1. Brive lighthouse
This lighthouse-like building, built in 1834, is actually a former water tower. The Brive-la-Gaillarde lighthouse is a listed building, but it has never steered a boat.
The evocative shape of the tower guiding the ships is the result of the architect's and builder's shared passion for history. Both men made reference to the Jurassic period, when the sea partially covered the region.
The original building was used to pump and filter water from the Doux river. But the tower's second floor, forming a belvedere, also served as a grandstand for notables during events.
Today, the lighthouse is the headquarters ofBrive Tourist Office. Don't hesitate to visit this landmark of the city, first through the 18th-century portal symbolizing the "Riant portail du Midi", then along the paths of the Mediterranean garden.
2. Halle Georges Brassens and the Gaillard market
The Brive-la-Gaillarde market is one of the most beautiful in France. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning, the Place du 14 juillet and the Halle George Brassens come alive from 7.30am to 1pm.
A gourmet event not to be missed, where you can discover local products and the terroir of Correze. Don't miss Brive-la-Gaillarde, where over 200 exhibitors and artisans await your visit.
Discover famous specialties such as Périgord truffles, fattened poultry, Limousin apples and Voutezac peaches... At the same time, discover traditional flavors such as milhassou and violet mustard.
3. The Denoix distillery, a living heritage company
Immerse yourself in a timeless world when you open the door of the Distillerie Denoix in the heart of Brive. Recognized as a Living Heritage Company (EPV), this institution has been passing on its ancestral know-how from generation to generation for almost 2 centuries.
Since 1839, liquor-making has been carried out in the same way at the Distillerie Denoix, which offers guided and self-guided tours, as well as a museum retracing the history of the family business and its production processes.
Unravel the mysteries of "Suprême de Noix", the distillery's emblematic liqueur that showcases a flagship product of the Gaillard region: the walnut. Updated by Elie Denoix, discover the subtle, sweet flavors of violet mustard from the Brive region, a mustard recipe made with grape must.
Between tradition and innovation, 5 generations have succeeded one another at Maison Denoix, which plays an active role in the local economy.
4. Labenche Museum
Labeled a "Musée de France", the Musée Labenche traces the history of Brive-la-Gaillarde and the surrounding area, with permanent collections dating back to prehistoric times.
The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire building itself dates from the Renaissance. It was built in the mid-16th century by a nobleman close to the king, whose mansion retained the title "de la Labenche". It was classified as a historical monument in 1886 and returned to the town of Brive-la-Gaillarde at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Musée Labenche has 15 exhibition rooms and holds collections that are unique in France, including tapestries by the English Royal Manufactory from the 17th century.
The museographic tour is built around 11 major themes, presenting over 5,000 objects that bear witness to time and history. Two rooms are dedicated to permanent exhibitions, and the museum also exhibits at the Chapelle Saint-Libérale in downtown Brive.
5. The Museum of Resistance and Deportation
This public institution of the city of Brive-la-Gaillarde is located in the family home of Edmond Michelet. Born in Paris in 1899, Edmond Charles Octave Michelet was an early member of the French Resistance. He was arrested by the German police in 1943, imprisoned and deported to Dachau. On liberation, he turned to politics, becoming Minister of the Armed Forces in the de Gaulle government.
The Edmond Michelet Museum is dedicated to the Second World War, the Resistance and deportation in France and Corrèze. It features permanent and temporary exhibitions open to the general public and schools.
The documentation and archive center has been pursuing a policy of acquisition for several years, and now boasts a substantial collection of propaganda posters, which also form part of the Museum's unique heritage.
Image : flickr