- Collonges-la-Rouge is a commune in the Corrèze department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, about 20 km south-east of Brive-la-Gaillarde (45.061 °N, 1.655 °E). It covers 14.31 km² and had 478 inhabitants in 2022[

- An 8th-century priory founded by monks from Charroux Abbey attracted craftsmen and farmers, who settled within fortified walls. In 1308 the Viscounts of Turenne granted the village tax exemptions that spurred further growth[]. After a 19th-century decline (phylloxera and quarrying), local enthusiasts formed “Les Amis de Collonges” and secured its listing as a historic monument in 1942

Almost every building is hewn from local vermilion sandstone—hence the name.

Église Saint-Pierre (11th–15th c.) boasts a white-stone Romanesque tympanum and was fortified during the Wars of Religio

La Chapelle des Pénitents Noirs (14th c.) and the Halle Henri IV market hall (16th c.) remain focal points.

<- Noble residences include the Maison de la Sirène, Manoir de Vassinhac and Castel Maussac, each with distinctive towers and mullioned windows

- In 1982 Mayor Charles Ceyrac launched the “Plus Beaux Villages” association right here, aiming to restore endangered rural gems and boost local economies through responsible tourism. Today the label covers 157 villages across France

References

• 1. Collonges-la-Rouge – Wikipedia
• 2. Collonges-la-Rouge and the geological fault</cite>
• 3. Mary Winston Nicklin, “Collonges-la-Rouge: The Most Beautiful Villages of France
• 4. Collonges-la-Rouge – France Voyage
• 5. Collonges-la-Rouge travel guide – France This Way

Text generated by Microsoft CoPilot<