur de la Labenche.

The harmonious Pont Cardinal, built in 1734 (with modifications later) spans the river Corrèze, and is Brive's Instagram favorite.

Transport

Brive-la-Gaillarde train station offers connections to Limoges, Périgueux, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Toulouse, and several regional destinations as well as direct Intercités trains to and from Paris (Gare d'Austerlitz, about 4-1/2 hours).

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Limoges Sarlat-la-Canéda Rocamadour Limousin Dordogne Aquitaine