A fair drive saw us move from Fanjeaux in the Region of Occitanie to Saint Jory de Chalais in Nouvelle Aquitaine. We went by way of Excideuil. That’s Excideuil near Perigeuex in the Dordogne, not the one in Charente.
Excideuil is a pretty little market town which grew up around a 10th century monastery by the River Loue. There’s little, if anything, remaining of this monastery (the Abbey of Saint Medard) except, the town’s principal church (L’Eglise Saint Thomas) was constructed on the same site and it is likely some aspects of the earlier religious buildings were incorporated into the new church.
Saint Thomas sits on the market square together with a number of other historical buildings, including the Commanderie des Templiers, the adjoining Commanderie de Sant Antonin and a small covered market area which the local farmer’s make use of every Thursday morning. The doors to the church were open and choral music was being piped around the church. The atmosphere inside was quite special – serene.
Nowadays, Excieuil is a small market town of just 1,100 inhabitants but it experienced a period of great prosperity during the late 15th century after King Louis XI exempted it from paying taxes (in recognition of the many times the town was sacked by invading armies during various wars). This favour by the French king, coupled with a burgeoning mining industry, saw the town’s population and wealth increase exponentially.
Now it is an altogether quieter place.
In it’s time Excideuil has witnessed much history and been tested more than most. Leaving aside the town’s Templar connection, there’s a 12th century castle (the Chateau d’Excideuil) on a rise at the edge of the town which has been involved in numerous battles and sieges over the years, particularly during the conflict between Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France (twice the castle had to fight off sieges by Richard although it fell at his third attempt) and again during the 100 years war when the English twice seized the castle from the French. The castle is now owned by the Naudet family who restored it after 300 years of neglect. I wasn’t able to gain entrance to the castle but I understand that part of it is open to the public notwithstanding that it is privately owned.
