- A new stage town
- Commune in Corrèze (19)
- Population: 8,000 (Malemortois and Malemortoises)
Throughout the year, rugby is the main topic of conversation in Malemort, a commune created in 2016 from the merger of two towns close to Brive-la-Gaillarde. CA Brive’s players have become used to thrilling fans in the Corrèze, even though their European Cup exploits date back to last century (winners in 1997, finalists in 1998). More recently, Brive hosted the Tour de France for the ninth time in 2012. Mark Cavendish maintained the tradition for sprint victories, following in the footsteps of Belgium’s Edouard Sels (1964), Britain’s Barry Hoban (1969) and Italy’s Mario Cipollini (1998).
MALEMORT
Saint-Xantin Church
Construction: 12th century.
Style: Romanesque.
History: it is not known whether the Romanesque church, whose choir dates from the mid-12th century and whose nave and portal date from the early 13th century, replaced an earlier church. It is also surprising to learn that this building was constructed during the most turbulent period of the Aquitaine wars and, in particular, the famous battle of Malemort between the routiers and the Bishop of Limoges, assisted by the Viscount of Comborn, an episode inseparable from the struggle between Henry, the King Duke of Aquitaine, and his rebellious sons.
Characteristics: Saint-Xantin Church is shaped like a Latin cross, with a single nave of two bays leading to an overhanging transept, in which oriented chapels open; a straight bay forming the choir, in line with the nave, and preceding a cut-off apse. The choir and transepts are covered by a slightly broken barrel vault.
Listed as: historic monument since 1905.
Saint-Xantin Priory
Construction: 13th century.
Style: Romanesque.
History: the history of the priory began in the 9th century, when the relics of Saint Xantin, former bishop of Meaux, were brought here. Saint-Xantin Priory consists of two adjoining buildings. The first dates from the 13th century and the second, adjacent to Saint-Xantin Church, dates from the 14th century. However, the latter has older medieval cellars. In 1610, Saint-Xantin Priory was remodelled at the instigation of the Doctrinaire Fathers of Brive. Listed as: historic monument in 1996.
Castrum de Montemart
Construction: 11th century.
Style: Medieval.
History: the Castrum de Montemart is mentioned in the 11th century as belonging to the Malemort family and is located on the heights of the small village. An older building, of which a stone wall remains, already existed. In the 11th century, the building consisted of a small rectangular granite keep, reinforced with three buttresses on each side, and another rectangular building built into the rock. The Montemart castrum was only abandoned in the 14th century, when the Malemort family moved into their new castle, built in the centre of the village, the Château de Bréniges. Today, all that remains of the building are the south-west and south-east sides of the keep, as well as traces of one floor. In 2003, the Malemort-sur-Corrèze town council bought the plots of land and secured the ruins.
Listed as: Historic monument since 2012.
Château de Bréniges
Construction: 14th century.
Style: medieval.
History: the Malemort family abandoned their castrum in Montemart to build a new residence in the village itself. A château was built, along with a gatehouse to provide defensive support. It had walls, moats and a small square keep. The two buildings were connected by an underground passage. It is this second building, the gatehouse, that is known as Château de Bréniges. In 1581, the Noailles family bought it but then abandoned it. In the 19th century, silkworms were bred in the château. Until 1950, there were three towers in the château. However, the town hall bought it to build a square and demolished one of the towers.
Listed as: historic monument in 1956.
Puymaret Castle
Construction: 13th century.
History: the castle occupies a strategic position on a spur at the mouth of the Corrèze river, on the Brive-la-Gaillarde plain. Traces of Gallo-Roman occupation. A whole complex of 13th-century buildings remains (square tower of the oratory, central building containing the cistern and square tower with spiral staircase, remains of the chapel, etc.). After a fire in 1793, the castle was rebuilt in the 19th century, incorporating the remaining buildings; a large main building was constructed in the troubadour style. The south and east wings were rebuilt after a fire in 1984.
Listed as: historic monument in 2000.
